Strengthening dialogue, exchange and cooperation between China and the United States is in the fundamental interests of the two countries and conducive to regional and and world peace, stability and development, a senior Chinese official said Friday.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC), made the remarks during a meeting with Mark Steven Kirk, one of the co-chairmen of the US-China Working Group under the US House of Representatives.

Speaking highly of the support and efforts by Kirk and his colleagues to develop Sino-US relations, Wu, who is in New York attending the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, welcomed more visits to China by members of the US Congress so as to enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.

Kirk said the United States sees the bilateral ties between the two countries as the most important ones and it should enhance its cooperation and exchanges with China.

Kirk, a Republican from Illinois, co-founded the US-China Working Group with House member Rick Larson, a Democrat, in June this year.

Kirk said the founding of the congressional group is aimed at promoting US legislators' understanding of China.

He said the development of China poses no threat to the United States but provides it with opportunities.

Source: Xinhua