President Obama says Washington and Beijing must cooperate to tackle the big
problems facing the world.
"The relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century,
which makes it as important as any bilateral relationship in the world," the
president said. "That really must underpin our partnership. That is the
responsibility that together we bear."
The president spoke to high-level American and Chinese officials as they launched
a two-day meeting in Washington. The U.S. China Strategic and Economic Dialogue
is to discuss a broad agenda from currency concerns to foreign policy.
The president said the officials must work together to tackle worldwide
challenges, including the global economic recession, climate change, and the
spread of nuclear weapons.
President Obama also talked about the need to confront threats that transcend
borders. He talked about intelligence sharing to dismantle terror networks, and
the establishment of early warning systems to check the spread of dangerous
diseases.
"All of these issues are rooted in the fact that no one nation can meet the
challenges of the 21st century on its own, nor effectively advance its interests
in isolation. It is this fundamental truth that compels us to cooperate,"
President Obama said.
The president said he is under no illusion the United States and China will agree
on every issue, or always see the world in the same way. And he made clear that
he will continue to speak out about human rights.
President Obama stressed that it is these differences that make dialogue even more
important. He said these discussions give the two sides a chance to get to know
each other better and communicate concerns with candor.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is officially hosting the talks along with
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Geithner and Chinese Vice Premier Wang
Qishan told the gathering there are hopeful signs that the world economy is on the
mend.