(Recasts lead, adds comments by U.S. lawmaker, lobby group)By Caren Bohan and Daisy KuLONDON, April 1 (Reuters) - The United States and China agreed on Wednesday to recast high-level talks on sensitive economic issues by broadening them also to include strategic matters that could include climate change. The White House said in a statement that the forum called the "U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue" would include negotiations on the economy between U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan. That would be similar to the "Strategic Economic Dialogue" that former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson initiated. But the new forum will also cover talks between Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who looks to have ensured a leading role in dealing with Beijing by pushing for a widening of the dialogue with China. It will meet once a year, whereas the dialogue that Paulson started and that won considerable business support because interest was so high in trying to persuade Beijing to adopt a flexible currency, met twice a year. "The two sides will hold the first round of the dialogue in Washington D.C. this summer," the White House said after U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao met ahead of a formal meeting of the G20 leading and emerging economies in London. In Washington, the U.S. Treasury and State Department issued a joint statement saying that Clinton and Geithner looked forward to "in-depth discussions" with Chinese officials. John Frisbie, president of U.S.-China Business Council, said that Clinton would lead discussions on security, political and global issues that could also include matters like climate change. Geithner would handle the talks on economic and financial policy and both sets of talks would take place at the same time, Frisbie said. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said he was pleased regular economic talks with China would continue under the Obama administration and urged a speedy start."The global economic situation today demands action, and I urge Secretary Geithner and Vice Premier Wang to get the economic dialogue up and running as soon as possible," Baucus said. There have been calls for the United States, with the world's largest economy, and China, which has the most vibrant economy among emerging markets, to intensify bilateral efforts in hope of giving the flagging global economy a lift. World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday that, if they did cooperate more with one another, it could help prevent splits forming between leading and emerging economies. PRAGMATIC A U.S. official said Obama had adopted a "pragmatic" approach towards China, which is particularly concerned about the U.S. economy given it is the biggest holder of U.S. securities of any other single nation. Beijing has tried to raise questions about the dollar's global status, but the idea was not discussed at the meeting. "He (Obama) recognised that China in the last decade has greatly increased its own strength and its own role in the world and he looks to build a relationship with China where China works cooperatively to resolve these international issues," the senior U.S. official said of Obama's first meeting with Hu. Hu welcomed the meeting and said: "Good relations with the U.S. is not only in the interests of the two peoples, but also beneficial to peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, and the world at large." U.S. officials said Obama also raised human rights issues such as Tibet and Darfur and the two leaders agreed to resume discussions about human rights as soon as possible. Clinton stirred criticism after she appeared to play down the importance of human rights when she visited China in February. (Writing by Elizabeth Piper and Glenn Somerville, editing by Mike Peacock)
An autistic child (L) rejects the water given from his grandma after a therapy session at the Stars and Rain School for autistic children in Beijing March 23, 2009. China now ...
