President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao gave a warm welcome to US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in Beijing Friday, and highlighted the "strategic economic dialogue" in addressing long-term economic relations between the two countries.

 

"China and the US have jointly announced the establishment of the China-US economic strategic dialogue. The two sides should have in-depth discussions on bilateral and global strategic economic issues under the dialogue mechanism," Hu said.

 

Hu said the economics dialogue will help "make suggestions for high-level policy making by the two nations."

 

Vice Premier Wu Yi and Paulson, as special representatives of President Hu and US President George W. Bush, will co-chair the dialogue.

 

The dialogue will convene semi-annually in Beijing and Washington, with the first meeting to be held before the end of 2006.

 

Hu suggested the economic strategic dialogue, along with such existing China-US dialogue mechanisms as Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade and Joint Economic Committee, serve the purpose of "deepening bilateral trade cooperation and promoting common development."

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 22, 2006)