WASHINGTON - A group of Chinese private business owners visited six US congressmen on Capitol Hill this week in order to promote more understanding between the two countries.

Thanks to the efforts of United Parcel Service (UPS) and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), since 2002, ordinary people from all walks of life in China have had the opportunities to participate in the "Tell it as it is" delegation and meet the American lawmakers in person.

Chinese farmers, workers, teachers, students, officials, businessmen and scholars have shared their experience and views on the development of China and the bilateral ties with senators and representatives.

Led by Li Xiaolin, CPAFFC president, Chinese entrepreneurs from culture and the pharmaceutical industries met with the representatives from Indiana, Nebraska, Kentucky, Idaho and Florida, most of whom have never been to China.

"Our message is simple: China wants to work together with the United States," Li told reporters. "China's sustainable development cannot go on well without America."

Wang Xuechao, chairman of Jihe Group, a private company focusing on real estate and pharmaceuticals, told the congressmen about the huge scale and potential of the Chinese health and medical market.

"The United States has the best pharmaceutical technologies and China has the fastest growing market, so there are lots of things we can work together on," Wang said.

"Actually, leading pharmaceutical companies in European Union countries have already taken the lead in entering the Chinese market."

Qin Hong, general manager of Stellar Megamedia Group, one of China's top private media groups, talked about the importance of the intellectual property protection to Chinese companies.

"The Chinese business community also suffers a lot from the piracy issue and we strongly support the government's efforts to protect our intellectual property rights," he said.

At the invitation of CPAFFC, some US lawmakers have paid visits to China in recent years to gain more knowledge about the largest developing country.