Vice-Premier Liu Yandong greets Josette Sheeran, president and CEO of the Asia Society, after the Symposium on China-US Cultural Exchange at the Carnegie Hall in New York on Friday. ZHANG YUWEI / CHINA DAILY

Liu's trip also resulted in the signing of 75 initiatives and projects in people-to-people exchanges for China and the US, including co-hosting a young scientists' forum and a global science, technology and innovation forum in the near future.

China-US relations are at an important stage of building on past progress and making new achievements, said Liu, adding that China's efforts to achieve its own dream helps a process of expanded exchanges and cooperation and mutual benefits between China and the US.

"The Chinese dream will not only serve the interest of Chinese people, but also create a win-win situation for China and the US and bring opportunities to the world's prosperity and progress," said the vice-premier. "We - the Chinese people - hope that through efforts to achieve a Chinese dream, we will join the people from other countries, particularly the US, to achieve our dream for the world."

Liu was the first senior Chinese leader who visited the US after China concluded its Third Plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, or the Third Plenum, on Nov 12.

Liu said the just-concluded Third Plenum made "overarching plans for comprehensive and deepening reforms" with some 300 specific reform measures in 15 broad areas in economy, politics, culture, society and the building of the Party.

"The overarching goal about reform is to improve and further develop the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and to modernize our governance system and capacity," said Liu, adding that the key of the reform will be focusing on economic structural reforms, which aim to "strike a good balance between the role of the government and the role of the market".

"We want to make sure that the market will play a decisive role in resource allocation," Liu said.

China watchers in the US said Liu's trip has helped enhance China-US relations.

"All relationships are built on face-to-face contact and not over memos, social media, or any other communication substitutions so her meetings ought to help improve ties between the countries," said Ann Lee, an economics and finance professor of New York University.

"As the highest ranking female official from China, she would likely make a good impression to the Western press," Lee added. "The US press has many misperceptions about China, so hopefully she can convey China's current policy to correct some of the misunderstandings."

"Liu rightly emphasized the importance of increasing practical cooperation between the Chinese and American governments as well as promoting closer ties between the American and Chinese people," said Jon Taylor,a professor of political science at the University of St Thomas.

Contact the writer at yuweizhang@chinadailyusa.com