Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (R) shakes hands with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner during the economic track of the second round of China-U.S. strategic and economic dialogue in Beijing, capital of China, May 24, 2010. (Xinhua Photo)

BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- China wishes to learn more about the U.S. timetable and plan to gradually erase impediments to U.S. high-tech exports to China, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan said Monday.

Speaking at the second round of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogues in Beijing, Wang said China had been pleased to hear about the U.S. initiatives to ease restrictions on such exports.

Wang said China also wishes to know the details of how the United States plans to treat Chinese firms making investments in the country, as well as U.S. plans to recognize China as a market economy.

Figures by China's General Administration of Customs show bilateral trade reached 298.26 billion U.S. dollars in 2009, nearly 120 times the level in 1979 when two countries established diplomatic ties.

To maintain a sustainable, mutually-beneficial partnership in economic and trade relations is vital to China and the United States, respectively as the world's largest developing and developed country, and to the world economy, Wang said.

He said as economic exchanges between China and the United States broaden and deepen, "it is unavoidable that some friction and disputes will arise."

He urged the two sides to boost communication and enhance mutual understanding, with due respect to differences in history, culture, and economic development.

Wang said China and the United States should stand together against protectionism in any of its forms. He called on the two countries to propose specific measures to curb protectionism.