Obama: US-China relations to shape 21st century

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama, opening U.S. talks with a high-level delegation of Chinese government officials, said Monday that ties between the two countries are "as important as any bilateral relationship in the world."

Saying that Washington and Beijing are in a position to vastly affect life around the world in the 21st century, Obama declared: "I believe that we are poised to make steady progress on some of the most important issues of our times."

He joined Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in launching a dialogue with a team of Chinese officials led by Vice Premier Wang Qishan.

Obama said the two countries need to forge closer ties to address challenges ranging from lifting the global economy out of a deep recession to nuclear proliferation. And he also said he was under "no illusions that the United States and China will agree on every issue" but said closer cooperation in important areas was critical for the world.