The two countries signed an Eco-Partnerships Framework under the 10-Year Framework. Seven pairs of EcoPartners from China and the United States signed statements of intent implementing their partnerships.

For example, Greensburg, Kansas and Mianzhu, Sichuan made a joint commitment on "green" disaster reconstruction. Greensburg was 95 percent destroyed by a tornado in May 2007, whereas Mianzhu was one of the most devastated areas in the May 2008 earthquake in Sichuan Province.

China and the United States have great potential for cooperation in the fields of energy and the environment, said Vice Premier Wang. The United States has technology prowess in these fields. As it works to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, China hopes to cooperate closely with the United States, he said.

"We hope the United States strengthens technology transfers to China and implements more concrete measures to promote energy and environment cooperation," he said.

The two countries also share a wide range of common interests in the safety of food, drugs and other products, he added.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration opened three offices in China in November in a bid to ensure the safety of Chinese exports to the United States. China is preparing to set up its own offices in the United States as well.

Wang said he hoped both countries would take this opportunity to enhance cooperation on quality-testing technology, inspection of the production process and information sharing.

Dialogue goes on

Given the upcoming power transition in the United States, the fifth SED exhibited some transitional features, said Fu Mengzi, Assistant President of the CICIR. In the face of the global financial crisis that originated in the United States, it is inevitable that both the Bush administration and its successor will strengthen coordination with China, he said.

During Bush's presidency, China-U.S. relations made great strides and enjoyed their most sustainable period since the end of the Cold War, he said. He predicted that dialogue and cooperation between the two major economies would expand as their relations gain worldwide prominence.

Improving relations with China was one of Bush's most remarkable diplomatic achievements, Zhang said. He believes that Obama will benefit from Bush's legacy and persist in carrying out high-level economic dialogues with China.

Instead of urging China to open its financial sector, Obama might seek to deepen the two countries' cooperation in energy and environmental protection and follow China's trade policy more closely, he said.

Obama's nomination of Timothy Geithner as the new Treasury Secretary was well received in Asia and portends well for China-U.S. economic relations. Geithner has studied Chinese and Japanese and holds a master's degree in Asian studies. His experience with Asian countries may ease their worries about trade protectionism under the Obama administration, Zhang said.

Trade volume between China and the United States soared from less than $3 billion in 1979, when the two countries established diplomatic relations, to more than $300 billion in 2007. They are currently each other's second largest trading partners.

Obama and his Asia policy team are clearly aware of the importance of China-

U.S. relations and will continue to promote their constructive development, Yuan said. Economic recovery is Obama's top priority and China-U.S. cooperation is essential for him to meet his goals, he said. The Obama administration will uphold the spirit of the SED, though its name, form and content may change, he said.

As they celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year, the two countries will have to consider how to maintain long-term strategic stability in their bilateral relations, Yuan said. In this regard, it is crucial for them to improve dialogue mechanisms between different departments and at different levels, he said.

"As an effective channel of communication between China and the United States in the past few years, the SED has become an important symbol for the stable development of the two countries' relations," he said.