BEIJING -- China and the United States on Wednesday pledged to cooperate on global affairs such as energy security, communicable diseases and humanitarian aid.

"China-US dialogue on sustainable development, energy security, public health, humanitarian assistance and other global issues not only serves the interests of our two peoples, but also contributes to stability and development of the world," said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai at a China-US forum.

Cui and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky led delegations to the second session of China-US Global Issues Forum being held here. The first session of the forum was held in 2005 in Washington.

The two-day session will discuss issues such as energy security, clean energy, public health, humanitarian assistance, trafficking in people, environmental conservation, sustainable development and international development cooperation.

Analyst say the forum will help increase understanding and dialogue between the two countries and further promote bilateral relations.

"We need to properly handle our differences in an open and inclusive spirit," said Cui, urging the two countries to engage in more dialogue to deepen bilateral constructive partnership and facilitate solutions to some urgent global issues.

The forum will help solve global issues if China and the United States can reach agreements and come up with useful thinking and initiatives in these areas, said Cui.

The United States and China will make new efforts to solve the current global issues, said Dobriansky. "We have global problems, we also face global challenges, particularly in energy, public health, anti-terrorism, etc."

"We hope to work together and to address these sensitive issues we are facing," Dobriansky added.