Tough talking expected after friendly prelude

What they say

"We need more engagement with China, not less, even if our countries do not always see eye to eye. Understanding what our most important trade partner is thinking better informs our policy choices and actions. Foreign investment openings, science-based GM seed approvals, restrictive IT security policies, progress on the WTO environmental goods agreement, and market-based solutions to industrial overcapacity are examples of issues in a broad range of sectors that will be discussed."

John Frisbie, president of the US-China Business Council

"Nuclear security is likely to be at the top of the list of priorities for US President Barack Obama. He may seek strong Chinese support for new efforts on the nonproliferation front. Beyond that issue, he wants to leave office with an overall legacy of strong cooperation with China. There is reason to believe that either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be less accommodating to China than Obama has been."

Ted Galen Carpenter, senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, a US think tank

"There are some disagreements in the strategies between the two countries. But if the contradictions are emphasized too much, future China-US cooperation will be undermined. To resolve the disagreements, China and the US should stick to the principles of a new-type relationship between major powers — no conflict, no confrontation, respect for each other and seek common interests."

Wang Fan, vice-president of China Foreign Affairs University

"China-US relations have arrived at a new crossroads. The debate on China policy in the US presidential campaign, the unknown fate of the strategic and economic dialogue under the next US administration, and US involvement in the South China Sea all made this round of the dialogue more eye-catching. The dialogue is a pressure-relieving valve that can help both sides manage their disagreements and control risks, as it has provided a platform for senior officials to communicate."

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies