Yul Kwon:
Now there's been a lot of concern that the Chen Guangcheng affair could overshadow the upcoming Strategic and Economic Dialogue between China and the US. The dialogue is intended to improve communication on a wide range of issues. But in covering the event, China's state broadcaster CCTV didn't mention Chen. It only focused on the talks.

Reporter:
Representatives at the high level talks are hoping to find common ground amid increasing disputes between China and US. In his opening speech, President Hu Jintao stressed that while China and US might not agree on all issues, they must respect each other's core interests.

Hu Jintao, Chinese President:
Co-operation between China and the US will bring opportunities to both countries and to the world. Confrontation will only bring harm.

Reporter:
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton echoed the sentiment of President Hu's speech. She referred to the increasing co-dependence between China and US, with the US having a strong interest in China's continued economic growth.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State:
As President Obama said, the United States remains committed to building a cooperative partnership based on mutual benefit and mutual respect.

Reporter:
The two-day dialogue will consist of several separate sessions, looking at two-way economic and strategic cooperation. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan says the dialogue mechanism has already made great contributions to the de-politicization of economic issues.

Wang Qishan, Chinese Vice Premier:
This is a broad, pragmatic and fruitful dialogue. We will exchange opinions on the core interests of both China and the US and try our best to avoid politicizing economic issues.

Reporter:
In this upcoming two-day dialogue, economic discussions will focus on trade cooperation and disputes, particularly investment protection treaties. Global and regional security issues, such as nuclear non-proliferation, the South China Sea, Sudan and South Sudan, and the Iran and DPRK nuclear issues are also likely to top the agenda. Expectations nonetheless remain high that the dialogue will play a crucial role in enhancing communication and avoiding potential misunderstandings.