United States Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday, urged Beijing to end its "outright theft" of U.S. intellectual property while applauding the rise of Chinese economy in recent years.
"We both will benefit from an open, secure, reliable Internet. Outright cyber enabling theft that U.S. companies are experiencing now must be viewed as out of bounds and needs to stop," said Joe Biden in his opening remarks at the annual talks of the two global powers in Washington.
The vice president applauded the "emerging and continuing growth of the Chinese economy," and he said China's rise is "good for America and the world."
After months of blame-game over the cyber attacks, Washington was waiting for an opportunity to raise the issue with the Chinese delegation but Snowden's revelations of U.S. National Security Agency's (NSA) spying activities last month had taken Washington aback .
"We were exceptionally clear ... that there is a vast distinction between intelligence-gathering activities that all countries do and the theft of intellectual property for the benefit of businesses," a senior U.S. official told Reuters.
"We were very frank with them that you cannot mix apples and oranges in this case," said the official, accepting that every government spies upon each other but China does it in its unique way.
Beijing and Washington both agreed on the need for more cooperation on tackling climate change and building trust between the two countries but both sides edged away from their deep differences on human rights issues.
The Chinese delegation, which was led by Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi, said the relationship between the two had "reached a new starting point" following the latest summit between President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping in California.
"China will stay committed to reform and opening up," said Yang Jiechi.
"Your own plans call for the kinds of changes that have to take place, that are difficult, like here, but if they do, they will benefit us both, including free exchange rate, shifting to a consumption-led economy, enforcing intellectual property rights and renewing innovation," said Joe Biden, according to Reuters.
