US President Barack Obama is to host Chinese President Hu Jintao on January 19 in Washington for a state visit, the White House announced late Wednesday. The White House meeting with Hu will be only the third state visit by a foreign leader since Obama took office in January 2009, as dpa reported. Obama was in China on a state visit in November 2009. The White House statement said that the visit "will highlight the importance of expanding cooperation between the United States and China." The visit is to include a state dinner on January 19.
