President Hu Jintao's arrival in Sseatle, the first visit by the head of state of a major country in recent years, is generating a lot of buzz among the media, businesses and the Chinese community.

More than 340 journalists from different media organizations worldwide have applied for press passes to cover Hu's visit.

Although Sino-US talks over major issues will be held in Washington DC, there is still much to report from the local perspective, William B. Stafford, president of the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, told China Daily.

The alliance estimates that two-way trade between China and Washington state home to Boeing, Microsoft and Starbucks totalled more than US$20 billion two years ago.

China has been the third-largest trading partner of the state since 1995, behind Japan and Canada.

Boeing Company, where Hu visits this morning, signed a major deal on April 11 with a large trade mission headed by Vice-Premier Wu Yi, under which China is to buy 80 passenger jets.

Craig Mundie, Microsoft's chief technical officer in Advanced Strategies & Policy, forecast that China's economy would grow dramatically in the years ahead.

"As China grows stronger, we expect it to be an incremental market opportunity," Mundie told China Daily on Monday at Microsoft Corp headquarters in Redmond.

"We think China is the place where we can find a great deal of talents," Mundie said. Microsoft China's research and development centre employs about 3,000 programmers, engineers and technicians.

He said Microsoft realizes that there are special requirements in adapting technology to local needs. "So part of the work we do there is adaptation or localization in language, or culture or law to deal with the Chinese environment," he said.

According to the trade aliance, Starbucks plans to open several hundred outlets throughout China, to add to the 196 in Beijing, Hong Kong, Macao and other major cities.

The coffee chain sees China becoming its second-largest market outside the United States.

But it's not all about the economy and trade many members of the local Chinese community are excited about Hu's visit. They, along with members of other friendly organizations, are scheduled to hear Hu's speech today at a special luncheon at Boeing Company.

Gary Locke, former Chinese-American governor of Washington state who chairs the planning committee for Hu's visit told Xinhua News Agency that the US-Chinese relationship is stronger and better than ever before.

Louis Liu, a local tour guide, said on Monday that many local Chinese-Americans started preparations weeks ago; some practising drum or dragon dances as part of the welcome ceremony.

Seattle's links to China go back to the 1860s, when the first Chinese immigrants arrived here.

Shawn Wong, Professor of English and Director of the University Honors Program at University of Washington, told the Seattle Times that Chinese Americans see a different China today from the one viewed by their forefathers.

In an email to China Daily, Wong said: "Today's China is growing so fast and has such an impact on the world whether we're Chinese American or not, we need to be engaged and look to the opportunities between China and the United States."