On January 4, 2011, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met in Washington with Richard Lugar, ranking member of U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Congressmen Rick Larsen and Charles Boustany who co-chair the U.S.-China Working Group in the House of Representatives, Senator Mark Kirk, also former co-chair of the U.S.-China Working Group, and Congressman Paulsen.

Yang said that since China and the United States forged diplomatic relations over 30 years ago, their relationship had made great progress with joint efforts by both sides, including the two political parties of the United States. Yang said frequent high-level contacts have been made between the two sides, which effectively boosted bilateral ties. Both sides have maintained effective coordination and cooperation to tackle common challenges, including the international financial crisis and climate change.

Yang said a sound China-U.S. relationship was not only in the fundamental interest of the two countries and the two peoples, but also beneficial to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and even the whole world. He also said that Hu's upcoming state visit to the United States, conducted in the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, would offer an important chance for the two countries to advance their relations. He said Hu's state visit also would have a far-reaching influence on advancing the two countries' positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship. China is ready to work together with the U.S. side to ensure a complete success of the visit.

Lugar said Hu's visit would be a great event in U.S.-China relations and would attract a great amount of attention. The U.S.-China cooperation has huge potential. He said he believed that the visit would boost cooperation between the two countries in various fields and send a strong positive signal.

Larsen and Boustany said that U.S.-China relations are of great importance to both China and the United States, and the world at large. They said that Hu's trip is of great significance and that the United States would work with China to ensure the success of the visit and its positive outcome.