Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said at a press conference Sunday that the United States was responsible for the recently disrupted Sino-US relations.

U.S. leaders' meetings with the Dalai Lama and the country's arms sales to Taiwan violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wen told reporters after the closing meeting of the annual parliamentary session.

"These have seriously disrupted Sino-US relations," he said. "The responsibility did not lie with China."

However, Wen said the bilateral relationship experienced a good start after US President Barack Obama took office.

He voiced hope that the US would face the problems squarely and work to restore and improve relations with China on the basis of the three joint communiques, which are regarded as the foundation of Sino-US relations.

Peaceful relations and mutual trust benefit both sides, while confrontation and suspicion can hurt both, Wen said.

The two sides should promote bilateral ties through dialogues, cooperation and partnership rather than confrontation, containment or rivalry, he added.

Relations with the US is a linchpin of China's diplomacy, which not only concern the interests of the two peoples, but also went beyond the bilateral scope to some extent, Wen noted.

He said the fundamental starting point of China's diplomatic policies is to safeguard national interests, the most important of which is sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Another important starting point is to equally treat nations that are friendly to China, Wen said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2010)