Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Saturday that China and the United States have made positive progress in their constructive and cooperative relationship in the past four years and that China will work for steady development of bilateral ties in the coming four years.

When talking with his US counterpart, George W. Bush, on the sidelines of the 12th APEC leadership meeting, Hu noted that bilateral high-level dialogue and contacts at various levels have increased, with new progress in cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, law enforcement and the fight against terror, and that exchanges between the two armies have basically resumed.

Facts have demonstrated that the two countries share broad common interests and should cooperate in various fields for the benefit of the two peoples and the people of the world as a whole, Hu said.

The coming four years would be an important period for the development of the Sino-US ties, Hu said, urging joint efforts to enrich the contents of the constructive and cooperative relationship and to further promote the steady development of bilateral ties.

China and the United States should maintain the positive momentum in high-level exchanges and strengthen their strategic dialogue, said the Chinese president.

He called for the continued, sound development of bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, finance, and science and technology by bringing into full play the role of intergovernmental joint commissions in these areas.

Hu stressed that the two countries should intensify cooperation in anti-terrorism, law-enforcement, health, and environment on the basis of mutual benefit.

Bush, for his part, said US relations with China are among Washington's most important bilateral ties, adding that China, a great country developing constantly, is a source of stability, trade and economic development.

Bush, reelected early this month for another four-year term, said that the United States is willing to further strengthen its ties with China and to step up consultations and coordination on major regional and international issues for a better world.