Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said Tuesday that respecting each other's core interests is the "key" to China-US relations.

He made the remarks after the two countries issued a joint statement following sweeping talks between President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama.

The two sides reiterated in the document that "the fundamental principle of respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity is at the core of the three Sino-US joint communiques which guide China-US relations."

"Neither side supports any attempts by any force to undermine this principle," the statement stressed.

The two sides agreed that respecting each other's core interests "is extremely important", and both countries believe that to nurture and deepen bilateral strategic trust is essential to China-US relations in the new era, according to the statement.

President Hu Jintao also said in formal talks with President Obama that he hoped that the United States would "properly handle" the Taiwan issue and forbid "Tibet independence" and "East Turkistan" forces from using US territory to cover their anti-China separatist activities.

Obama promised that the US government sticks to the one-China policy and recognizes that Tibet is part of China.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2009)