US, China end talks agreeing to disagree
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-09 14:53

Other U.S. officials said Dai, in his first offering of the first session, responded to every statement in Zoellick's September speech, apparently eager to demonstrate its decision to be a major player in world affairs in concert with the United States and others.

That harks to the "responsible stakeholder" idea, that China is developing such a huge stake in the coming century that its success will depend on its conduct.

"This concept has spurred a useful debate in China about its role in the world and, in particular, China's relations with the United States," Zoellick said. "This strategic framework can help us identify mutual interests and guide our cooperation with China."

The forum for the talks was the second in a "senior dialogue" series suggested to President Bush by Chinese President Hu Jintao. The first was in Beijing in August.

Zoellick's statement and comments by other American officials came close to effusive in their praise for the exchange. "As President Bush did when he traveled to China, we had discussions about the importance of freedom and human rights," Zoellick said.

"We explained that the United States does not raise these issues to threaten or destabilize China, but rather because we believe expanded freedom is a natural and integral part of China's development. I noted that China itself has recently stressed that building the rule of law is central to its development strategy."

Even on the economy, where China amassed the largest trade surplus in history against the United States last year, the talk was pleasant, Zoellick said.

"We discussed the problem of persistent imbalances in our trade and financial relationship, and areas of friction such as the protection of intellectual property rights," Zoellick said.

"We noted that both of us share an interest in maintaining an open international trading system, while ensuring an open, fair two-way economic exchange between our countries."

The Americans made much of the talks' usefulness in ensuring placid relations with China in the post-World War II order that China tried to distance itself from for much of its first 30 years.

To make sure the point is made, Zoellick is taking his guests Friday to Hyde Park, New York, to visit the home of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, whose policies were major influences on that arrangement.