China and the United States should properly address differences as well as make more effort to strengthen trust and regional cooperation, Premier Li Keqiang said during a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Beijing on May 16.

Based on mutual respect and equality, the Chinese side is willing to enhance coordination with the US on major global and regional affairs, as well as tackle global challenges to realize inclusive cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, Li said.

The premier stressed China’s commitment to reform and opening up, a path to sustain a healthy growth and achieve modernization, and said China’s open door to the world will be bigger and bigger.

China would also like to speed up negotiations over the Bilateral Investment Treaty, especially by pushing forward talks about the negative lists in a constructive manner, and to raise Sino-US economic ties to a higher level, Li said.

Regarding climate change, a key area for Sino-US cooperation, the premier said China, as a major developing country, has made lasting efforts to tackle the issue.

Premier Li Keqiang meets with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Beijing, May 16, 2015.[Photo/China News Service]

China would like to strengthen coordination on policies and implement consensus with the US based on a common but differentiated principle, Li said. He called for developed countries to support developing ones by improving technology transfer and experience sharing.

Li also said he believes President Xi Jinping’s scheduled visit to the US in September will be a success.

Kerry said the relationship between the US and China is not a competitive one. Instead, they should work together to boost development.

Both countries should utilize systems, such as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, to strengthen communication and coordination, Kerry said. He also called for greater cooperation between the two countries in areas such as climate change and hygiene, education and infrastructure construction in Africa.

Both sides also exchanged views about global and regional issues of common concern.