WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Two U.S. congressmen Friday called for the establishment of a hotline between U.S. and Chinese central banks and key financial regulators.

    The United States' monetary policy "should be carefully coordinated with America's largest creditor (China)," said Democratic Representative Rick Larsen and his Republican counterpart, Mark Kirk, who co-chair the bipartisan House U.S.-China Working Group, in a statement.

    The statement was released prior to President Barack Obama's visit to China, due to begin on Nov. 15.

    The congressmen called for the establishment of a hotline between the Federal Reserve and the People's Bank of China and the China Banking Regulatory Commission.

    "Building on the concept of the recently established Defense Telephone Link, an economic hotline between Washington and Beijing would maximize transparency, minimize error and boost situational awareness during periods of great volatility," said Kirk.

    "As two of the largest economies on earth, the U.S. and China must continue to work together to ensure the world continues down a path of economic recovery," Larsen said.

    The two U.S. lawmakers also urged the two countries to build on the work of their Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade to expand their energy cooperation.

    "The U.S. and China share a common goal of reducing dependence on foreign oil," Larsen said. "No issue holds greater potential for bilateral cooperation than energy."

    The bipartisan U.S.-China Working Group, created in June 2005, has more than 60 members. It educates members and staff on U.S.-China issues through meetings and briefings with academic, business and political leaders from the U.S. and China.