The typically two-day rounds help establish a framework for bilateral cooperation between the two countries, and give the U.S. an opportunity to shape China's impact on the world as its economy continues to industrialize.
The second round took place three months later, on December 7–8, 2005, between Zoellick and Dai, and addressed Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Africa, terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, energy security, and the risks of pandemic disease.
The third round of talks concluded on November 8, 2006, between former Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
Chinese and U.S. diplomats met on June 20–21, 2007 in Washington, D.C. to convene the fourth round of the Senior Dialogue - bilateral talks between the U.S. and China ongoing since August 2005.
Senior Dialogue leaders Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo met in 2007 for closed-session talks to discuss U.S.-China relations, and a range of global issues from Northeast Asian regional security, to Iran and Darfur.