China- US

Economics, not human rights, tops agenda in Beijing

Article published on the 2009-02-21 Latest update 2009-02-21 10:44 TU

Clinton and Yang in Beijing
(Credit: Reuters)

The world economic crisis and bilateral economic issues have topped the agenda during a visit to China by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and both countries have pledged to work more closely in tackling the global economic crisis and climate change,while human rights issues were put aside. After his meeting with Clinton Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said he would travel to the US to help coordinate the two nations' positions for the G20 summit.

Analysts say that Yang had been concerned with the "Buy American" clause in the US stimulus package approved last week, which could put up trade barriers between the two economic giants.

But after their meeting, Yang said that he and Clinton had agreed to "reject trade and investment protectionism."

Clinton indicated that in the course of their discussion, Yang indicated that China would continue to buy US Treasury bonds, which is seen as part of what will pay for the the 787-billion-dollar stimulus package.

Clinton also said that the US and China, which are two of the world's biggest greenhouse gas polluters, had a shared interest in working towards a deal wt the Copenhagen summit in December on climate change.

"The United States and China will build an important partnership to develop and deploy clean energy technologies designed to speed our transformations to low-carbon economies," said Clinton.

But on Friday, Clinton angered human rights activists around the world when she said that China's attitude toward human rights would not block progress on seemingly more pressing problems.

Reports indicate that Chinese human rights defenders have been put on surveillance during Clinton's visit.