BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong left Beijing Sunday afternoon for a visit to the United States, according to a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

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Liu makes the visit from April 10 to 16 at the invitation of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said earlier.

During her visit, Liu will also chair the second round of high-level consultation meeting on people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, according to the press release.

China and the United States launched the consultation mechanism in May 2010 to further bilateral ties.