On November 20, 2005, Director-General Kong Quan of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave a briefing for domestic and international journalists on President Bush's visit to China. He said the visit was against the backdrop of comprehensive development of China-US relations and had achieved important results.

Bush arrived in Beijing on the evening of November 19. The following day President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao met with President Bush and held talks with him respectively.

Kong said this was an important visit in a friendly atmosphere. The visit was pragmatic and constructive. The leaders of the two countries exchanged views on issues of common interest and reached consensus on a number of issues.

During the talks of the two heads of state, President Bush invited President Hu to visit the US as early as possible and President Hu accepted the invitation with pleasure. Kong said it was very important for China and the US to maintain high-level dialogue. It was hoped that the dialogue between the leaders of the two countries as well as the contacts and consultations between the two countries at all levels can broaden their common interests and enhance their mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields so as to realize common development and achieve world peace and stability.

Kong said the meeting between President Hu and President Bush was the fifth for the two heads of state this year. The two leaders highly commented the development of bilateral relations, reiterating that they would make joint efforts to push for new progress in China-US constructive cooperative relations which is not only beneficial to both peoples but of great significance to regional and world peace and stability.

Kong said President Hu also reaffirmed China would firmly stick to the path of peaceful development, for which President Bush expressed his appreciations. Kong said China and the US share common interests on a number of issues and thus we should proceed from the overall perspective of bilateral relations and appropriately address the problems and frictions between the two countries so as to ensure sound development of bilateral relations on the basis of stability.

When the journalists asked whether the two heads of state had talked about human rights issues, Kong said due to different historical and cultural backgrounds, different national realities and different stages of development, it is natural for China and the US to have some differences on certain issues. What is important is that we need to enhance understanding and seek consensus through dialogue.

Wnen taking questions from the media on trade, Kong said Chinese and US leaders had conducted in-depth discussions on the issue. Both sides indicated that they would like to make joint efforts to gradually achieve a balance in bilateral trade. The frictions and problems arising from the rapid development of bilateral economic and trade relations should be properly resolved through consultation.

As for how China and the US will respond to the rampant bird flu, Kong said Chinese and US heads of state reached consensus on enhancing cooperation on the prevention and control of bird flu and formulated a joint document. This was a practical step for bilateral cooperation on the prevention and control of the disease with rich contents, including the R&D of vaccine and medicine against the disease.