United States President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to China was of great importance to the development of China-US relations in the new era, Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said Friday.

"As his first trip to China since taking office in January 2009, Obama's visit is an important event in bilateral ties and is of important significance to the development of the ties," He told reporters.

As two big nations in the world, China and the United States share extensive common interests on significant issues concerning human peace and development and enjoy wide cooperative prospects, He said.

Heads of the two countries reached important consensus on working together to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century when they met in London in April, pointing out the direction for bilateral relations in the new era.

Their New York meeting in September on the sidelines of the UN climate change summit and other UN meetings shot new impetus to pushing forward the relations, He said.

"Standing at a new historical starting point, the Sino-US relations face important opportunities for development," he said.

He said, China hopes during Obama's upcoming visit the commitment to developing a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century will be reiterated.

China also hopes that the visit will help maintain high-level contacts and exchanges at all levels, enhance strategic mutual trust and strengthen cooperation in a wide range of fields between the two countries, he said.

The two countries shall also enhance communication and coordination in coping with global challenges like the financial crisis and climate change, respect and take care of each other's core interests and great concerns so as to promote the bilateral ties, He said.

"We believe Obama's China visit will surely be successful with concerted efforts of both sides," said He.

Obama will visit China from November 15 to 18 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao. The heads of states will discuss bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern in Beijing. Obama will go to China's economic hub of Shanghai as his first leg during this tour.

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2009)