Originally published by: Reuters   March 22,2010                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  By Chris Buckley and Aileen Wang

BEIJING (Reuters) – A top-level dialogue between China and United States in May will be “very important” for defusing strains between the two big economies, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said on Monday.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Wen made the conciliatory remarks in a meeting with foreign business executives in Beijing on Monday, telling them that his government did not want “trade and currency wars” with other countries.

He said a “Strategic and Economic Dialogue” between senior Washington and Beijing officials in May would be an important forum for addressing strains between the two powers.

“The dialogue in May will be very important. It’s an opportunity to address the problems between China and the United States, and so we take it very seriously,” Wen told the executives, according to footage of the meeting given to foreign news organizations.

Ties between Beijing and Washington have been also unsettled in recent months by disputes over human rights, Chinese Internet controls, U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, and most recently rising ire from Washington over Beijing’s controls on its yuan currency, which critics say is kept so low that Chinese products enjoy an unfair advantage.

Wen’s comments appeared aimed at cooling tempers after China and the United States traded angry words over the currency issue, with many members of the Congress urging tough steps to press Beijing to let the yuan appreciate.

A Treasury Department report due on April 15 could label Beijing a “currency manipulator,” opening a fresh front of pressure from the Obama administration.

Wen appeared to suggest that the May meeting would be a better way of dealing with economic strains. He did not mention the report due in April.

“Although there are conflicts and problems in bilateral economic and trade ties, I’m sure that as long as we adhere to a spirit of mutual benefit and mutual accommodation on an equal footing, we can always find solutions,” said Wen.

“All responsible countries and businesses in the world must firmly oppose trade and currency wars,” said Wen.

He said China would expand imports from the United States.

No firm date has been set for the strategic dialogue, which is due to be held in Beijing.

Officials attending are likely to include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and senior Chinese officials, including Vice Premier Wang Qishan.