BEIJING  -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi stressed Thursday that China and the United States should enhance dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation and work together to build a cooperative partnership and explore a new type of inter-power relationship.

To that end, it is very important for the two sides to maintain high-level visits and contacts, Yang said at a telephone talk with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Yang also noted that the China-US relationship is in a new era, with a very good beginning.

Kerry said his country highly values its relations with China and hopes to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China.

Kerry said that he is expecting to visit China soon and work with China to make his visit successful.

The two also exchanged views on issues such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula and climate change.