BEIJING: Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday called for the United States and China to respect each other's concerns, amid a row over a dissident who fled to the US embassy.
Speaking at the start of two-day talks in Beijing, Hu called for cooperation between the world's two largest economies and warned that any worsening of relations posed "grave" risks for the world.
"Given the different national conditions, it is impossible for China and the United States to see eye-to-eye on every issue," Hu said at the talks, attended by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
"We should approach our differences in the correct way and respect and accommodate each other's interests and concerns. We should properly manage differences through dialogue and by improving mutual understanding," he said.
The annual talks are being held under the shadow of a row over Chen Guangcheng, a blind activist who took refuge in the US embassy but left Wednesday for a Beijing hospital under a controversial deal.
Echoing a frequent call for Chinese leaders to set aside politics, Hu said that the two countries should seek cooperation "no matter how their domestic situations evolve."
"People believe that cooperation between China and the United States will bring enormous opportunities to the two countries and the world, while confrontation between the two will bring grave harm to all," he said. (AFP)