The U.S. and China began a fourth round of bilateral strategic and economic talks in Beijing on Thursday morning.

During the two-day U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will sit down with China’s Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo.

The issue of blind Chinese lawyer Chen Guancheng will likely be on the agenda for the high-level talks. Chen, a well-known Chinese human rights activist, made a dramatic escape from house arrest a week ago into the protection of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. He left the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday.

The U.S. and China are also expected to discuss the North Korean nuclear problem, Iran’s nuclear program, and trade and financial issues.