Hu visit called historic

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao's U.S. visit was hailed as historic Thursday by the official Xinhua news agency in a report in which experts welcomed the event.

In the article, titled "A historic masterstroke of China-U.S. diplomacy with global significance," Xinhua noted Hu's comment at the White House saying he had come to "increase mutual trust … and push forward the positive, cooperative and comprehensive China-U.S. relationship for the 21st century."

Xinhua said former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had noted the visit "is a great opportunity to start a new era in U.S.-China relations," while saying it was Kissinger's 1971 China visit that paved the way for eventual normalization of bilateral ties.

The report said the summit between Hu and U.S. President Barack Obama "bears witness to the strategic foresight, political wisdom and global responsibilities of the leaders of the two great nations."

David Shambaugh, U.S. expert on Chinese politics, told Xinhua the visit would "arrest the hemorrhaging of the past year" and "advance common cause where possible."

Xinhua quoted an editorial in South Korea's Joon Ang daily saying the summit "will have a great influence on the future of Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula."

The report said North Korea, whose relations with South Korea remain deeply strained, was also "closely following" the China-U.S. diplomatic event.

"Fully aware of the call of the times, Beijing and Washington have accordingly conveyed an increasingly strong will to cooperate in countering the various global challenges," the Xinhua report said.