On May 1, 2002, Vice President Hu Jintao met with US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon. The two sides reached some consensus on Sino-US relations, particularly on military exchanges between the two countries. The two agreed that measures will be taken to resume and strengthen the exchanges between the two militaries.

Rumsfeld, expressing his welcome to Hu, said that the US-China relationship is very important and the two sides have enjoyed sound cooperation in various fields. The United States is willing to restore military exchanges on the basis of equality and reciprocity.

Hu said that China attaches great importance to its relations with the United States. Although China and the United States have some differences, the two nations share extensive common interests in maintaining peace and stability in the Asian-Pacific region and the world at large. This year marks the 30th anniversary of President Nixon's visit to China and the issuance of the Sino-US Shanghai Joint Communique. Thirty years ago, President Nixon made the important conclusion that China and the United States had no reason to become enemies. Today thirty years later, the two countries have no reason not to develop constructive relationship of cooperation for the sake of world peace and stability. The relationship between the two militaries is an important component of the Sino-US relations and China takes a positive attitude towards the exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries.

Hu stressed that the most important and the most sensitive issue in the Sino-US relations is the Taiwan issue. He expressed the hope that the US side abides by the One-China policy and the principles of the three joint communiques and guards against the "Taiwan independence" forces from disturbing the Sino-US relations, so as to promote the development of healthy and stable bilateral relations.

On the same day, Hu also met with former US national security adviser Brent Scowcroft, President of the World Bank James Wolfensohn and US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.