Chinese President plans to make first state visit to U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net - A top Chinese diplomat has said President Xi Jinping plans to make his first state visit to the U.S. later this year, Chinese state media reported Monday, Feb 9.

According to the Associated Press, the official China Daily newspaper quoted China's ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai as saying Chinese and U.S. officials are discussing the visit. Cui told Chinese reporters Sunday that no date had been determined yet.

U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice said Friday that the U.S. has invited both Xi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for state visits.

Xi last met with U.S. President Barack Obama in November after an Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Beijing. The two also met in Rancho Mirage, California, during a more informal visit to the U.S. in June 2013.

The U.S. and China have been working together on a range of high-profile issues, including pledging in November to cut back on their emissions of greenhouse gases blamed for climate change. The world's biggest economies have also clashed diplomatically on several fronts such as accusations over cyber-espionage and Chinese actions asserting its territorial claims in the East and South China seas.