BEIJING, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama held their first meeting in London Wednesday on the sidelines of the Group of Twenty (G20) summit.

    The following are the basic facts about major meetings between the countries' presidents.

    Oct. 1997 -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin met with U.S. President Bill Clinton during his state visit to the United States. The two sides signed a joint statement, in which they established the goals, principles and guidelines of the development of China-U.S. relations in the 21st century.

    June 1998 -- U.S. President Bill Clinton paid a state visit to China and met with his Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin. The two sides issued three joint statements respectively on issues of South Asia, banning anti-personnel land mines and negotiation of the Protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention.

    Feb. 2002 -- U.S. President George W. Bush paid a visit to China. In his meeting with Jiang Zemin, he expressed his consent to Jiang's four suggestions on how to maintain and develop the positive momentum of bilateral relations and how to enrich the constructive and cooperative partnership.

    Oct. 2002 -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin met with U.S. President George W. Bush during his working visit to the United States. The two leaders agreed on furthering the constructive and cooperative ties and enhancing top-level strategic dialogues and contacts between the two countries.

    Sept. 2005 -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met with U.S. President George W. Bush during the 60th anniversary summit of the United Nations in New York. The two leaders expressed their willingness to promote mutual trust, enhance cooperation, and push forward a constructive, cooperative China-U.S. relationship in an all-round way.

    Nov. 2005 -- U.S. President George W. Bush visited China and met with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao. The two sides agreed to enhance mutual understanding, expand consensus, deepen mutual trust, and to promote their constructive and cooperative relations in the 21st century.

    April 2006 -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met with U.S. President George W. Bush during his state visit to the United States. The two leaders agreed to view and treat bilateral ties between China and the United States from a strategic height and long-term perspective.

    July 2006 -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met with U.S. President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg dialogue between leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) and developing nations. The two leaders exchanged views on China-U.S. relations and other issues of common concern.

    From then on, Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush also held talks in Beijing, Lima etc. on various occasions in which they exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as international and regional matters of common concern.