Chinese vice premier discusses bilateral issues with U.S. lawmakers

Source: Xinhua | 06-20-2008 13:31

WASHINGTON, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan met with some leading U.S. senators and members of the House of the Representatives here Thursday to discuss bilateral issues of common concern.

He held separate talks with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Max Baucus (D-Mont.) as well as several House members.

Wang also attended a working breakfast with U.S. Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson and exchanged views with Paulson and some lawmakers on the occasion.

During the meetings, both sides agreed that the Sino-U.S. relationship is going very well and the bilateral contacts are very close.

The two sides stressed the need to strengthen exchanges and communications and have a better mutual understanding.

Wang answered questions ranging from Sino-U.S. trade and investment cooperation, energy, environment, exchange rate of Renminbi to intellectual property rights, and clarified China's positions on those issues.

He stressed that China and the United States should cautiously resolve trade and economic disagreement through negotiations and dialogues on an equal basis.

Wang said both sides should jointly maintain the mutually beneficial and "win-win" nature of the Sino-U.S. trade and economic relationship, avoid resorting to the wrong solutions such as trade and investment protectionism and politicizing trade and economic issues.

Wang and Paulson co-chaired the 4th round of China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue, or SED, between June 17 and 18 in Annapolis, Maryland, as special representatives of the state leaders of the two countries.

Editor:Xiong Qu