On January 11, 2012, Vice President Xi Jinping met with U.S. President Barack Obama's special representative and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at the Great Hall of the People.
Xi Jinping stressed that this year is a critical one to both China and the U.S.. Maintaining stable development of Sino-U.S. relations is crucial not only to coping with the complicated global and regional challenges, but to promoting the domestic agenda of the two countries. The two sides should firmly grasp the correct direction of Sino-U.S. relations, unswervingly implement the important consensus reached by leaders of both countries, strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen political, economic, trade and cultural dialogue, exchange and cooperation and maintain communication and coordination on major international and regional issues. He urged both sides to enhance mutual trust, eliminate interference, and promote the building of China-U.S. cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. China is ready to expand economic and financial cooperation with the U.S., he said, adding both sides should strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination. He said both sides should resolve their differences through equal consultation, instead of politicizing economic issues, which will help sustainable economic growth of the two countries and contribute to an early recovery of the world economy.
Geithner said the United States is ready to work with China to develop closer economic and trade cooperation, jointly promote economic growth of the two countries, maintain global financial stability, stimulate global economic recovery and promote governance of the international system.
Minister of Finance Xie Xuren and other officials attended the meeting.