BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo on Wednesday said China and the United States should respect each other's core interests and properly handle sensitive affairs in a bid to preserve the sound development of bilateral ties.

    China and the United States should handle bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term point of view, said Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), in a meeting with a U.S. senate delegation.

    Wu hailed the sound development of China-U.S. relations in 2009,saying it indicated a smooth transition from the Bush administration to the Obama's and the relationship between the countries was progressing well.

    He labeled the China-U.S. relationship as "one of the world's most important" during the half-hour meeting in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

    Wu pledged to further the exchanges between the two country's parliaments in a bid to promote strategic mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and friendship between the two peoples.

    The delegation, headed by Senator Patty Murray, was in Beijing for a meeting under a regular exchange mechanism between the two parliaments, in which the two sides discussed such topics as bilateral ties, parliamentary exchanges and climate change.

    The U.S. senators highlighted the importance of relations with China, promised to enhance communication and dialogue with the NPC so as to promote mutual understanding.