Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in Washington Tuesday that mutual interests serve as the bedrock of cooperation between China and the United States.  

"This is, first of all, seen in the win-win and mutually beneficial economic cooperation and trade between our two countries," Wen said in a speech delivered at a dinner hosted by nine American organizations.

He said that American companies bring to China their capital, advanced technology and managerial expertise, and in return, China's abundant human resources and huge market provide American companies with enormous business opportunities.

"Furthermore, Chinese enterprises supply US consumers with large quantities of inexpensive and quality consumer goods," he stressed.

And China's imports of American agricultural produce such as soybean, wheat and cotton in large quantities provides a huge market for American farmers, he said.

The United States has now become China's second largest trading partner and the biggest investor in China, whereas for the United States, China is the third largest trading partner and the fastest growing export market, said the premier.

He noted that China's accession to the World Trade Organization was the landmark of the beginning of an all-round opening-up. More than 400 of the world's top 500 multinationals have opened businesses in China.

The Chinese premier said accelerated economic growth in China would provide new opportunities and give further impetus to the growth of China-US relations.

Wen expressed his belief that in the coming 20 years and beyond, it is entirely possible for China to maintain steady and rapid economic growth.

He predicted that China's GDP will quadruple the 2000 volume, exceeding US$4 trillion by 2020.

Wen arrived here Monday on a four-day official visit to the United States.

The dinner was jointly hosted by the National Committee on US-China relations, the US-China Business Council, the America-China Forum, the Asia Society, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Committee of 100, the Council on Foreign Relations, the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-China Policy Foundation.

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2003)