HOUSTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States should jointly work for a win-win outcome in the face of the global economic crisis, speakers said here at a conference on Thursday.

    China and the United States are two essential players in the world economy and are "in the same boat" as the worldwide economic meltdown is hurting both, speakers said at Tiger Ball 2009, a half-day conference hosted by the Asia Society.

    The fact that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton selected Asia for her first overseas trip underscores the strategic importance the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama places in the region, speakers said.

    It also reflects how China and the United States need the help of each other to overcome the crisis, they said.

    Stapleton Roy, who formerly was twice U.S. ambassador to China, said Clinton had delivered a positive and clear message that the United States wants to cooperate and coordinate with China.

    Orville Schell, director of the Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China relations, said the United States and China should join hands first in handling the economic crisis, and then cooperate on climate change and other issues of common interest.

    The speakers also warned against protectionism during the crisis and urged the fixing of defects in financial regulations which caused the crisis.

Expert: Effective U.S.-China co-op on climate change can increase mutual trust

   WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China can increase mutual trust over long-term intentions through effective cooperation on critical global issues such as climate change, a noted China expert said.

    Although the U.S.-China relationship has made much progress in the past 30 years, mutual mistrust over each other's long-term intentions remains deep, said Professor Kenneth Lieberthal from the University of Michigan. full story

Chinese President to meet with Obama in London

    BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao will meet for the first time with U.S. President Barack Obama during a G20 summit in London in April, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said here Saturday.

    The meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama will be of great significance, Yang said, adding that both countries are to make earnest preparation for the meeting. Full story

China, U.S. to hold defense meeting 

    BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States are to hold an annual work meeting of their defense ministries this month, a spokesman of the Chinese Defense Ministry said in a news release.

    David Sedney, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense, will visit China from Feb. 27 to 28 for a meeting with the head of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Defense of China. Full story