The U.S. Treasury Department confirmed on Monday that the second round of an annual U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue will be held in Beijing May 24-25.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will lead the U.S. side in meetings co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice Premier Wang Qishan.
No formal agenda was disclosed but interest in the talks centers on whether China will indicate, before or afterward, that it intends to let its yuan currency appreciate as the United States and others want it to do.
Geithner said on Friday, following a meeting of Group of 20 finance ministers in Washington, that some emerging-market countries now were relying less on exports and said that should be reinforced by adopting market-oriented exchange rates.
Geithner didn't name China and wouldn't say afterward whether he was specifically referring to China, only commenting that he thought Beijing will eventually find it is in its own interest to allow more currency flexibility.
The two days of talks in Beijing conclude with a joint statement on Tuesday, May 25. (Reporting by Glenn Somerville; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)
