FACT SHEET: U.S.‐China Strategic and Economic Dialogue

On April 1, 2009, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton were

named by President Obama to be special representatives for the United States to the U.S.‐China Strategic and

Economic Dialogue (S&ED). Established by President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao, the S&ED 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 and economic interest. Through the Dialogue, and in its economic and

strategic tracks, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and their colleagues in the President’s Cabinet

will pursue in‐depth discussions with their respective Chinese counterparts. They will meet once per year in alternate

capitals, and they look forward to welcoming the Chinese to the United States for the first round of the S&ED on July

27‐28, 2009.

What Is the S&ED?

The S&ED is an ongoing and intensive mechanism for addressing the challenges and opportunities that the

United States and China face on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global areas of immediate and long‐

term strategic and economic interest.   

Who Is Involved?

On the U.S. side, Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of the Treasury Geithner are Co‐Chairs of the

Dialogue. Their respective Chinese counterparts are State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice Premier Wang

Qishan. The S&ED brings together senior leadership representing the U.S. and Chinese governments during

their meetings, which will take place annually in alternate capitals.  Various other U.S. Cabinet and sub‐Cabinet

officials and heads of Chinese ministries, bureaus and commissions will participate in the Dialogue depending

on the issues being discussed.

What Is the Goal of the S&ED?

Both President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China have placed the S&ED at the center of our bilateral

relationship and are committed to delivering concrete, meaningful and sustained progress over time on long‐

term strategic and economic objectives through the S&ED. The 2009 Dialogue will provide an opportunity to

establish a framework for those discussions moving forward.

What Is the Difference between the S&ED and the SED?

The S&ED is organized around a high‐level, cross‐cutting structure that addresses the geopolitical nature of

our mutual concerns in strategic and economic discussions. The S&ED provides a forum for ongoing and

productive bilateral engagement between U.S. and Chinese officials with diverse responsibilities for both

economic and strategic issues. The structure of the S&ED allows for a plenary session to discuss issues of

cross‐cutting strategic and economic importance, while maintaining distinct strategic and economic tracks.

Each respective track will involve focused discussions on issues of mutual immediate and long‐term strategic

or economic interest. The S&ED will meet annually to facilitate robust engagement and progress between

dialogues through coordination with existing bilateral dialogues and working‐level interactions.  

In 2006, then President George W. Bush and President Hu Jintao created the Strategic Economic Dialogue

(SED) to provide an overarching framework for ongoing bilateral economic dialogues and future economic and

financial relations. The SED was convened semi‐annually and led by Secretary of the Treasury on the U.S. side

and a Vice Premier on the Chinese side.