US, China hold key to global future: Obama

US President Barak Obama yesterday said that America and China could between them shape the world's future. "The relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century," Obama said in Washington at the start of a two-day gathering of top officials from the two countries.

Addressing the two-day 'China-US strategic and economic dialogue' conclave on the opening day, Obama urged progress on confronting the global economic crisis, climate change, nuclear proliferation and terrorism.

Later on Tuesday, the summit's concluding day, he told Chinese President Hu Jintao's special representatives that the mechanism was conducive to addressing the global financial crisis.

Obama said both countries had extensive discussions on a broad range of issues during the dialogue, which would help them to effectively address the financial crisis and achieve balanced economic growth. He added that bridging the divides between the world's largest and third-largest economies was now often a "prerequisite" for finding global agreements.

The US delegation was led by secretary of state Hillary Clinton and treasury secretary Timothy Geithner, who met with China's state councillor Dai Bingguo and vice-premier Wang Qishan.
 
At the meeting in the White House following the conclusion of the two-day dialogue, Qishan delivered an oral message from Hu to Obama, in which Hu said the dialogue further enhanced mutual understanding and trust, and expanded bilateral exchange and cooperation.

Obama urged China to begin boosting domestic demand and shift from depending on exports in order to help put the global economy on a more "solid foundation". The US has been concerned that China is saving too much as the global economic downturn has prompted a decrease in consumer consumption.