China, US officials to meet for annual dialogue

BEIJING - High-ranking officials of China and the United States will hold their annual dialogue and consultation next week in Beijing, the Foreign Ministry's spokesman announced on Wednesday.

Hong Lei told a daily press briefing that the two sides have decided that 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) will be held on July 9 and 10.

The S&ED will be co-chaired by Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi, who will act as special representatives of Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who will act as special representatives of U.S. President Barack Obama.

The CPE will be co-chaired by Vice Premier Liu Yandong and Kerry.

The two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations as well as other major issues of common concern, according to Hong.

He said that China hopes both sides will work together to strengthen strategic communication, promote cooperation and exchange, properly handle differences so as to push forward the building of a new model of major power relationship between China and the United States.