WASHINGTON - Top US and Chinese officials are preparing for the upcoming state visit of China's leader to the United States as they try to forge a common approach to global challenges, including Iran and nuclear programs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), trade imbalances and climate change.

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met Wednesday at the State Department to iron out details of Chinese President Hu Jintao's Jan 19 visit to Washington. They said Hu's visit would strengthen US-China ties that have been strained in recent months, but are showing signs of improvement.

Standing beside Yang, Clinton told reporters that the visit, which will include a formal state dinner at the White House, would "continue the positive, cooperative, comprehensive relationship between our two countries."

Yang said he believed the relationship "is on the right track."

"We are confronted with common challenges and we are enjoying common opportunities," he said. "It is in the best interests of China, the United States and the world for us to continue to work together."

On Tuesday, Yang saw national security advisor Tom Donilon at a White House meeting that President Barack Obama dropped in on.

"They discussed ways to advance our nonproliferation objectives, including working together to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and to persuade the DPRK to abandon its nuclear weapons program, to meet its commitments and international obligations and to avoid destabilizing behavior," the White House said in a statement.

Donilon stressed the importance of "effective efforts to reduce imbalances" in the global economy and US-China trade, it said.