Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held formal talks in Washington on Wednesday to exchange views on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) talks with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Washington, U.S., March 11, 2009. Yang Jiechi and Hillary Clinton held formal talks here on Wednesday to exchange views on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual concern. [Xinhua]

"(I am) very pleased to welcome Minister Yang here to the State Department. I had a very productive and very good visit to (China) when he hosted me," Secretary Clinton told reporters at a photo opportunity just before their formal talks began. The U.S. top diplomat paid a visit to China in February, when she toured four Asian nations on her first foreign trip as Secretary of State.

"And it is very positive for him (Yang) to come so soon to continue our discussion," she added.

Yang, who is here on a five-day working visit as guest of Secretary Clinton, said that he was very glad that the foreign ministers of the two countries could have an exchange of visits within one month.

"We are here to get prepared for our two heads of state's meeting in London and to work together to push our relations forward," Yang said.

The Group of 20 (G20) summit, scheduled to be held in London, Britain in early April, is expected to focus on how to tackle the current world financial crisis and economic downturn.