Senior Chinese diplomats met with United States Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg in Beijing Friday, June 5 to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (R) shakes hands with visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg in Beijing, capital of China, June 5, 2009.  (Xinhua/Zhang Duo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo met with Steinberg for an hour, but the Foreign Ministry released no details of their talks about the Korean situation.

    With regard to China-U.S. relations, Dai said the two countries would work together to boost exchanges, prepare for the first bilateral Strategic and Economic Dialogue and properly handle major and sensitive issues.

    Steinberg said President Barack Obama and the U.S. government were committed to full participation in the Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

    Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Vice Foreign Ministers Wu Dawei, China's top envoy on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, and He Yafei also held separate meetings with Steinberg earlier on Friday.

    Yang recalled the successful meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Obama on the sidelines of the G20 London summit in April.

    They agreed to work together to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive Sino-U.S. relationship, launched the China-U.S. strategic and economic dialogue, and vowed to step up cooperation on a wide range of issues, including dealing with the global economic downturn.

    "All of these decisions gave clear direction to the development of Sino-U.S. relations," a Foreign Ministry statement quoted Yang as saying during the 45-minute meeting in the ministry building.

    China and the United States shared broader common interests and more extensive basis for cooperation in light of the profound and complex changes in the international situation and the spreading economic downturn, Yang said.

    "We will strengthen contact and coordination on major international and regional issues, properly handle important and sensitive issues so as to push forward the consistent, sound and steady development of China-U.S. relations," Yang said.

    Steinberg, who has visited Japan and the Republic of Korea since the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear test last week, said the United States would work with China to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive Sino-U.S. relationship.

    Washington would step up dialogue and negotiations with Beijing on a broad range of issues, carry out constructive cooperation and promote bilateral ties so as to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large, he was quoted as saying.

    Before Steinberg left Beijing later Friday, spokesman for the National Security Council Mike Hammer told reporters he had "very good" meetings with Chinese officials. "It is a very productive day."