BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) --Senior officials from China and the United States are expected to discuss their respective concerns on trade and business during a meeting of the Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) scheduled for next week in Washington.

    Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi will leave Beijing on April 3 for the U.S. tour, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular press conference here on Thursday.

    She will co-chair the 17th meeting of the JCCT with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and Trade Representative Rob Portman.

    During her stay in the United States, Wu will also pay visits to some states, according to Qin.

    Wu and Gutierrez vowed during their meeting in Beijing earlier this week to improve bilateral trade and economic ties in a bid to create a "positive atmosphere" for the upcoming meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington next month.

    Sino-U.S. trade hit 212 billion U.S. dollars last year. China has become the fourth largest export market and the third largest trade partner of the United States. Enditem