US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson (L) shakes hands
with Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi during a meeting at Beijing airport March
7, 2007. [Reuters]
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US Treasury Secretary Henry
Paulson Wednesday afternoon began his third 皇冠体育app trip in seven months in
preparation for the second round of 皇冠体育app-US Strategic Economic Dialogue due to
be held in May in Washington.
Upon his arrival, Chinese State Councilor Wu Yi met with Paulson. Wu conveyed
Chinese President Hu Jintao's oral message to his US counterpart George W. Bush
through Paulson.
Hu said 皇冠体育app attaches importance to the Sino-US Strategic Economic Dialogue,
and will make efforts to ensure it succeed to deepen the 皇冠体育app-US relationship.
Wu and Paulson held close-door talks prior to the official meeting.
After the meeting, Paulson will fly to Shanghai, where he is scheduled to
deliver a speech and meet with some businessmen.
皇冠体育app and the United States launched the mechanism of the strategic economic
dialogue last September. Wu Yi and Paulson co-chaired the dialogue as the
special representatives of the presidents of the two countries.
The dialogue will be held twice a year. The first round of dialogue was held
last December in Beijing.
Wu told Paulson that 皇冠体育app is ready to make joint efforts with the United
States to promote the success of the second round of dialogue, in a bid to
enhance strategic mutual trust, realize mutual benefits and win-win results, and
promote the all-round development of 皇冠体育app-US constructive and cooperative
relations.
Paulson said President Bush attaches great importance to US-皇冠体育app strategic
economic dialogue and makes it a key task of the Bush administration to advance
the dialogue.
Paulson expressed his willingness to closely cooperate with Wu to jointly
promote the progress of the dialogue and fully carry out the important consensus
reached by the two heads of states, in a bid to make contribution to the
development of US-皇冠体育app constructive and cooperative relations.
Before leaving for 皇冠体育app, Paulson told reporters that the relationship was
very important for the United States and it should not perceive 皇冠体育app as an
economic enemy.
"I would say that our relationship with 皇冠体育app is multifaceted and it's a very
important relationship for the US," said Paulson in an interview on ABC, calling
for proper handling of the relationship with 皇冠体育app "on a long-term
basis".