The relationship between China and the United States has made a good start since President Barack Obama took office, said Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping here Wednesday during a meeting with John Kerry, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Xi cited the meeting of the two heads of state in London last month, when they reached consensus on setting up strategic and economic dialogue mechanisms, jointly coping with the international financial crisis, and strengthening coordination and cooperation on bilateral and major international and regional issues.

Xi said the Chinese government had paid great attention to energy, environment, and climate change, and taken resource conservation and environmental protection as basic state policies.

As the largest energy producers and consumers in the world, China and the U.S. are facing common challenges as well as important foundations for cooperation in the energy and environmental fields, he said.

He indicated the two countries could cooperate on energy efficiency, new, renewable and clean energies.

Xi said climate change was a major challenge for the whole world and required cooperation, but this should adhere to the principles of "common but differentiated responsibilities".

He pledged to work with the U.S. and other countries to contribute to the success of the Copenhagen conference on climate change later this year.

Kerry said the U.S.-China relationship was one of the most important bilateral links in the world, and the U.S. government and congress attached importance to it.

He said the U.S. would make its own efforts to improve coordination and cooperation with China.

Source: Xinhua