In the small hours on 30 March, Beijing time, US President Obama accepted the Letter of Credence of China's new ambassador to the United States Zhang Yesui in the oval office of the White House and had a cordial conversation with Ambassador Zhang.

President Obama welcomed Ambassador Zhang Yesui to his new post, and stated that the bilateral relationship between the United States and China is both comprehensive and important, and reflects the old and deep ties between the two peoples. President Obama said both of our countries have benefited from the sound and steady growth of our engagement over the past 31 years, and our capacity for constructive cooperation has continually increased. Last year, the two countries successfully held the first round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogues. President Obama said, I paid a successful visit to China and met with President Hu Jintao on many occasions. President Hu and I agreed that our two countries should build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship for the 21st century, and we will both take concrete actions to steadily build a partnership to address common challenges. The United States is committed to these goals. The United States welcomes a China that is a strong, prosperous and successful member of the international community. The one China policy reiterated by the US side will not change.

President Obama said that today, our relationship has the ability to shape the 21st century, making it as important as any bilateral relationship in the world. The two countries face shared regional and global challenges that demand our combined efforts, including on issues such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, regional peace and stability and climate change. Now is the time for our two great nations to join hands and commit to creating a prosperous future for our children.

Ambassador Zhang Yesui conveyed the greetings of President Hu Jintao to President Obama. President Obama expressed his thanks and asked Ambassador Zhang to give his regards to President Hu.

Ambassador Zhang Yesui said, a sound China-US relationship serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, and contributes to peace, stability and development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large. Chinese leaders and the Chinese government have all along attached importance to China-US relations. China is ready to work with the United States to implement in good faith the important common understanding reached between their leaders, enhance dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and steadily advance the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-US relationship for the 21st century.