Wang is the Vice Premier of China in charge of economic and financial affairs. He is co-chair, with Tim Geithhner, U.S. Secretary of the The U.S.–China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED), established by President Obama and and Chinese President Hu Jintao. The S&ED is a high-level dialogue for the United States and China to discuss a range of 'bilateral, regional and global political, strategic, security, and economic issues' between both countries. The establishment of the S&ED was announced on April 1, 2009 by Obama and Hu Jintao. The upgraded mechanism replaced the former Senior Dialogue and Strategic Economic Dialogue started under the George W. Bush administration.
The S&ED has both a "Strategic Track" and an "Economic Track". U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo co-chair the "Strategic Track". U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan co-chair the "Economic Track".
Former Treasury Henry Paulson said that Wang is "decisive and inquisitive" and "an avid historian, enjoys philosophical debates and has a wicked sense of humor." Paulson wrote "He is a Chinese patriot, but he understands the U.S. and knows that each of our two countries benefits from the other's economic success. And he is bold — he takes on challenges, does things that have never been done before and succeeds. Wang managed the largest bankruptcy restructuring in China's history in 1998 and thereby prevented a banking crisis that could have crippled the country's growth."
The S&ED has both a "Strategic Track" and an "Economic Track". U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo co-chair the "Strategic Track". U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan co-chair the "Economic Track".
Former Treasury Henry Paulson said that Wang is "decisive and inquisitive" and "an avid historian, enjoys philosophical debates and has a wicked sense of humor." Paulson wrote "He is a Chinese patriot, but he understands the U.S. and knows that each of our two countries benefits from the other's economic success. And he is bold — he takes on challenges, does things that have never been done before and succeeds. Wang managed the largest bankruptcy restructuring in China's history in 1998 and thereby prevented a banking crisis that could have crippled the country's growth."