SHANGHAI, May 19 (Reuters) - The European debt crisis adds fresh urgency to high-level talks between the United States and China scheduled for next week, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said on Wednesday.
"I'm sure that it cannot be ignored," Locke told reporters in Shanghai when asked if the sovereign debt crisis in Europe would have an impact on next week's meeting.
The European crisis would bring greater urgency to U.S.-China talks on rebalancing their economies, Locke said.
The two-day U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue meeting starts on Monday, May 24. (Reporting by Doug Palmer; Writing by Jason Subler; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)