BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Clean energy projects, specifically new energy vehicles, energy-efficient construction and clean coal technology, are the key areas of science cooperation between China and the United States, a Chinese official said here on Monday.

According to a new agreement between the two countries, they will invest in joint laboratories, and support research in related areas, Cao Jianlin, vice minister of science and technology of China, told a news briefing on the second China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogues.

"Both China and the U.S. are the major car production and consumption countries thus both seek to develop new energy vehicles," said Cao.

China is the biggest construction market in the world and a major coal consumption country, while the U.S. is also eyeing energy conservation in construction and coal consumption, he said.

The U.S. is a country with advanced technologies, and China also has cutting-edge technologies regarding energy applications. The complementary cooperation between the two will benefit both Chinese and American people, Cao added.