Sino-US SED since 2006

We stay on the ongoing round of the Sino-US Strategic Economic Dialogue.Qi Tianxing reviews key moments and deals reached over the last two years.

The SED mechanism was set up by Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart George W. Bush in 2006. It serves as a platform for discussions of long-term issues in bilateral trade relations. The dialogue is held twice a year, with Beijing and Washington taking turns to play host.

The first round of the dialogue was held in Beijing in December 2006. It focused on China's strategies for economic development. Both sides reached a string of agreements. Some promoted trade and investment, while others focused on protecting the environment and maintaining sustainable development.

2007 saw the second and third meetings which were held in May and December. More deals were signed which saw both countries pledging to expand dialogue on governmental monitoring of exports of food, drugs, medical products, and consumer goods. Currently China and the United States are each other's second-largest trade partner. Last year saw bilateral trade volume hitting more than 302 billion US dollars.