China is ready to work with the United States to lift bilateral cooperation to a higher level, China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin said here Thursday.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's political advisory body, met with a delegation from the U.S. think-tank Center for American Progress headed by President and CEO John Podesta.

Podesta, former White House Chief of Staff, is in China to attend the China-U.S. Dialogue and other activities.

Jia said during the meeting that China and the United States shoulder important and common responsibilities on major and pressing issues concerning peace and development.

He expressed the wish that the two countries continue to step up dialogues, exchanges and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect of each other's fundamental interest and concern.

Jia said the two countries should "lift the mutually beneficial cooperation to a higher level" so as to better benefit the two peoples and people around the world.

He explained the nature of the July 5 riot in Urumqi in west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which left 197 people dead and more than 1,600 others injured. Jia briefed the American guests about the policies that the Chinese government took to safeguard unity and social stability of the country.

The two sides also exchanged views on the world financial crisis and the Taiwan issue.

Podesta said strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation conforms with the interests of both countries and is conducive to the stability and development of the Asia Pacific region and the world. He expressed the willingness to help advance exchanges and cooperation between the United States and China so as to push forward bilateral links in a healthy and stable way.

Podesta and his delegation are visiting China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs. Podesta was one of the key companions of former President Bill Clinton during his visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea last month.

During the visit, the American delegation met Chinese officials from different ministries to exchange views and gain a better knowledge about China's stance on such issues as Sino-U.S. relations, new energy, climate change and financial cooperation under the circumstance of the world financial crisis.

Source: Xinhua