BEIJING, April 7 (Reuters) - China has an understanding with the United States for each to respect the core interests of the other, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Wednesday, calling for positive ties ahead of a Washington trip by China's president following a period of tension.
An April 2 telephone call between President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama "reached an important new consensus", Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai told a news conference before Hu's trip to attend a nuclear security conference on April 12-13 hosted by Obama.
The two agreed their countries should "respect each other's core interests and major concerns, appropriately handling disputes and sensitive issues, strengthening communication and cooperation in various spheres," Cui said.