 |
|
Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets
with visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in Beijing, capital
of China, June 2, 2009.(Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery>>> |
BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China and the United
States are ratcheting up efforts to prepare for strategic and economic talks
this summer as U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner continues his visit to
Beijing.
"China-U.S. relations show a good momentum of
development as both sides have kept close contacts since the new U.S.
administration took office," President Hu Jintao told Geithner at the start of
their meeting Tuesday afternoon.
 |
|
Chinese President Hu Jintao (R FRONT)
meets with visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (L FRONT) in
Beijing, capital of China, June 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)
Photo Gallery>>> |
Hu reviewed his first meeting with U.S. President
Barack Obama in London in April when both agreed on building a "positive,
cooperative and comprehensive relationship for the 21st century" and launching
China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
"As both sides agreed to hold the first round of
dialogue in Washington D.C. in July, I hope both will work closely, step up
preparation so as to make the dialogue a success," Hu said in a statement issued
by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Hu characterized the dialogue mechanism as "an
important platform for both nations to deepen understanding, mutual trust and
cooperation."
The strategic track of the dialogue will be chaired
by Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, while the economic track will be chaired by Vice Premier Wang Qishan
and Geithner.
"As influential nations in the world, China and the
United States share extensive common interests and shoulder important
responsibilities in tackling global economic challenges and resolving the world
hot-button issues," Hu said.
He said China would like to work with the United
States to strengthen dialogues at all levels, expand exchanges and cooperation
for fresh progress in bilateral relations in the new era.
Geithner, on first visit to China as Treasury chief,
said his visit was "a good start" of building bilateral ties and "looked forward
to holding the dialogue in Washington D.C."
He hailed bilateral "capacity to work together in
global stage" and said he saw "early signs of stabilization of the economies."
Earlier afternoon, Premier Wen Jiabao also met with
Geithner in Zhongnanhai, the central leadership's compound near the Forbidden
City in Beijing.
 |
|
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets
with visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in Beijing, capital
of China, June 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
Photo Gallery>>> |
"The foremost task for both countries is to work more
closely to address the global economic downturn, oppose protectionism in trade
and investment, promote reform in international financial system, tighten
oversight of international reserve currency so as to ensure the stability and
growth of China, the United States andthe world," Wen said.
During his three-day visit, Geithner had a flurry of
meetings with China's top economic team, including Vice Premier Wang Qishanand
chiefs of commerce, finance, banking and securities, among others.
 |
|
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (1st R) meets
with visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (1st L) in Beijing,
capital of China, June 2, 2009.(Xinhua/Li Tao)
Photo Gallery>>> |
In an hour-long meeting with Geithner Monday, Wang
said, "The major task of our economic dialogue is to address the global economic
slowdown.
"We will send a message that China and the United
States are cooperating substantively to get over the difficult times, which will
help boost confidence, promote global financial stability and economic
recovery," Wang said.
Geithner told Wang, "The world is going through an
exceptionally challenging period now and I think the world has a huge stake in
our two countries working closely together to lay a foundation for recovery."
On Monday in a speech to students at China's Peking
University, Geithner said that China's investments in the United States "are
very safe. ... We have the deepest, most liquid financial markets in the world."
Geithner also struck a positive note on the global
economy, citing the initial signs of improvement.
 |
|
Visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy
Geithner (2nd R) meets with representatives of eight U.S. clean energy
companies with branches in China, at Beijing's Capital Museum, June 2,
2009. (Xinhua/Li Mingfang)
Photo Gallery>>> |
Earlier Tuesday, Geithner visited Beijing's Capital
Museum, which is partly powered by solar energy, generated by panels
manufactured by Michigan-based Uni-Solar Company.
Geithner also met with representatives of eight U.S.
clean energy companies with branches in China at the museum, pledging to learn
from China and other countries to improve energy efficiency.
"The core part of the U.S.-China cooperation will be
on the energy part. We expected it to be the central part of the new strategic
and economic dialogue we just put in place," Geithner said.
"The world is gonna be watching what we do together
as countries in this area, as they are watching us cooperate to help resolve the
global recession of financial crisis," he said.
 |
|
Visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy
Geithner (2nd R) meets with representatives of eight U.S. clean energy
companies with branches in China, at Beijing's Capital Museum, June 2,
2009. (Xinhua/Li Mingfang)
Photo Gallery>>> |
At the end of Geithner's visit, Clinton and Geithner
issued a joint statement on the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, saying the
first meeting of the dialogue will be held in Washington D.C. "during the last
week of July 2009."
They said, "The dialogue will focus on addressing the
challenges and opportunities that both countries face on a wide range of
bilateral, regional and global areas of immediate and long-term strategic
interest."
Geithner left Beijing on Tuesday evening.
U.S. treasury chief pursues closer
economic ties with China
BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Treasury Secretary
Timothy Geithner is making the most of his first Beijing visit to pursue a
closer economic ties with China.
 |
|
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner
delivers a speech at Peking University in Beijing, capital of China, June
1, 2009. (Xinhua/Gao Xueyu)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
Geithner spent Monday in a flurry of meetings with China's
top economic team, including Vice Premier Wang Qishan and chiefs of finance,
commerce, banking and securities.
Saying Geithner's visit covered wide-ranging issues, Wang
stressed "the foremost subject coming to my mind is the economic dialogue of the
first Strategic and Economic Dialogue." Full story
U.S. Treasury chief vows to strengthen
relations with China
WASHINGTON,
May 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner vowed on Tuesday
to strengthen the relations between the U.S. with China, which he said are
critical to ending the global financial crisis.
Geithner, who will visit China on Saturday, stressed that
the Obama administration is committed to establish a positive, cooperative and
comprehensive relationship with China. Full story
Special Report:
Global Financial
Crisis
