Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, made the remarks in a meeting with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

Wu spoke highly of Kissinger's important contributions to the improvement and development of Sino-US relations over many years, saying this relationship is "maintaining a momentum of positive growth."

Sino-U.S. relations have progressed in recent years, with more focus on strategic global significance, Wu said, adding that a good relationship between the two nations is not only in the interests of the two peoples, but also conducive to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole.

China and the United States should pursue common interests and properly handle disputes and concerns, he said.

On the Taiwan issue, Wu said it touches China's core interests and the sentiments of 1.3 billion Chinese people.

The Chinese government appreciated the Bush administration's repeated reaffirmations of their adherence to the one-China policy and the three US-China communiques opposing "Taiwan independence", Wu said.

As China's long-standing friend, Kissinger, the 84-year-old foreign policy expert who has witnessed meetings between eight U.S. presidents and four generations of Chinese leaders, said he was delighted to see China's achievements in so many sectors.

The United States and China share extensive common interests and it is important to develop US-China relations for a peaceful and prosperous world, he said.

Kissinger is here on a goodwill visit at the invitation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.