President Hu Jintao will visit the United States next week to strengthen bilateral ties amid frictions over trade and the renminbi's exchange rate, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

President Hu Jintao (2nd L) listens to Yemen counterpart Ali Abdullah Saleh during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing April 6, 2006. [Reuters]

Hu's four-day US trip, starting from April 18, will take him to Seattle and Washington D.C., ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

"He is expected to meet his US counterpart George W. Bush and other senior officials for in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and other international or regional issues of common concern," the spokesman said.

He added that the president is also expected to deliver a speech at Yale University in Connecticut.

Following the US trip, Hu will travel to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Nigeria and Kenya for official visits which will last until April 29, Liu said.

Hu's first visit to the White House since taking office comes amid mounting pressure from the US side to take action on China's surging trade surplus as well as revaluation of its currency.

"China and the United States do have differences on trade and some other issues," Liu said. "We are going to move ahead while expanding mutual trust and improving relations during this visit."

Last week, a trade mission led by Vice-Premier Wu Yi signed contracts worth US$4.4 billion for made-in-America software, autos and soybeans a move widely regarded as a way to ease tensions in bilateral trade.

Hu had planned a visit to the United States last September but had to postpone it after Hurricane Katrina battered the Gulf coast.

Referring to the controversial issue of human rights, Liu said differences between China and other countries including the United States should be resolved "on the basis of equality and mutual respect; and through dialogue."

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