BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Tuesday held talks with US national security advisor Thomas Donilon.

Donilon is the first US national security advisor to visit China in eight years, Dai said at the start of their talks.

The two senior officials met last month in Los Cabos, Mexico, to exchange views on bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of common interest.

The Donilon visit "is very special and important considering the timing, the background and the mission," Dai said, adding that the Chinese side attaches great importance to Donilon's visit and Chinese leaders will meet him.

According to a White House statement last week, during his trip, Donilon "will discuss the current and future state of US-China relations and cooperation on regional and global challenges of mutual concern, including nonproliferation, regional security in Asia and the Middle East, and global economic growth."

Donilon visits China from Monday to Wednesday.