U.S. to face differences with China head on at talks next week

An attendent cleans the carpet next to U.S. and Chinese national flags before a news conference for the 6th round of U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in this July 10, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Jason Lee

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it would not "paper over" differences between the United States and China when top officials of the world's two largest economies meet to discuss financial and political strategy in Washington next week.

Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, set the scene for contentious exchanges at the annual U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) by stressing that differences over the South China Sea, cyber security and human rights would be high on the U.S. agenda.