WASHINGTON - The United States and China must cooperate to "build a clean energy economy," the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Thursday as its chief Gina McCarthy prepares to travel to China to discuss the two countries' clean air and climate cooperation.

"The US and China represent the world's largest economies, consumers of energy, and emitters of carbon pollution," the EPA said in a statement.

"Climate change is a shared challenge, and building on more than 30 years of successful cooperation and partnership, the United States and China must work together to build a clean energy economy for a healthier, safer planet," it said.

The US agency said McCarthy will travel to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong during her four-day visit beginning on Monday to discuss US-China cooperation on air quality, climate pollution and environmental issues.

While in China, McCarthy plans to underscore steps China has already taken to address air pollution, additional steps to come, and how the United States and China can continue to work together, it said.

Earlier this week, McCarthy has said that China's air pollution challenges bore some similarities to what had happened in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s and that the United States could share its experience with China in this regard.

"We know the technologies that are available. We know what planning can do. We know that there are many ways in which you can engage your states and, in China's case, provinces, to bring a sense of urgency to this issue. And we are going to be working with them on these air quality challenges moving forward," she said.

In Thursday's statement, the EPA said "the US stands ready to help" as China is taking action to address climate change while reducing traditional air pollution and promoting economic growth.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a press conference that China is "ready to continue to strengthen cooperation with the US in environmental protection."

"Cooperation between China and the US in environmental protection has been expanded and deepened over the recent years. It is not only beneficial for our two countries but also important for the environmental protection cause of the world," he said.