Chinese President Hu Jintao Tuesday told visiting US President Barack Obama that China hoped the US will properly handle the Taiwan issue, and not allow separatists to use the US soil to stage anti-China activities aimed to split the country.

Hu said in a meeting with Obama at the Great Hall of the People that respect for each other's core interests and major concerns was the premise of the strategic mutual trust between China and the United States.

"We hope the US side understands and supports the Chinese government's stances and concerns, handles the Taiwan issue properly, and won't allow 'Tibet Independence' and 'East Turkistan' forces to use the US soil to stage anti-China separatist activities," Hu said.

Obama reiterated that the US side would firmly stick to the one-China policy and abide by the principles in the three China-US joint communiqués.

The United States acknowledged and respected China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and had no intention to interfere in China's core interests, the US President said.

He stressed that the US supported the improvement of relations across the Taiwan Strait.

Obama is in Beijing for a four-day state visit to China that started in Shanghai Sunday night.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2009)