China calls for US cooperation to fight global economic distress

A top Chinese economic official in an appeal to US envoys pleaded for cooperation at trade talks today to revive the global economy which continues to be in dire straits.

He emphasised the importance of shared goals as against disputes over currency and other factors that create divisions.

Vice premier Wang Qishan said at a meeting at the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, that China was facing a very serious global economic crisis.

He added that ensuring economic health was the responsibility of every nation and unbalanced progress was better than balanced decline.

Despite their pledge to work together to revive global growth, relations between the two countries remain strained over China's exchange-rate controls and access to its markets, while Beijing is wary about US designs aimed at consolidating its political and military presence in Asia. Trade is an especially sensitive issue amid high US unemployment and American hopes to revive economic growth by boosting exports.

The US-Chinese joint committee on commerce and trade, which meets twice every year, works to address concerns by focusing on individual policy disputes. In previous meetings Beijing agreed to lower barriers to imports of American beef and to fight rampant Chinese software piracy.