On September 30, 2004, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington to exchange views on China-US relations as well as other regional and international issues of common interest.

Li Zhaoxing said with the joint efforts of China and the United States, bilateral constructive and cooperative relations have witnessed sound development in recent years. The importance of China-US relations has gone far beyond bilateral ties. China and the United States should deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, appropriately handle differences, and address each other's concerns so as to maintain peace and stability in Asia and the whole world and to promote common development.

Li said China attaches importance to the repeated reiteration of the United States on the adherence to the one-China policy, the abidance of the three Sino-US Joint Communiqués and the opposition to "Taiwan independence". China demands the United States to fulfill its commitments with actual deeds, to respect China's core interest and supreme concern and to stop sending wrong signals to the "Taiwan independence" forces.

Powell said the US government realizes the sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and its importance to China-US relations. The United States will uphold the one-China policy.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Darfur issue in Sudan, non-proliferation and international cooperation on counter terrorism.

Following the meeting Li and Powell co-hosted a press conference to take questions from the media on China-US relations and the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Yang Jiechi attended the meeting.