The third US-China strategic and economic dialogue is taking place in Washington DC.  

The relationship between the two major economic powerhouses could be described as mutally dependent, but fraught with differences.

There are plenty of issues on the table including human rights, with senior US officials growing increasingly vocal in their criticism.

Is the US toughening its stance on China? 

Inside Story, with presenter Laura Kyle, discusses with John Feffer, the co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies; Richard Hu, an associate professor of politics at the University of Hong Kong; and Martin Mccauley, an international affairs analyst from the University of London. 

This episode of Inside Story aired from Wednesday, May 10, 2011.