Visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (2nd R) meets with representatives of eight U.S. clean energy companies with branches in China, at Beijing's Capital Museum, June 2, 2009. [Li Mingfang/Xinhua]

"The core part of the U.S.-China cooperation will be on the energy part. We expected it to be the central part of the new strategic and economic dialogue we just put in place," Geithner said.

"The world is gonna be watching what we do together as countries in this area, as they are watching us cooperate to help resolve the global recession of financial crisis," he said.

At the end of Geithner's visit, Clinton and Geithner issued a joint statement on the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, saying the first meeting of the dialogue will be held in Washington D.C. "during the last week of July 2009."

They said, "The dialogue will focus on addressing the challenges and opportunities that both countries face on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global areas of immediate and long-term strategic interest."

Geithner left Beijing on Tuesday evening.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (R Front) talks with tourists from New York as he visits the Capital Museum in Beijing, capital of China, June 2, 2009. [Li Mingfang/Xinhua]

(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2009)