Hu said strong US-Chinese ties serve not only the 'fundamental interest' of two countries, but also contribute to peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia Pacific region and the world.

'The Chinese side is willing to work with the US to keep our bilateral relationship firmly along the right course and deepen our pragmatic cooperation in a wide range of areas,' Hu said.

'The Chinese side is also willing to work with the US to properly handle sensitive issues to ensure that our relationship will continue to grow on a sound and steady course,' he said.

Both Obama and Hu were attending the UN General Assembly meetings in New York for the first time.