US, China to begin crucial talks on range of issues

The US and China are  set to begin two days of high-level talks today on a range of political and economic issues, including thorny matters such as human rights, foreign exchange and trade.

The two biggest economies of the world are expected to take up areas of tensions in the annual discussions, this year in Washington, however observers are not expecting any major breakthrough.

They say the round would be a tough one and with both sides having divergent interests on key economic issues prospects of a resolution of these were remote.

Secretary of state Hillary Clinton and treasury secretary Timothy Geithner would lead the US team in the third annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

They would meet the highest-ranking officials in the Chinese government: vice premier Wang Qishan and state councilor Dai Bingguo and for the first time top military representatives from both sides would attend.

According to statements of senior US officials they would raise concerns with Beijing about its human rights record both generally and by seeking answers about specific cases, and the undervalued Chinese currency, the yuan.