The Chinese President, Hu Jintao, has assured US President George W Bush in talks that China will continue to take steps to reduce its huge trade surplus with the United States.
Mr Hu restated China's commitment to revalue its currency, the yuan, a move which the US hopes will stem the flow of cheap Chinese exports.
Mr Bush also urged China to make, what he called, an historic transition to greater freedom.
He has been meeting his Chinese counterpart in Beijing.
The US president began the day by attending a service at one of the few officially recognised Christian churches in Beijing.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Bush said he hoped China would not fear Christians who worshipped openly.
Later, talks between the two leaders focused largely on trade issues.
At a joint news conference afterwards, Mr Bush urged China to grant its citizens wider social, political and religious freedoms.
Rice disappointed
But his Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, expressed disappointment that China was not taking more action on disputed human rights cases.
She is accompanying Mr Bush on his visit and, earlier, said the United States would push China to halt any crackdown on dissidents.
Ms Rice added that the US would make clear to China that open societies allowed people to express themselves.
