Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Hong Kong Tuesday that the sound Sino-US relations will benefit the two countries, and are also important to the rest of the world.

He made the remarks while delivering a keynote speech at the luncheon held at the two-day 38th International General Meeting of the Pacific Basic Economic Council that closed later Tuesday.

He said the United States and China not only have a strategic partnership, but also have a complement relation.

The Sino-US trade and economic cooperation also benefits American people and helps create job opportunities in his country, he admitted.  

On the Sino-US textile disputes, he said, the US has also had some trade disputes with other countries. The most important thing is to sit down and jointly probe solutions.

Powell, who stepped down from the US secretary of state early this year, said his experience in handling relations with China during his terms of office is that disputes could only be solved with dialogues and negotiations.

He said he is glad to see the rise of China and China should keep its economic growth for affording a population of 1.3 billion.

Powell said the Chinese are great people and they must work hard to earn the living for 1.3 billion people.  

He believed that though China has been on the track of fast economic growth and military development, it dose not present a threat to the US. What's more, China's military expenditure is far less than that of the Pentagon.

Look ahead, there are many challenges and opportunities for the Asian countries and the region, Powell said, urging the Asian countries and the region to seize the good opportunities for their economic development. 

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2005)