Xi's visit to boost Sino-US relations

Vice-president's visit will show ties can rise above turbulence: experts

BEIJING / WASHINGTON - Vice-President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the United States will help China-US ties fly clear of US election year turbulence, experts said.

The visit, which starts on Monday, sends a strong signal that China places a high value on bilateral relations and wants ties to be stable, Jin Canrong, a Sino-US relations expert at Beijing-based Renmin University of China, said.

"That signal is especially important" amid Republican presidential hopefuls targeting China to win votes, the White House using currency issues to criticize Beijing and Washington generally playing up China's growth to increase the US presence in the Asia-Pacific region, Jin said.

The Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Xi's visit is at the invitation of his counterpart, Joe Biden. No further details were given.

The US State Department announced earlier that the visit will include stops in California and Iowa.

Xi will meet US President Barack Obama in Washington on Feb 14, the White House announced.

China bashing is becoming ever-more frequent in this election year.

Mitt Romney, the leading Republican candidate, pledged to "clamp down" on Beijing as a currency manipulator and openly threatened a trade war.

In his recent State of the Union address, Obama singled out China for unfair trade practices. He also pointed out China's solar research facility and supercomputer as examples of global challenges facing the US.

A "trust deficit" between China and the US exists, Deputy Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said on Monday at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqu, a political document that established the foundation for relations.