By the CNN Wire Staff
Beijing, China (CNN) -- China and the United States kicked off two days of high-level talks Monday -- with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking Beijing to support sanctions against North Korea, and Chinese President Hu Jintao showing a willingness to reform the yuan but offering no timetable.
Both sides agreed that the Strategic and Economic Dialogue is meant to come up with "win-win solutions, rather than zero-sum rivalries," as Clinton put it at the opening of the talks.
But it is unclear how much progress the two countries will make on thornier issues, of which there is no shortage.
In her opening day remarks, Clinton praised China for supporting tough United Nations sanctions against Iran and said the same level of cooperation was needed against North Korea.
On Monday, the White House said it supported South Korea's decision to suspend trade and toughen military stance toward North Korea after an official investigation determined that North Korea fired a torpedo on a South Korean warship, killing 46 sailors.
"Last year, we worked together to pass and enforce a strong U.N. Security Council resolution in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test. And today we face another serious challenge, provoked by the sinking of the South Korean ship. So we must work together, again, to address this challenge and advance our shared objectives for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," Clinton said.
But China is the reclusive North's closest ally. Earlier this month, it hosted North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on a rare trip abroad.
It has called the navy ship's sinking "unfortunate" but has not commented beyond saying that peace needs to be maintained in the Korean Peninsula.
The economic part of the dialogue poses its own challenges.
The U.S. wants China to provide more access to its markets for American exports and allow its currency, the yuan, to appreciate.
But with the economic crisis in Greece spreading to other countries in Europe and sinking the euro, China is reluctant to do so.
Hu said Monday that China will steadily push forward yuan reform but did not provide additional details. Link
