Talks with Kerry to broach touchy issues

Weekend meetings to serve as prelude to annual strategic, economic dialogue scheduled for June

Senior Chinese leaders will meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry in Beijing on Saturday and Sunday to prepare for key talks later this year amid renewed friction over issues from security to the South China Sea.

The annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, scheduled for late June in Washington, and President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States in September will be discussed, according to the website of US Department of State.