Third Round of China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue "Productive"

Senior officials from China and US hailed the third round of China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue "successful, comprehensive, productive and pragmatic", as the two-day dialogue ended Tuesday in Washington. Those who participated in the dialogue said a milestone has been achieved and spotlights observed in this year's dialogue, which has helped both sides deepen understanding and build up mutual trust. Our Washington correspondent shanshan has the story.

The third round of talks were led by Chinese President Hu Jintao's special representatives Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo and the US co-chairs, President Obama's special representatives Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. Nearly 40 government agencies from both governments have participated in the two-day talks.

On the economic front, vice premier Wang Qishan and Secretary Geithner signed the Comprehensive Framework for Promoting Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth and Economic Cooperation. The framework has been hailed by senior officials as a milestone in the bilateral relationship. Vice Premier Wang Qishan says the framework will serve as a guideline for future economic cooperation.

"The economic dialogue was carried out to implement the important agreements reached between the two heads of state during Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to the US earlier this year. Both sides have held profound discussions on strategic, long-term, and overarching perspective issues in the bilateral economic cooperation, and reached dozens of mutually-beneficial outcomes. The Comprehensive Framework I signed with Secretary Geithner has made clear that both countries will have broader, closer and more extensive economic cooperation."

Discussions under the framework have yielded 64 outcomes. Secretary Geithner says the two countries are committed to further expanding bilateral trade and investment, fostering more open trade and investment globally, and fighting against trade and investment protectionism.

"We welcome Chinese investment in the US. And I'm very confident that if you look over the next several years, you're going to see Chinese investment in the US continue to expand very rapidly."

On the strategic track, the discussions produced 48 specific outcomes in five major areas, including promoting high-level exchanges, bilateral dialogues and consultations, addressing regional and global challenges, enhancing US-China Bilateral Cooperation, as well as cooperation on climate change, energy and environment. There were two highlights on the strategic track, the military for the first time joined the high-level talks, and both sides agreed to establish a consultation mechanism on Asia-Pacific affairs. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo says the annual talked helped build a stronger relationship.

"Each round of dialogue has helped us further expand agreements, increase mutual trust, promote cooperation and strengthen confidence in the future growth of China-US relations. "

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the dialogues have well served the purpose of improving mutual understanding.

"I think we've made quite a bit progress in the last three dialogues. I do think we have a deeper understanding of the view point of the other and we're developing the habit of cooperation across our government. "

Both sides admit that a successful and productive talk doesn't mean they agree on every issue, but having an open discussion is vital for the two sides to build mutual trust to get the issues solved.

For CRI, this is shanshan in Washington.