Representatives of foreign affairs departments from China and the United States signed a protocol here Friday, agreeing to set up a telephone hotline between two foreign ministers.

The hotline will be installed and put into operation in the near future, according to the protocol.

"It will help strengthen links between foreign affairs departments of the two countries and boost the China-US relationship," China's Foreign Ministry said.

China and the United States have installed a hotline between heads of state in 1998.

Source: Xinhua