At the invitation of the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo arrived in Phoenix on Sunday to begin his official visit to the United States on the final leg of his three-nation America tour.

Wu Bangguo (2nd R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, waves to people upon his arrival at an airport in Phoenix of Arizona state Sept. 6, 2009. Wu Bangguo arrived here on Sunday for an official goodwill visit to the U.S., the final leg of his three-nation America tour. [Xinhua]

In a written statement released at the airport upon his arrival, Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, highlighted the "historical" growth of the China-U.S. relations in the past 30 years since the two nations forged diplomatic relations, noting that the bilateral ties already become the most important and the most dynamic ones in the world.

Wu will be visiting Washington Tuesday where he is expected to hold talks with Pelosi, meet with U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"My visit to the United States is the first by a Chinese top legislator in the past 20 years," Wu said in the statement, noting that the purpose of his visit is to further implement the important consensus reached by the Chinese president Hu Jintao and Obama in an aim to push forward the positive, cooperative and comprehensive Sino-American relations.

Wu arrived here after he concluded his official visit to Cuba and the Bahamas.

Wu Bangguo (L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, shakes hands with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer greeting him upon his arrival at an airport in Phoenix of Arizona state Sept. 6, 2009. Wu Bangguo arrived here on Sunday for an official goodwill visit to the U.S., the final leg of his three-nation America tour. [Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2009)