In accordance with the consensus reached by the two heads of state on setting up a medium- and long-term anti-terrorism mechanism for exchanges and cooperation between China and the United States, the third China-US anti-terrorism consultation and the second consultation of the China-US working group on financial anti-terrorism were held on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, respectively, in Beijing. Representatives from relevant government agencies of the two countries had an in-depth exchange of views on the current international and regional anti-terrorism situation and on China-US cooperation in fighting terrorism in the financial sector and reached wide-ranging consensus. The two sides stressed that the strengthening of China-US anti-terrorism cooperation is conducive to the advancement of international anti-terrorism activities and of bilateral relations as well. The US side invited the Chinese side to the United States for the next round of consultations consisting of two sessions, the first, to take place in the second half of 2003, and the second, in 2004.