On April 29, 2002, Vice President Hu Jintao met with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

Hu said that since the establishment of the United Nations, it has done a lot useful work and has been playing an indispensable role in solving regional conflicts and promoting world peace, cooperation and development. The tasks for the U.N. has become tougher under the changing international situation of growing complexity. Therefore, the role for the U.N. should be strengthened rather than weakened and its authority should be upheld rather than harmed. He emphasized that China, as a permanent member of the UN. Security Council, would continue to take an active part in U.N. affairs and support the work of the secretary-general.

Annan briefed Hu on the latest developments in the Middle East situation and those related to the Iraq issue.

On the Middle East issue, both agreed that the international community should continue to urge Israelis and Palestinians to end as early as possible the vicious cycle of tit-for-tat violence. A political settlement provides the only possible way to the solution of the Middle East problem.

On the issue of arms inspection in Iraq, Hu spoke highly of the efforts UN has made for the solution of the issue. He said that most countries hope to see a political settlement of the Iraq problem, and do not want to see any further complication and turbulence in the Middle East and the Gulf region because of the Iraqi issue.

Annan highly praised the great achievements made in China's modernization drive and extended his thanks to China for the importance it attaches to the development of friendship and cooperation of mutual benefit with other developing nations including African countries as well as its firm support to the work of the United Nations.

On the same afternoon, Hu met with with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and exchanged views with him on Sino-U.S. ties.

In the evening, Hu attended a banquet hoste by the bankers' association in the U.S. More than 30 magnates in the financial and business circles were present. During the banquet, Hu made a speech on China's domestic economic development, China-U.S. economic ties and trade, and the issue of financial cooperation. He said that economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States embrace a bright future and cooperation between Chinese and American enterprises would surely produce a win-win result that is mutually beneficial. He emphasized that the economic and trade ties and the political relations between China and the United States should complement and promote each other. China and the United States should strengthen dialogue and cooperation, enhance mutual understanding and trust, properly handle contradictions and differences between them and create a favorable political environment for their economic cooperation and trade.

After the speech, Hu also took questions on China's economic growth rate, the development of China's western region, social security and the project of the Three Gorges.