At the invitation of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), Mdm. Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, Co-Chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group visited Beijing and Qingdao from October 13 to 16, 2010. During her stay in Beijing, Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Minister Chen Deming of the Ministry of Commerce, Minister Wang Chen of the State Information Office, Vice Minister Zhang Xiaoqiang of the State Development and Reform Commission, Vice Minister Liu Yuting of the State Administration of Industry of Commerce, Vice Mayor Cheng Hong of the Beijing Municipal Government met with her respectively. Amb. Li Zhaoxing, Honorary President of the CPIFA hosted a dinner in her honor. In Qingdao, Mayor Xia Geng met with her. The two sides had in-depth exchanges of views on Sino-U.S. relations, Sino-U.S. economic and trade cooperation and the RMB exchange rate.

       Mdm. Albright said that the relationship between the United States and China is one of the most important bilateral relations in the 21^st Century. The U.S.-China economic and trade relationship is not a zero-sum game but a “win-win” cooperation for both sides. It is critically important to maintain the sound bilateral relations. She hoped that differences will be properly settled by promoting understanding and mutual trust through candid and open dialogue between the two peoples of various levels and sectors.