He said China has been "increasing imports" from the US and has "worked hard" to reduce the trade surplus, citing China's recent purchase of Boeing aircraft, software, soybeans and other farm products worth more than US$16 billion.

He dangled more opportunities for US businesses, saying, for example, that China needs 2,000 new airplanes in 15 years.

On the currency, Hu said China wants a flexible but stable exchange rate and will continue to improve its flexibility.

"Our goal is to maintain the renminbi exchange rate basically stable, at an adaptive and equilibrium level," Hu said.

Hu's choice of Washington state as his first US stop, where he met executives of Boeing and software giant Microsoft, appears to be aimed at easing US concerns over the trade deficit and showing Americans China's purchasing power.

The state enjoys a trade surplus with China, largely due to the sale of Boeing airplanes, as well as wines and agricultural products. Its exports to China increased by 64 per cent last year.

After a tour of Boeing's assembly factory earlier on Wednesday, Hu told about 6,000 employees of the aircraft maker that the close relationship between China and Boeing serves as a symbol of the good that can come from better trade relations.

"Boeing's co-operation with China is a vivid example of mutually beneficial co-operation and a win-win outcome that China and the United States have achieved by trading with each other," he said.

"I sincerely hope that the economic and trade relations between our two countries will prosper further and fly higher, just like a Boeing plane."