Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made the remarks on Friday after welcoming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to the Purple Light Pavilion of Zhongnanhai.
The meeting held at the Chinese leadership’s compound in Beijing came on the sidelines of the annual two-day Strategic and Economic Dialogue between the Pacific powers.
“What is the secret behind the sustained and the steady growth of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue? I believe the most important thing is that we respect each other and treat each other as equals and have accommodated each other’s major concerns,” Wen said at the start of the meeting.
President Hu Jintao made a similar request at the start of the talks on Thursday for the two nations to respect one another’s differences.
The long-planned talks have been overshadowed by a row over a Chinese dissident taking refuge in the US Embassy in Beijing on April, after escaping house arrest in the eastern province of Shandong.
His case has added to tensions between Beijing and Washington, with the US declining to respond to China’s demand for an apology.
MRS/JR/HGH
Related posts:
Views: 0