Hu made the remark at the Great Hall of the People in a meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is here as guest of Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan.

In line with the consensus reached between Chinese President Jiang Zemin and US President George W. Bush at Crawford in the United States, Hu said, the two countries have recently kept up frequent high-level dialogues, strengthened cooperation in counter-terrorism, economy and trade, and had close contacts and consultations on major international issues such as Iraq and the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Hu said that on the whole bilateral relations enjoy sound development.

He said that the key to the steady development of bilateral relations is that the two sides treat their relations from a long-term strategic perspective, try to expand consensus, enhance cooperation of mutual benefit and handle differences with caution.

Noting that the Taiwan question concerns China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and fundamental interests, Hu said he hoped the United States would abide by a one-China policy and principles enshrined in the three Sino-US joint communiqu?s, and stick to its opposition to "Taiwan's independence" so as to play a constructive role in the realization of China's peaceful reunification.

Powell arrived in Beijing Sunday afternoon.

(Xinhua News Agency February 24, 2003)