Hu calls for promotion of China-Canada strategic partnership
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Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday called for the all-round development of the China-Canada strategic partnership, saying a "sound, stable, positive and growing" relationship served the interests of both countries, the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.
Speaking at the banquet hosted in his honor by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa, Hu said the growing China-Canada relationship had brought concrete benefits to the two peoples and contributed significantly to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Though national conditions of China and Canada differ, there exists no conflict of fundamental interests between the two countries, and their common interests far outweigh their differences, Hu said.
"As long as we both adhere to the principles of mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit and seeking common ground while reserving differences, as long as we keep to the right direction of bilateral relations, we will make our relationship a model for relations between countries different in social systems and level and mode of development," he said.
Hu, who is currently on a state visit to Canada, put forward proposals in his speech for the promotion of the all-round development of the China-Canada strategic partnership, which was set up in 2005.
The two sides should "take a strategic and long-term perspective, maintain our strategic partnership and inject new impetus into the growth of our relations," "increase high-level exchanges and continue and expand consultations at various levels to increase mutual understanding and trust," and "push forward practical cooperation in all fields and explore new ways and means of cooperation," the president said.
China and Canada should also "intensify coordination on major international and regional issues, enhance consultations and cooperation on climate change, nuclear security, food security, public health security and counterterrorism and contribute our share to a more just and equitable international order," he said.
The two countries should also "respect and accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns and appropriately handle sensitive issues to ensure that our bilateral relations will move forward without disruption," the president stressed.
China and Canada should also "encourage extensive exchanges between various sectors of the two countries and increase the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples with a view to consolidating public support for China-Canada friendship," he added.
The president singled out trade and economic cooperation as a key component of China-Canada relations and made some proposals for the two countries to tap the great potential and bring bilateral trade and economic cooperation to a new level.
