China and the United States are working closely on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to China, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu here on Tuesday.

"The high-level visits between China and the United States are of great importance to promoting bilateral ties," Jiang said at a news briefing.

Jiang is also optimistic about the relationship between the Chinese and the new U.S. governments, saying that China and the United States have kept "close contacts" since the Obama administration took office on Jan. 20.

Chinese President Hu Jintao talked by phone with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on bilateral ties on Jan. 30, with both sides expressing the willingness to further the ties.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and new U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also held a telephone conversation on bilateral relations on Jan. 23.

"We appreciated the attitude that the U.S. side is devoted to developing a more active and constructive relationship with China," Jiang said.

"We are willing to enhance dialogue and mutual trust, expand cooperation, respect each other's core interests, and jointly respond to global challenges," she said.

Jiang also stressed that China will stick to peaceful development and not pose a threat to any other nation.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2009)