Speaking at a news briefing about Hu's 5-nation visit, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Hu's U.S. visit slated for April 18-21 was a major event in the Sino-U.S. relations and would help facilitate the "sustainable, healthy and steady" development of the bilateral ties.

Noting that China-U.S. relations were maintaining a good momentum, Yang said Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush and other U.S. leaders would exchange views on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern in a "profound way".

The two leaders met last year in New York and Beijing respectively and they came to an important consensus on promoting the constructive and cooperative relations facing the new century in an all-round way.

In his visit to Seattle, Washington D.C. and Yale University, Hu will meet parliament members, officials, scholars, workers and students as well.

"We hope that Hu's visit will encourage both sides to examine the importance and necessity of developing the Sino-U.S. relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective," he said.

The relationship between China and the United States was among the most important bilateral relations in the world, Yang said. "The common interests of both countries have increased steadily, the foundation for cooperation has been further fortified and opportunities are on steady rise."

Maintaining stable and healthy development of the Sino-U.S. relations is in the fundamental interests of both countries and conducive to peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific Region and the world, he added.

The two countries have been maintaining frequent high-level exchanges and contacts this year, Yang said.

A number of senior U.S officials, including U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, have visited China this year.

China has also sent many delegations to the United States, with Vice Premier Wu Yi co-chairing the 17th meeting of the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Trade Representative Robert Portman.

The two countries have made headway in many areas including trade, anti-terrorism, nonproliferation, and prevention and control of bird flu as well.

They have been maintaining effective consultations and coordination in international and regional affairs such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue, the reconstruction of Iraq and United Nations affairs, Yang said.

Noting that the Taiwan issue was the most important and sensitive one in the China-U.S. relations, Yang said it is in the interests of both China and the United States to oppose and contain "Taiwan independence" and to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

He reiterated China's hope that the U.S. government would stick to its pledges on the issue and would not send "wrong" signals to "Taiwan independence" activists.

Hailing that economic and trade cooperation had brought benefits to the two peoples, Yang expressed the hope that the two countries would take into account each other's concerns as well.