The Strategic Economic Dialogue between China and the United States enters its second and final day here in Beijing, with both sides opening up the semi-annual meeting extolling the virtues of mutual engagement.  Both US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan noted that the SED is working well as a forum for both sides to talk about economic issues.  Still, there are many issues to be worked out between both the United States and China, particularly with how they can work together to calm the world economic crisis and increase the flow of trade from both sides. And on that front, Secretary Paulson noted that the two sides are engaged in 'productive' discussions on a new bilateral investment treaty.  So what can we expect this round of the SED to produce?  And what does the future hold for the dialogue, particularly given that the new Obama administration will be taking over in January in the US? 

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  In this edition of the show we'll be talking about the ongoing Strategic Economic Dialogue.  So let's get started.

(Music)

First we'll hear from a Chinese expert. Mr. Zha Xiaogang is a researcher at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.

(Dialogue with Zha)

And after a short break, we'll hear from a US business leader here in China.

(Promo)

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know,your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  I'm Paul James in Beijing.  In this edition of the program we're again discussing the Strategic Economic Dialogue between China and the United States which is in its 2nd and final day here in Beijing.  For more on this from a US business point of view we're joined on the line now by Mr. Robert Poole, Vice President for China Operations with the US-China Business Council. 

(Dialogue with Poole)

And with that we conclude this edition, and this week, of  People In the Know, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International.  Though formed under the outgoing Bush Administration, it appears almost inevitably that the economic dialogue between China and the United States will continue under the incoming Obama administration, given its heralded success the past two and a half years.  Questions or comments for us can be sent to people@cri.com.cn.  For Executive Director Zhao Yang and Producers Chen Mo and Xu Yang, I'm Paul James in Beijing.  Enjoy the weekend.  We'll talk to you on Monday.