by Xinhua writers Wang Jiangang, Zhao Yi
WASHINGTON, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Both China and the
United States have attached great importance to the first ever China-U.S.
Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), which kicked off on a high note in
the U.S. capital on Monday.
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Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (6th L,
Front), State Councilor Dai Bingguo (5th L, Front), U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton (5th R, Front), U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy
Geithner (4th R, Front) and other officials pose for a group photograph
before the opening ceremony of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic
Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington, the United States, July 27, 2009. The
China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), the first of its
kind between the world's biggest developing country and biggest developed
country, opened here on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
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CHINESE, U.S. LEADERS PIN
HIGH HOPES
Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack
Obama have pinned high hopes on the July 27-28 dialogue, a mechanism upgraded
from the previous Strategic Dialogue and biannual Strategic Economic Dialogue
initiated in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
President Hu sent a congratulatory letter to the
S&ED, which was read at the opening ceremony by his special representative,
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan. Wang and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo,
both co-chairing the dialogue on behalf of the Chinese president, are leading a
large delegation of some 150 senior officials, 24 of them at or above the
ministerial level.
Hu said in his message that both countries shoulder
important responsibilities on a host of major issues concerning peace and
development of mankind, adding that in the face of the complex and changing
international economic and political situation, China and the United States
should endeavor to expand common ground, reduce differences, enhance mutual
trust and strengthen cooperation through the strategic and economic dialogue.
"This serves the common interest of the two sides and
will help advance the positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship
between our two countries," said the Chinese leader.
"It is also of great importance for peace, stability,
development and prosperity of the whole world," he added.
"I am confident that with the concerted efforts of
both teams, the S&ED mechanism will keep improving and growing and inject
new dynamism and make new contribution to our mutually beneficiary cooperation
in various areas and to the growth of our positive, cooperative and
comprehensive relationship," said Hu.
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U.S. President Barack Obama addresses
the opening ceremony of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue
(S&ED) at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in
Washington, on July 27, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
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President Obama addressed the dialogue's opening in
person, elaborating on an array of issues, ranging from the financial crisis,
security and climate change. He also stressed the importance of cooperation
between the two countries.
He hailed the dialogue as an "essential step forward
in advancing a positive, constructive, and comprehensive relationship" between
the two countries.
"Our countries have now shared relations for longer
than we were estranged. Our people interact in so many ways. And I believe that
we are poised to make steady progress on some of the most important issues of
our times," he said.
Obama said no nation can meet the challenges of the
21st century on its own, which "only makes U.S.-China dialogue more important."
The U.S. side also gave unprecedented priority the
dialogue, the first of its kind under the Obama administration. Twelve officials
at or above the ministerial level, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
and Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner who are co-chairing the dialogue for
the American side, were involved in the dialogue.
"SAME BOAT"
THEORY
It is widely noticed that Clinton has time and again
preached the "same boat" theory while making important remarks on U.S.-China
relations on various occasions.
In a joint letter to The Wall Street Journal
published on Monday, Clinton and Geithner stressed the importance of the
dialogue, saying "few global problems can be solved by the U.S. or China alone.
And few can be solved without the U.S. and China together."
"The strength of the global economy, the health of
the global environment, the stability of fragile states and the solution to
nonproliferation challenges turn in large measure on cooperation between the
U.S. and China," said the two key cabinet members in the letter.
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Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (2nd
L), State Councilor Dai Bingguo (1st L), U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton (2nd R) and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (1st R) pose
for a photo before the opening of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic
Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington, the United States, July 27, 2009. The
China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), the first of its
kind between the world's biggest developing country and biggest developed
country, opened here on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Yan)
Photo Gallery>>> |
"But having these strategic-level discussions with
our Chinese counterparts will help build the trust and relationships to tackle
the most vexing global challenges of today -- and of the coming generation,"
says the letter.
The top U.S. diplomat and top financial official
cited the Chinese aphorism "When you are in a common boat, you need to cross the
river peacefully together" to express their hope of strengthening cooperation
between the two countries. China has now become Washington's single biggest
creditor, with 801.5 billion dollars in Treasury securities, according to the
U.S. Treasury Department.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Geithner echoed Clinton's "same boat" theory by speaking in Mandarin Chinese "Tong Zhou Gong Ji," the Chinese phrase for "the same boat" theory, and expressed hope that both sides could work together to tackle tough global issues.
