WASHINGTON – Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says the next round of high-level talks with China will focus on energy and environmental issues, and efforts to agree on an investment treaty.

Paulson says the discussions, which will take place at the end of the year in China, will advance efforts by the two countries to work on a 10-year cooperative agreement aimed at addressing energy security and environmental pollution issues.

The talks also will seek to make progress in negotiating an investment treaty between the two nations. The two countries announced the launch of the investment negotiations in June at the last round of high-level talks in Annapolis, Md.

The negotiations are not expected to be concluded until the next administration is in office.