MONTREUX, Switzerland, Jan. 22 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry agreed here on Wednesday to boost bilateral ties and strengthen communication and discussion on regional hotspot issues.

During the meeting with Kerry held on the sidelines of the international conference on Syria in Montreux, Wang said a series of important bilateral meetings and reciprocal visits have been planned for this year.

The Chinese foreign minister expressed the hope that the two countries would make joint efforts to keep the momentum of the high-level strategic communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and properly address their differences and sensitive issues to build a solid new type of major-country relationship between China and the United States and to contribute to regional and global peace and stability.

Wang also said as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China and the United States should continue to strengthen coordination, vigorously pushing for a political solution to the Syria crisis and making efforts to safeguard the peace and stability in the Middle East.

While expressing his approval of China's envision on developing their bilateral ties, Kerry said the United States and China should enhance communication and discussion on major regional hotspot issues and increasingly enrich the contents of the new type of major-country relationship between the two countries.

During the talks, Kerry also expressed his appreciation for China's valuable efforts made in promoting the Iranian nuclear talks and a political solution to the Syria issue.

Meanwhile, the two leaders exchanged view on Sino-Japanese relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The international conference on Syria opened here Wednesday. Chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the conference brought together representatives from both the Syrian government and opposition organizations for the first time in three years.