This Tuesday, President Hu Jintao, in a remarkable display of statesmanship and cooperation, made the trip across the Pacific to Washington to meet with US leaders and lawmakers. His visit has been touted as an attempt to thaw icy relations between the US and China on a variety of human rights, economic, military and environmental issues.

While the visit was more for show–intent on establishing better diplomatic relations rather than ratifying an agreement, much like Nixon and Deng Xiao Ping’s foreign visits (click for previous posts), it was monumental in reaffirming cooperation and commitment to maintaining a “harmonious” relationship between the world’s two most powerful nations. By establishing closer relations or 关系 (guān xì) between the Chinese and US leadership, the two nations hope to lay a foundation on which higher-order politics and policies can be discussed in the years to come.

The Obama administration went all out on welcoming Mr. Hu to Washington, including a variety of parades, meetings, talks and even a fancy White House State Dinner Banquet. Check out all the pomp as Hu arrives:

Here is Hu Jintao’s Itinerary for his US visit:

• 18 Jan: Arrives in Washington, has private dinner with US President Barack Obama
• 19 Jan: Series of bilateral meetings followed by joint press conference; lunch with Vice-President Joe Biden; formal state dinner
• 20 Jan: Visits Capitol Hill to meet congressional leaders; departs for Chicago
• 21 Jan: Leaves Chicago for Beijing