WASHINGTON - the United States and China will begin two days of high-level talks Monday on a wide range of political and economic issues, including difficult areas such as the rights of man, foreign exchange and trade.
The world's two largest economies will address areas of tension, in the annual talks this year in Washington, but observers expect any major breakthrough.
"It round, we fear, will be difficult," said Carl Weinberg, Chief Economist at high frequency Economics.
The two sides are still far away with the major economic problems, he said, "prospects for love and happiness out of these talks is very low."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of the Board of Treasury Timothy Geithner will lead the American team in the third annual United States-China strategic and Economic Dialogue.
They will meet with two of the officials most high-ranking of the Chinese Government: Vice Prime Minister Wang Qishan and State Councillor Dai Bingguo.
For the first time, top military representatives of both sides will be present.
US officials last week said that they would raise concerns with Beijing its generally human rights record and find the answer on specific cases and the undervalued Chinese currency, the yuan.
But Chinese officials, while acknowledging that they were willing to discuss these two issues, the setting for two days of contentious talks highlighting differences stark between the two parties.
On the rights of Chinese human Vice Foreign Affairs Minister Cui Tiankai has told reporters that Beijing was "ready to have an exchange of views with the United States and interact with them based on equality and mutual respect."
But he added: "I believe that it is recommended for the United States more attention to the development of China in terms of the human rights, rather than be concerned about individual cases".
Beijing launched its harder crackdown on dissent in years, with scores of activists and rights lawyers rounded up, including high - profile artist Ai Weiwei, who has been in custody for more than a month.
Geithner will press new China to allow the yuan appreciate, a politically sensitive issue that has long haunted talks.
The Department of the Treasury has delayed until after the meeting of the publication of its next report semi-annual manipulating currency to the Congress, which could lead to sanctions against Beijing.
On the yuan, Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said that the two parties have agreed on the direction of reform, but not on the pace of appreciation, with Washington too with emphasis on the latter.
Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, exploited to become Ambassador to China, last week said us that the Government and the private sector had "real frustration" on Chinese barriers to American investment that would be raised in the talks.
In response, China insisted that foreign companies receive the same treatment as domestic companies.
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