US President Barack Obama arrived in China's economic hub Shanghai on Sunday night, starting a state visit to China.

Air Force One touched down at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport in heavy rain at about 23:10.

This is Obama's first state visit to China since he assumed the presidency in January. He is also the first US president who paid a state visit to China within one year in office.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China and the United States.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Susan Rice and National Security Advisor James Jones also arrived in Shanghai Sunday night.

President Obama will meet with local officials on Monday and have a dialogue with Chinese youth, during which he is supposed to answer questions from netizens via Xinhuanet, a news website of the Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

He will leave Shanghai Monday afternoon for Beijing, where he will hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and meet with other Chinese leaders.

Leaders of the two countries are expected to discuss bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern, according to diplomatic sources.

Presidents of the two countries have met several times since Obama took office.

They agreed to forge positive, cooperative and comprehensive ties in the 21st century during their first meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 financial summit in London in April and pledged to further such relations in another meeting five months later in New York.

Obama's visit to China will be of great significance for the development of Sino-US ties in the new era, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Saturday.