U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman said on Thursday that the United States will strengthen cooperation with China on energy security.
   
"As the economies of our nations continue to flourish, the United States and China must encourage full and consistent participation in global markets to meet the growing demand for energy in our countries," said Bodman, who will travel to Asia next week.
   
"Our cooperative efforts to secure energy security will pave the way for economic growth so vital to our future prosperity," he added.
   
Bodman and his Chinese counterparts will also hold talks on the role of energy security in sustainable economic development, the benefits of full and consistent participation in global energy markets, and the importance of joint efforts to develop and deploy new clean energy technologies, said the Energy Ministry in a statement.
   
In China, Bodman will also participate in the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) on Dec. 14-15 aimed at furthering the U.S.-China bilateral economic relationship, the statement said.
   
Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi and U.S. Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson, both special representatives of the two heads of states, will co-chair the dialogue.