Senior Chinese official calls on U.S. to respect China's core national interests

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese official on Tuesday called on the United States to respect China's core interests, stressing that today, mutual respect of core interests was key to good Sino-U.S. relations.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (Front) delivers the closing  statement of the first round of the China-U.S. Strategic and  Economic Dialogue in Washington D.C., capital of the United States,  July 28, 2009. The first round of the China-U.S. Strategic  and Economic Dialogue was concluded on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

State Councilor Dai Bingguo was speaking at a joint press conference with Vice Premier Wang Qishan, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who were co-chairing the first round of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington.

The two sides had a "candid, thorough, comprehensive and productive" discussion, he concluded. However, he added that the "more important mission is to turn what we've said into actions."