China disagrees to so-called G2, calling for effort to fight protectionism

• Source: Xinhua
• [19:36 November 18 2009]
• Comments

Before their formal meeting in the State Guesthouse Wednesday morning, Wen said Obama's fruitful visit, the first state visit to China since he took office in January, would be of far-reaching significance.

He expressed his "sincere hope" that Obama's China visit would lift the comprehensive and cooperative China-US relations to a new level.

"The history of Sino-US relations has made it clear that cooperation benefits both sides while confrontation results in harms, and mutual trust brings progress while suspicion causes setbacks," Wen said.

Cooperation is better than containment, dialogue is better than confrontation, and partnership is better than rivalship, he added.

Wen and Obama also exchanged views on global climate change, the Korean Peninsula situation, the Middle East issue and Doha round of world trade talks.

Obama arrived in Shanghai on Sunday night to kick off his four-day visit to China, where on Monday he met with municipal officials and college students and then flied to Beijing in the afternoon.

On Tuesday in Beijing, Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with Obama, and they reached a wide range of agreements on furthering strategic mutual trust, maintaining exchanges at all levels and meeting global and regional challenges together.

A joint statement was issued after the talks.

Obama also met with China' top legislator Wu Bangguo during his stay in Beijing.