Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives here today in to a red carpet welcome thrown by the Obama Administration amidst increasing sign that the leaders of the two big powers would use the occasion to mend their differences and find common ground for resolving key issues.
Keeping protocol aside, vice-president Joe Biden will himself be there at the tarmac to greet Hu when his plane lands at the Andrews Air Force Base later today.
In the evening, Obama is hosting private dinner at the White House for Hu. The State dinner is the first for China in 13 years and follows Obama Administration's state dinners for India and Mexico.
Hu would be given a traditional welcome at the White House tomorrow, following which the two leaders would meet at the Oval office on a one-o-one basis, followed by a Cabinet level meeting.
Obama and Hu would later address a joint news conference at the White House.
Later in the evening, Obama has hosted the State Dinner for Hu at the White House.
Unlike the State Dinner of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for whom a huge tent was erected on the lawns of the White House, there was no such sign till yesterday.
Said to be his last major foreign visit, Hu would also meet a number of Congressional leaders and American business leaders as part of his effort to explain the Chinese position on number of key issues, including human rights and currency.
In written interviews to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, Hu sought common ground with the US and said his country believes in the principle of peaceful co-existence.
"There is no denying that there are some differences and sensitive issues between us," Hu said.
"We both stand to gain from a sound China-US relationship, and lose from confrontation," he said.
"To follow the path of peaceful development is a solemn commitment of the Chinese government and people to the international community. It is a policy that we will always adhere to. Specifically, it means that we will achieve national development by our hard and creative work, by reforming and improving our institutions, and by maintaining friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries," Hu said.
National security adviser Tom Donilon told reporters last week that the talks with Hu would include a wide range of issues, which he broadly divided into four baskets - security, economy, human rights and overall relationship.
In a speech on US-China ties last week, secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the US wants a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship with China.
"We intend to pursue a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship with China. Because that really does capture our hopes for the future and that is how our two presidents have described this relationship," Clinton said.
She said a peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific region is in the interest of both China and the United States.
