WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States on Tuesday signed several agreements on expanding bilateral cooperation in science and technology.

    Xu Guanhua, China's Minister of Science and Technology, and John Marburger, Science Adviser to President George W. Bush, signed in Washington a protocol on extending an inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in science and technology, and a memorandum of understanding.

    The two officials also exchanged information on newly announced strategies and plans in their respective countries, aimed at boosting scientific and technological development.

    Also on Tuesday, Xu signed with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt a memorandum of understanding on health and medical sciences cooperation.

    The agreement is designed to expand cooperation between the two countries in research of AIDS, infectious diseases, traditional medicine, vaccine-preventable diseases and other medical sciences.

    The agreements were signed as Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in the U.S. west coast city of Seattle on Tuesday at the beginning of his first state visit to the United States. Seattle is the first stop of Hu's U.S. trip.

    China and the United States signed the inter-governmental agreement on cooperation in science and technology in January 1979.

    Since then, scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries has increased in scope and depth. Enditem