Chinese President Jiang Zemin met with a group of US congressmen at the Great Hall of the People on January 10, with each side stressing that mutual understanding between China and the United States is a must if their relationship is to grow.

The group, who are here as guests of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), was led by Matt Salmon. Sander Levin, another US congressman invited by CPIFA, also attended the meeting.

Jiang said that at the turn of the century, the development process of the Sino-US relationship demonstrated that the growthof the healthy ties between these two influential countries is not only in their common interests but also conducive to world peace, stability and development.

He said that all far-sighted statesmen should have a clear understanding of this historic tide and go along with it. In the new millennium, both sides should recognize and deal appropriatelywith developments that are in the fundamental interests of both the Chinese and American peoples and the people in the world, with "wisdom, strength and a strategic perspective."

Jiang pointed out that the Sino-US relationship is now in a pivotal phase with both good opportunities and challenges ahead. "As long as the three Sino-US joint communiques and the commitments made by the US side can be strictly observed, and the Taiwan issue and other key issues be properly handled, Sino-U.S. ties will see steady improvement and development," he said.

Jiang also stressed the need to further the mutual understanding between the two countries. He again called the bilateral agreement signed by China and US on China's accession into the World Trade Organization (WTO) a "win-win" deal, which isbeneficial for the all-round growth of Sino-US economic and trade cooperation.

The Chinese president hoped US congressmen will be active in the development of bilateral trade relations and the improvement and growth of bilateral ties in general.

The US congressmen expressed their admiration to China's longhistory and its current thriving economy. They believed that the growth of the US-China relationship is significant for the two countries and the future of the world.

They also pledged they would actively support the US-China deal on China's WTO entry and agreed to make continuous efforts for the realization of permanent normal trade relations with Chinafor the sound development of US-China relations.