US, China hold Asia-Pacific consultations

Updated: 2012-03-13 10:45

(Xinhua)

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WASHINGTON - The United States and China on Monday held the third round of Consultations on Asia-Pacific at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

The closed-door consultations were co-chaired by US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, the US State Department said in a statement.

The two sides held "constructive discussions" on the developments in the Asia-Pacific region. "The United States reiterated its commitment to working together to build a cooperative partnership with China and welcomed China playing a more active and positive role in world affairs," the statement said.

"The United States emphasized its support for strengthening the role of regional institutions in Asia and its desire to work together with China to advance this goal. In that context, the United States and China discussed ways for both countries to promote greater cooperation on regional challenges," the statement said.

The two sides also discussed pressing issues in the region, as well as their respective objectives for the next rounds of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, Strategic Security Dialogue, and Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, according to the statement.

Last Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a regular press briefing that China expects the latest round of Sino-US consultation on Asia Pacific will increase mutual trust and control the differences with the United States, so as to promote positive interactions in the Asia-Pacific region.

The first round of US-China Consultations on Asia-Pacific was held last June in Hawaii, followed by the second round held last October in Beijing.

Established during the third round of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue held in May, 2011 in Washington, the US-China Consultations on Asia-Pacific were used as a platform for the two countries to keep close contacts and coordination on the regional situation and respective policies so as to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

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