China and the United States will enhance mutual trust and cooperation on regional security issues through the Strategic Security Dialogue mechanism, officials from both sides said on Wednesday.

The second China-US Strategic Security Dialogue under the framework of the fourth China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue was held in Beijing on Wednesday.

Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Zhijun and US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns co-chaired the dialogue, according to a release by the Foreign Ministry, which noted that the two sides worked to deepen mutual understanding through an in-depth exchange of views on issues of strategic and comprehensive security.

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Ma Xiaotian, Chinese Ambassador to the US Zhang Yesui, acting US Undersecretary of Defense James Miller and Samuel J. Locklear, commander of the US Pacific Command, also attended the event.

Despite differences in ideology and culture, China and the US share the common interest of safeguarding the peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, said Teng Jianqun, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.

"Having realized China's important mediation role in regional issues, Washington is especially eager to talk with China and know more about China," he said.

China should strengthen coordination with the US through the Strategic Security Dialogue mechanism to tackle regional challenges, he added.

David Lampton, director of the China Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, said China and the US must deal with a number of important regional issues now and in the future, including the newly emerging issue of cyber security.

However, differences on regional security issues remain between the two countries.

Shi Yinhong, head of the Center for American Studies of Renmin University of China, told Xinhua News Agency that both sides must maintain an attitude of seeking common ground while shelving differences, and they need to respect the other side's core interests and concerns.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo said on Thursday that no one should expect the Chinese people to leave the path they have set for themselves.

When addressing the opening session of the dialogues, Dai said that the fundamental way to manage state-to-state affairs is to abide by the basic norms governing international relations.

Specifically, he said it is crucial to respect each other's sovereignty, core interests, and choice of social system and development path.

"This is particularly important for the relations between major countries," Dai said.

Contact the reporters at zhaoshengnan@chinadaily.com.cn and maliyao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/04/2012 page3)