U.S. officials have have completed a three-day visit to Beijing where they discussed global political and economic issues with their Chinese counterparts.

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns led the U.S. delegation which met with China's State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other senior Chinese officials between Thursday and Saturday.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement Saturday, saying the two sides discussed how they can cooperate on promoting a global economic recovery and balanced growth.

The two sides also discussed upcoming international meetings, including the G20, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and the East Asia Summit. Chinese and U.S. officials also discussed ways in which they can work together to secure stability and growth in Asia.

They also discussed regional and international political issues, including Afghanistan, North Korea, Iran, and recent events in the Middle East.

Burns also addressed China's posture in the South China Sea and its human rights record with Chinese officials.

The two sides agreed on the importance of maintaining positive bilateral relations and avoiding misunderstandings.

Deputy Secretary Burns was accompanied by National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs Daniel Russel and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs Kin Moy.