The fourth round of Sino-US strategic dialogue, to be held in Washington from June 20, is expected to boost the healthy development of bilateral ties.

 

The three-day dialogue will be co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo and US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.

 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a press conference yesterday that the dialogue mechanism, based on the consensus reached by Presidents Hu Jintao and George W. Bush in 2004, has become an important platform for the two sides to discuss strategic and political issues.

 

China and the US are stakeholders and constructional partners, Qin said, and will have an in-depth exchange of views on major bilateral issues on the basis of the three previous rounds of dialogue.

 

On whether the Chinese currency can be revalued, he said any change has to suit the country's situation and must be conducive to the economic development of China and the world at large. He ruled out succumbing to pressure from the US Congress.

 

"Economic and trade issues should not be politicized," Qin said.

 

His remarks come before a group of US senators is expected to unveil legislation this week in order to pressure Beijing to revalue its currency more quickly, and thus make its exports more costly.

 

"The US Congress believes the yuan exchange rate is too low but on the basis of whose standard? Is it the US standard?"

 

(China Daily June 13, 2007)