BEIJING - Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns on Thursday in Beijing.

Li said China-U.S. relations have stepped into a new crucial phase.

He said the two countries should increase mutual trust through dialogue, seek greater common interests through cooperation and remove obstacles by properly dealing with their differences.

The vice president called on the two countries to make joint efforts in building a bilateral cooperative partnership and pursuing the path of a new type of relations between major countries.

Burns said the United States is willing to enhance consultation with China on major issues of common concern, so as to promote the development of these new-type relations between the United States and China.

Earlier on Thursday, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi also met with Burns in Beijing.