Monday, January 12, 2009

Former President Jimmy Carter is urging President-elect Barack Obama to find ways to cooperate with China on global issues.

Carter spoke with The Associated Press on the sidelines of a Beijing conference marking 30 years since the Carter administration formalized diplomatic ties with China.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is among the other luminaries at the conference.

The ex-president says working "with mutual respect and in harmony and partnership" will be a major challenge and a major opportunity for the incoming administration.

Carter later met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in a private meeting. China's Xinhua (shin-wah) news agency says Carter passed on a message from Obama, who he met last week during a luncheon at the White House.