Chinese vice premier meets former U.S. state secretary

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong (R) meets with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 22, 2015. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BEIJING, Sept. 22  -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong met on Tuesday with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on bilateral ties.

Calling the Sino-U.S. relations "one of the most important bilateral ties in the world," Liu said the current state visit paid by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States is a milestone visit in building new type of major-country relations between the two countries.

The visit will have deep and far-reaching influence on the international situation, she said.

Liu said China is willing to work with the United States to enhance political mutual trust, promote economic and trade cooperation, deepen people-to-people exchanges so as to forge ahead bilateral ties.

Rice said the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries are of great importance to the development of bilateral ties, adding that she is committed to promoting the relationship.

Xi left Beijing Tuesday afternoon for his first state visit to the United States and attendance at a series of UN summits from Sept. 22 to 28.