Backgrounder: Major events in China-U.S. relations this year

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The first China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue kicks off in Washington on Monday.

The following are major events in China-U.S. relations so far this year:

on Jan. 1, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic ties was marked.

On Jan. 20, Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the United Stated.

On Jan. 27, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in her first news conference that the Obama administration is willing to conduct comprehensive dialogue with China on the current basis.

On Jan. 30, Chinese President Hu Jintao held a telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on bilateral ties, with both sides expressing the willingness to further the ties.

On Feb. 13, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in New York that the development of U.S.-China relations was crucial for the America's future.

From Feb. 20 to 22, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited China and met Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

On April 1, Chinese President Hu Jintao held first meeting with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama. Both sides agreed to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century, and to establish the mechanism of China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

From May 24 to 31, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited China, where she met Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and top lawmaker Wu Bangguo.

From May 31 to June 2, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, as the special envoy of President Barack Obama, paid his first visit to China. Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao met with him.

From July 14 to 17, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, both Chinese Americans, paid their first visits to China. On July 16, Chinese Premier Wen Jiaobao met with them.