China and US start second round of key economic talks
China and the US began the second round of their ministerial Strategic Economic Dialogue in Washington yesterday with Vice-Premier Wu Yi warning America to put trade protectionism aside or both countries would suffer.
Ms Wu, known for her tough negotiating style, is leading a high-level Chinese delegation to the dialogue, set up with the aim of easing trade tension between the two countries.
In an opening statement for the two-day talks with US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and his team, Ms Wu said China and the US should see each other as partners, not rivals.
'Problems and contradictions emerging in the development of China-US trade and economic relations should be taken calmly and handled properly,' she said. 'Politicising trade and economic issues is absolutely unacceptable since it is of no help at all but will make the situation more complicated.'
Mr Paulson said there were critics in the US who were disappointed by Beijing's lack of progress on reforms.
