Special: 4th round of China-U.S.
Strategic Economic Dialogue
Backgrounder: China-U.S.
Strategic Economic Dialogue
ANNAPOLIS, United States, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China
plans to send food safety and product quality inspectors to the United States as
a reciprocal move to a similar U.S. proposal, a senior Chinese official said
here Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the fourth
round of the China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue, or SED, Li Changjiang,
minister of China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection
and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said the proposal to send U.S. food safety and product
quality inspectors to China was first raised by U.S. Secretary of Health and
Human Services Michael Leavitt at the 3rd SED last December.
"Based on the principal of reciprocity, China plans
to station food safety and product quality personnel at its embassy and
consulates in the United States at necessary times," he said.
Li said the U.S. and China are processing the plan
and China is waiting for a final "go-ahead" signal from U.S. authorities.
Like the previous SED, the issue about food safety
and product quality is incorporated into the agenda of the meeting, because the
issue is closely related to the healthy development of Sino-U.S. trade, Li said.
The discussions this time focused on the
implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services and AQSIQ last year to enhance the safety of food
and feed exported to the United States, according to Li.
The minister is a member of the delegation led by
visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan at the ongoing June 17-18 4th round of
the SED in Annapolis, Maryland, about a 30-minute drive from Washington DC.
The meeting is co-chaired by Wang and U.S. Secretary
of FinanceHenry Paulson.
They act as special representatives of the state
leaders of the two countries.
Participants of the two-day meeting include
minister-level officials and other senior officials from the two governments.
China and the United States plan to sign a 10-year
cooperation agreement on energy and environmental protection after the meeting.
China, U.S. start 4th Strategic
Economic Dialogue
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Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang
Qishan (front L) shakes hands with U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson
(front R) at the opening ceremony of the 4th round of China-U.S. Strategic
Economic Dialogue in Annapolis, Maryland, the United States of America,
June 17, 2008. China and the United States on Tuesday started here their
4th round of Strategic Economic Dialogue. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
ANNAPOLIS, United States, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China and
the United States on Tuesday started their 4th round of the Strategic Economic
Dialogue in Annapolis, Maryland.
Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and U.S.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson are co-chairing the meeting as special
representatives of the heads of state of the two countries. Full story
WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier
Wang Qishan has called for stronger cooperation between China and the United
States in energy, the environment and other related areas, saying that bilateral
cooperation in these areas would lead to win-win results.
"The Chinese government gives high priority to energy and
resources conservation and the protection of the environment. It is committed to
building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society," Vice Premier
Wang wrote in an article published by The Financial Times on Monday in its North
American edition.Full story
WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice
Premier Wang Qishan arrived here Monday afternoon to attend the upcoming fourth
round of China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue, or SED.
The SED will be held from June 17 to 18 at U.S.
Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, about 30-minute drive from
Washington. Full story
WASHINGTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The high-level
Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) between the United States and China has played
"a constructive role" in U.S.-China relations which are "important to world
peace and prosperity," James A. Dorn, vice president for academic affairs of the
Cato Institute said recently.
The fourth round of SED, first launched in December 2006,
will be held on June 17-18 in the United States.Full story
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan left here
Sunday for the United States to attend the fourth round of China-U.S. Strategic
Economic Dialogue.
The dialogue is scheduled to be held from June 17 to 18 in
Annapolis, Maryland. Vice Premier Wang Qishan, as special representative of
Chinese President Hu Jintao, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, as
special representative of U.S. President George W. Bush, will co-chair the
meeting. Full story
