U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday said the U.S.-China relationship was back on the "positive track."

"... We might experience setbacks, but this dialogue mechanism helped put us rapidly back on a positive track," Clinton told reporters after the conclusion of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogues Tuesday in Beijing.

Clinton recalled the setbacks in bilateral relations earlier this year, saying the relationship had faced uncertainties then.

She hailed the two-day dialogue, saying "it has proven its value and it reflects maturity, durability and strength of our relationship."

She said the dialogue was the premier forum for one of the most important and complex relationships in the world.

"The breadth and depth of our delegation continue to grow because it reflects the agenda that we are working together," she said.

During the dialogue the two sides discussed a wide range of complex bilateral, regional and global challenges.

Clinton said the dialogue had not solved all of the countries' shared problems, "but it did create concrete results."

She said the bilateral relationship should be extended beyond government to homes, businesses and schools. "These exchanges offer people opportunities to collect and collaborate. They remind us of how much we have in common."

The two sides had very frank and detailed conversations about international security challenges and regional hot-spots including Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, she said.

The United States and China agreed that they must meet the challenges of the time, from climate change to curbing proliferation of nuclear weapons and balancing the global economy.

About 50 representatives from more than 40 departments of both countries participated in the two-day dialogue, the second since its inauguration in April last year.