U.S. and China to Hold Energy Talks in Gig Harbor This Sunday

Sen. Maria Cantwell's office announced today that there will be high-level energy talks between the U.S. and China here in Washington state this weekend.  The meeting on Sunday, March 2 in Gig Harbor will be the first of a series of bilateral dialogues to address national and international energy challenges.

"The world's largest economy and its fastest-growing emerging economy have a shared responsibility to address the dual challenges of environmental sustainability and energy security," said Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson, Jr in a release. "This weekend's meeting will be the next step in a partnership focused on developing a long-term strategic plan that will maximize our nations' technology resources, increase energy security, and strengthen economic growth."

 "The U.S. and China are the two largest energy consumers, importers of foreign oil, emitters of carbon dioxide in the world," Cantwell added.  "China spent $35 billion in 2006 in energy grid infrastructure alone and opportunities for the future will be even greater; money that could be spent on investing in clean energy technologies or addressing our country's trade deficit with China. By starting a comprehensive, cooperative dialogue between our countries we can explore ways to develop and promote clean energy technologies that will benefit the international economy and the world's environment for years to come."

In addition to the bilateral talks, meetings will also take place this weekend in Seattle on Saturday and Spokane on Sunday between private businesses as part of the US-China Clean Energy Forum with the Chinese government.  The Forum, which will meet two to three times per year for the next several years, will hold meetings in Seattle and Beijing, China.