Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met Monday with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Tang said at the beginning of the meeting that the Chinese side attaches great importance to this visit, viewing it as an important component of bilateral exchanges of high-level visits this year.

Tang mentioned Rice's constructive opinions on Sino-US relations Sunday and said the Chinese side takes the opinions positively and will study them earnestly.

Rice said the fact that she comes to China not long after she took office underscores how much value the United States attaches to its relationship with China, and "even our differences can be worked out in an atmosphere of respect".

Rice visited China in 2002 and 2004 respectively, as the national security adviser. This is her first China tour since she became the top US diplomat in January.

China is the last leg of Rice's Asian tour, which has already taken her to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK).