Chinese President Hu Jintao attended a welcome luncheon Thursday hosted by friendly organizations in the United States.

In a speech at the luncheon, he said advancing the sustained, sound and steady development of China-U.S. relations served the fundamental interests of the two peoples. It was also conducive to world peace and development.

"Working together hand in hand, we will build and develop a China-U.S. cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and benefit, and deliver greater benefits to the people of our two countries and the world over," he said.

Hu said the turbulence caused by the international financial crisis was receding and the world economy was returning to growth. Yet there still existed many uncertainties and destabilizing factors, making the world economic recovery a tortuous process.

The Chinese president said the people of the two countries, in the face of the complex and fluid international situation and various risks and challenges, should step up cooperation and work with people across the world to share opportunities, meet challenges and build a better future for mankind.

Hu arrived here Tuesday to start his four-day visit to the United States. When meeting with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on Wednesday, he and Obama agreed to establish a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit.

After his visit to Washington, he will fly to Chicago on Thursday afternoon.