WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama met here on Tuesday with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to discuss issues on bilateral relations and ongoing preparations for a state visit to the United States by Chinese President Hu Jintao later this month.

During the meeting in the White House, Yang firstly conveyed Hu's New Year's greetings to Obama, who expressed appreciations and asked Yang to forward his regards to President Hu as well.

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Yang said that it is of great significance to the growth of China-US ties in the new era for President Hu to pay a state visit to the United States in the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century. Both sides should maintain close communications and cooperation, spare no efforts to make preparations and work together to ensure a complete success of the visit, he added.

Yang said that China is ready to work with the US to move forward a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship between the two countries by enhancing  bilateral cooperation in all sectors as well as dialogues and coordination at the bilateral, regional and global levels.

Obama said he is looking forward to Hu's visit, which he believes comes at a good time and is of great importance. He said the US side will speed up efforts with the Chinese side to make serious preparations to ensure a success of the visit.

Obama said a good and successful US-China relationship is important to both the United States and the world. He said the US side will make joint efforts with the Chinese side to fully expand cooperative areas, uplift the level of bilateral cooperation and work together to deal with global challenges so as to develop a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship for the benefits of both peoples and the international community as well.

Yang also met on Tuesday with Thomas Donilon, national security adviser to the US president, to exchange views with him on the current state of China-US relationship, Hu's upcoming visit and international and regional issues of common concern.