There are always ample bilateral issues of strategic importance for China, the world's fastest-growing developing economy, and the United States, the world's largest economy, to discuss.

The second round of the China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue that begins today in Washington provides a much needed opportunity for the two sides to exchange ideas and coordinate efforts to address sticking points in bilateral trade and economic relations.

As two major growth engines in the world economy, China and the United States have born the brunt of the increasing trade imbalance in their own ways.