Chinese premier meets S&ED, CPE delegates

BEIJING, July 10 -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday met with delegates to the sixth China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) and the fifth China-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE).

The S&ED was co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi, as well as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew. The CPE was hosted by Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Kerry.

Li said China was ready to work with the United States on the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to reach a deal as soon as possible.

He also called on the United States to take concrete measures to ease export of civil products and high-technology to China, to cooperate with China in areas such as energy and infrastructure with a more active attitude, and to strengthen coordination on macro-economic policy to contribute to international economic governance and recovery.

The premier stressed that the two countries share more common interests than disputes and should abide by the principles of non-conflict, mutual respect and win-win.

Li added that China was ready to maintain high-level engagement with the United States, expand cooperation, strengthen communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, properly handle contradictions and frictions, to promote a long-term, sound and stable development of the ties.

U.S. delegates voiced appreciation of China's reform and opening-up, saying the United States welcomes a prosperous and strong China. They spoke highly of the S&ED and CPE, saying their discussions on strategy, economy and culture achieved important results.

They vowed to implement the consensus reached by two state leaders and results of the S&ED, strengthen communication and coordination on global and regional affairs, expand common interests, properly handle disputes, jointly cope with global challenges such as climate change, and maintain world peace.