BASKETBALL FANS: Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden pose with students at a high school in Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province, on August 21 (HUANG JINGWEN)

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's recent visit to China helped strengthen relations between the two powers, but whether China's concerns over the U.S. economy can be alleviated will depend on Washington's willingness to take concrete actions to avoid recession.

On August 22, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden concluded his first official visit to China since taking office in 2009. He was hosted by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.

"Despite Biden's reassuring remarks on hot topics such as U.S. Treasury bonds, we still need to watch for concrete actions," said Yuan Peng, Director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR).

Exchanges

Biden's visit was a significant step in the two governments' efforts to promote

Sino-U.S. relations, said Qu Xing, President of the China Institute of International Studies.

It was the first of the planned reciprocal visits between the vice presidents of China and the United States announced during Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to the United States in January.

Since the beginning of this year, Sino-U.S. relations have remained largely stable. During President Hu's meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in January, the two leaders reached a consensus on building a "cooperative partnership featuring mutual respect and mutual benefit." Chinese and U.S. companies signed a wide range of contracts involving trade, investment, technology, culture, energy, environmental protection and smart grid construction, during Hu's visit.

The third round of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue in May proved fruitful, with the signing of a series of economic and strategic agreements. The two countries also inaugurated consultations on Asia-Pacific affairs in June.

"These achievements were remarkable, but putting agreements into practice will require even more communication between the two nations. The purpose of Biden's visit was to deepen communication and help implement the current consensus," said Qu.

During the visit, Biden reaffirmed the United States' commitment to building a strong, enduring and positive relationship with China and deepening cooperation in all sectors.

A strong, prosperous and successful China that plays a bigger role in global affairs is in the interest of the United States and the world at large, Biden said while meeting Hu in Beijing.

The United States understands China's concerns over issues relating to its core interests, he added. He proposed the two sides further increase high-level exchanges and contacts.

His desire to promote Sino-U.S. relations was echoed by Chinese leaders. "Both sides should look beyond their differences and further the development of bilateral ties through cooperation and partnership," Hu said.

China is ready to work with the United States to promote dialogue and consultation at all levels, in order to foster mutual trust and enrich the Sino-U.S. partnership, he added.

Reassurance

"Another highlight of Biden's visit was that the two sides engaged in frank discussions, during which they freely expressed their concerns," Qu said.

Notably, Biden responded to concerns over the security of China's holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds.