Trade tops agenda of China-US dialogue

If the two nations participating in the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SAED) emerge from the high-level talks with one thing, it should be an agreement to cooperate on stabilizing bilateral trade.

China's State Councillor Dai Bingguo (L) and China's Vice Premier  Wang Qishan (C) listen as US President Barack Obama addresses the  opening of the first joint meeting of the China-US Strategic and  Economic Dialogue in Washington July 27, 2009. (Agencies)

And if they manage to bring about that stabilization, the impact will benefit not only both economies but help the struggling global economy recover, said Wang Rongjun, a professor in the Institute of American Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"China and the US have never been more eager than now to push forward with bilateral trade," Wang said. "Cooperation will be the tone of the dialogue."

New energy and climate change will also be among the most important topics up for discussion at the SAED sessions that were set for yesterday and today, say experts.

While foreign media and many experts were playing down what was likely to be achieved through the talks, Wang argues that the dialogue "already means a great achievement" for bilateral trade and economic relations because it could bring together Chinese and American high-level officials, including US President Barack Obama and Vice-Premier Wang Qishan.