The United States announces a multi-billion dollar arms deal with Taiwan. In response, the Chinese Government decided to postpone military exchange programs and security talks with the United States. The file photo shows an F-16A jet fighter.

January: Google Threatens to Leave China

U.S.-based Internet search engine Google says that it might abandon its offices in China because of censorship requirements and alleged cyber-attacks against the website.

February: Obama Meets the Dalai Lama in Washington

U.S. President Barack Obama meets the Dalai Lama at the White House on February 18 despite protests by the Chinese Government.

April: Hu Attends Nuclear Security Summit

U.S. President Barack Obama greets Chinese President Hu Jintao at a dinner following the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington D.C. on April 12. The presidents discussed bilateral relations as well as international issues at a meeting on the sidelines of the summit.

May: China-U.S. Human Rights Dialogue

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu answers a question about the China-U.S. Human Rights Dialogue at a press conference in Beijing. The dialogue, held in Washington D.C. on May 13-14, allowed both countries to exchange their views and opinions on human rights issues.

May: China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue

Officials attend the Second Round of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing on May 25. The two-day dialogue allowed progress to be made in five major areas: trade, energy cooperation, the Chinese investment environment, the global economy and China's exchange rate.

June: Hu Meets Obama in Toronto

Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with U.S. President Barack Obama on June 26 during the fourth G20 Summit in Toronto, Canada.

July: PLA Opposes U.S.-South Korea Military Exercises

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington takes part in U.S.-South Korea joint military drills on July 27. Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), said on July 1 that China "strongly opposed" the exercises.

July: U.S. Interferes in South China Sea Territorial Disputes

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses the foreign ministers' meeting at the ASEAN Regional Forum held in Hanoi, Viet Nam on July 23. She said the United States has a national interest in the South China Sea, sparking a strong reaction from China.

September: U.S. Weighs in on Disputes Over Diaoyu Islands

After Japanese authorities intercepted and detained a Chinese fishing boat near the Diaoyu Islands, the United States claimed the islands fall within the scope of the U.S.-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. The treaty, a bilateral agreement reached during the Cold War, should not harm the interests of third parties, including China, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu.

October: Chinese Defense Minister Meets U.S. Counterpart

Chinese Minister of National Defense Liang Guanglie and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates attend a joint press conference in Hanoi, Viet Nam on October 11. Their meeting in Hanoi was the first formal meeting between high-level Chinese and U.S. military officials since the Chinese Government announced in February that it would suspend bilateral military exchanges because of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

November: Hu Meets Obama in Seoul

Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with U.S. President Barack Obama on November 11 during the fifth G20 Summit in Seoul, South Korea.

December: Ma Xiaotian Attends Defense Talks at the Pentagon

Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, co-chairs the 11th round of China-U.S. defense consultations with U.S. Undersecretary of Defense Michele Flournoy at the Pentagon on December 10. The two sides agreed that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates would visit China in January 2011.

Yearlong Renminbi Exchange Rate Debate

While the yuan continued to appreciate against the dollar in 2010, some U.S. politicians threatened to take further measures to accelerate the Chinese currency's appreciation.

(Source: Xinhua)