U.S. embassy: bilateral ties with China "most important"

BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. embassy in Beijing said Thursday that the relationship between China and the United States is one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world.

"We have demonstrated the depth and breadth of this relationship by the number of high-level visits, consultations on a range of pressing global issues, cooperative partnerships, and the sheer number of people who traveled between our two countries for tourism, work, and study," said U.S. Embassy Press Secretary Richard Buangan while briefing reporters on the development of bilateral ties in 2011.

The diplomat highlighted the frequency with which Chinese and U.S. heads of state met as a positive achievement in 2011.

At the beginning of last year, President Hu Jintao paid a state visit to the United States, where Hu and U.S. President Barack Obama agreed to establish a partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, setting the tone for China-U.S. ties.

"Following President Hu's state visit, our leaders met several more times throughout 2011, each time re-committing themselves to the importance of this relationship and to broadening our engagement so that we not lose sight of our shared vision for a better world for our children and grandchildren," Buangan said.

He told reporters that the embassy last year hosted no fewer than six Cabinet-level officials, as well as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and dozens of members of the U.S. Congress, "as a reflection of the importance that the U.S. government places on our relationship."