SEATTLE, the United States -- Gary Locke, the former Chinese-American governor of Washington state, has said that the U.S.-Chinese relationship is stronger and better than ever before and "is very beneficial for each other."

Locke, who chairs the planning committee for Chinese President Hu Jintao's forthcoming visit to Seattle, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the United States and China have enjoyed a long history of cooperation.

The former governor, currently a partner of the Seattle-based international law firm Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, said: "the United States and China have worked together closely for more than 60 years. The two countries supported each other during World War II. The United States was helping China fight the Japanese imperialism even before World War II."

The United States and China are now working very hard to make the Korean Peninsula free from nuclear weapons, and China supports the United States in fighting terrorism, he said.

"Yes, there are some problems right now. But any organizations, companies, as they get larger and larger, get sophisticated, will all have problems. Microsoft have problems. Big organizations, as they get mature and strong, will all have some problems," Locke said.

"But even there are some disputes with China, and the relationship (between the two countries) is much better than 10 years ago, much better than 30 years ago and much better than 50 years ago," he stressed.

"So I see the relationship is very strong and very beneficial for each other," he added.

"We are very honored to have the privilege to host President Hu in his first visit to the United State as president, and we are honored he will first stop in Seattle on his way to meet with President (George W.) Bush in Washington D.C.," the former governor said.

He expressed his hope that President Hu's stay in Seattle "will set the stage for the auspicious beginning for his trip and that meeting in Washington D.C. and that "discussions with President Bush will be very successful to improve bilateral U.S.-China relations and make the partnership between the two countries even stronger."

Locke said the Chinese president will visit Boeing and Microsoft, two U.S. companies with a major business presence in China, during his two-day stay in Seattle.

He said President Hu's visit will definitely further expand the economic relations between Washington state and China, which is currently the state's No. 3 trade partner, after Canada and Japan.

"We buy so many products from China. So many things that Americans use in their every day life are produced in China, from electronic goods to plastics, clothes, toys and furniture. At the same time, the Washington state produces many items and provides many services that are badly needed by Chinese people to improve their society," he said.

Locke also said Washington state and China have a great potential to cooperate in economy and trade.