中美战略与经济对话谈及人民币改革

Chinese and American officials meet for the last day of the high-level Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other U.S. delegates met with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao as his government offered conciliatory measures. The United States has complained that China keeps its currency artificially undervalued, unfairly helping exporters. China said it was open to exchange rate reform, a pledge which was sought by the U.S..

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner:

“We welcome the fact that Chinese leaders have recognized that reform of the exchange rate mechanism is an important part of their broader economic reform agenda. Allowing the exchange rate to reflect market forces is important, not just to give China the flexibility necessary to sustain more balanced economic growth with low inflation, but also to reinforce incentives  for

China's private sector to shift resources to more productive, higher value-added activities that would be important to future economic growth in China. Now this is of course China’s choice.”

During Tuesday’s meetings, Beijing said it would also help foreign companies to operate on equal footing with local businesses in China. For its part earlier in the talks, the U.S. said it would review restrictions on certain high-tech exports. Still, tensions remain over how to handle North Korea in the wake of evidence it's sunk this South Korea navy ship in March. But the two countries also have strong disagreements over such issues as Chinese Internet censorship and Washington’s arm sales to Taiwan.

David Botti, Reuters.