BEIJING, July 30 -- The first round of China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue was warmed as senior officials from both countries employed each other's language and culture in their greetings on Monday.  

    Two representatives from each government jointly presided the opening session at Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., while Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President Barack Obama also delivered their messages to the historic event.  

    In her opening remarks, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greeted the participants in both English and Chinese as a way to show her hospitality. She also wrapped up her speech with a Chinese saying.  

    Soundbite: Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State "A well-known Chinese saying speaks of a sacred mountain in northern China, near Confucius' home, and it says when people are of one mind and heart, they can move Mountain Tai. We cannot be expected to unite on every issue and every turn, but we can be of one mind and heart on the need to find common ground as we build a common world and better future."  

    U.S. Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner, who will co-host the "Economic Track" of the dialogue with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, noted the need for the United States and China to act together amid the global economic crisis by citing a Chinese idiom.  

    Soundbite: Timothy Geithner, U.S. Secretary of Treasury "Both countries have made it clear, our commitment to maintain strong policy responses until recovery is firmly in place. At this moment of crisis, we acted together. To use a Chinese phrase: Feng Yu Tong Zhou (Stand together through thick and thin)."  

    In his address to the opening session, President Obama cited a Chinese great philosopher Mencius as saying "a trail through the mountains, if used, becomes a path in a short time, but, if unused, becomes blocked by grass in an equally short time."  

    Soundbite: U.S. President Barack Obama "Our task is to forge a path to the future that we seek for our children -- to prevent mistrust or the inevitable differences of the moment from allowing that trail to be blocked by grass; to always be mindful of the journey that we are undertaking together."  

    On China's side, State Councilor Dai Bingguo stirred waves of applause across the session hall at the end of his speech when he said in English "yes, we can."  

    Soundbite: Dai Bingguo, Chinese State Councilor "Can we achieve it? We may say we must, and we will. As President Obama has said: 'Yes, We can!'"  

    With the well-known slogan during President Obama's presidential campaign last year, he expressed confidence that China and the United States can establish a bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation for the 21st century.