Chinese President Hu Jintao, on a trip to the United States, Friday visited an exhibition of companies operating in the U.S. Midwest.

Most companies present at the exhibition, which was held in Chicago's suburban city of Woodridge, are Chinese-funded ones.

During the visit, Hu encouraged Chinese companies operating in the United States to play a bigger role in promoting economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

The success of Chinese companies in the United States is a specific example of the China-U.S. mutually beneficial cooperation, he added.

The operation of these companies not only yields profits for themselves, but adds momentum to economic development in the U.S. Midwest.

Hu flew to Chicago after finishing a visit to Washington Thursday afternoon.

He will wrap up his four-day state visit to the United States later Friday.