China's Minister of Finance, Xie Xuren, said on Thursday that further mutually beneficial developments are expected to be achieved during the upcoming China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED).

Xie met with the visiting US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson in Beijing on Thursday and the two exchanged views on the SED, the economic situation in each country and bilateral financial cooperation.

Xie said that since the SED mechanism was established at the behest of Chinese President Hu Jintao and US President George W. Bush, the two countries had reached many important agreements during the previous three rounds of SED and strategic mutual trust had been enhanced.

The fourth SED round will be held in Washington in June. Xie expressed his hope that the United States would create a good environment for the event.

He said China is willing to work with the United States so that the SED could result in more mutually beneficial results and promote the development of bilateral trade.

Paulson said that the US government attached great importance to the SED and as the host of the fourth round, it would make the best preparations for the event.

During his two-day visit, Paulson also met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Vice Premier Wang Qishan to discuss economic ties. Paulson said the two sides "have much to accomplish" and he looked forward to working with Wang to make progress through the SED.

Launched in September 2006, the SED, a biannual economic strategic dialogue between Beijing and Washington, serves as a platform to discuss long-term, strategic and comprehensive issues in the bilateral trade relationship.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2008)