SEATTLE - A forum kicked off here on Tuesday for US and Chinese cities to discuss how to expand economic cooperation.

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The two-day forum, entitled "US-China Initiative on City- Level Economic Cooperation," is an important step to materialize the outcomes of the state visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States this January and the second China-US strategic and economic dialogue, said Tu Guangshao, vice mayor of Shanghai and head of the 80-plus Chinese delegation to the forum.

The forum will serve as a platform between cities of the two countries to foster economic partnership, Tu said while addressing the forum's opening.

China's commitment to expanding city-level economic cooperation with the US side is self-evident by the size of the Chinese delegation, which includes officials from the finance, foreign affairs and commerce ministries and metropolises like Shanghai and Chongqing, as well as executives from about 30 Chinese enterprises, Tu noted.

At the forum, the two sides will hold roundtable dialogue to brief each other on their respective business environments and investment opportunities, while match-making events will also be held for US and Chinese enterprises to foster partnerships.