本帖最后由 I'm_zhcn 于 2009-3-1 08:03 编辑
Clinton: Bad Time For China Rights Debate
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/20/world/main4816106.shtml
Visit Will Focus On Engaging Beijing About Fiscal Crisis, Global Warming Rather Than Human Rights, Tibet
BEIJING, China, Feb. 20, 2009 Comments  10
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton shakes hands with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi after her arrival at the airport in Beijing, February 20, 2009. Clinton is on a three-day visit in the Chinese capital. (AP Photo/Greg Baker/Pool)
(CBS/AP) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that the debate with China over human rights, Taiwan and Tibet cannot be allowed to interfere with attempts to reach consensus on other broader issues.
Shortly before arriving in Beijing on the last leg of her inaugural trip abroad as America's top diplomat, Clinton told reporters accompanying her that she would raise those contentious issues, but noted that neither side is likely to give ground on them.
Instead, she said it might be better to agree to disagree on long-standing positions and focus instead on U.S.-Chinese engagement on climate change, the global financial crisis and security threats.
Her comments drew immediate negative reaction from human rights advocates who were hoping for a repeat of the stance she took nearly 15 years ago when she was first lady and publicly took on and angered the Chinese government in a tough speech on this issue.
Rights groups have urged Clinton to tackle issues on China's human rights record and hard-line policy towards Tibet.
But in surprisingly candid remarks today, Clinton said each side already knows the other's long-standing divergent positions on those matters and progress might be more achievable by concentrating on other areas where Washington and Beijing can work together.
"There is a certain logic to that," Clinton said in Seoul, South Korea, immediately before leaving for Beijing.
"That doesn't mean that questions of Taiwan, Tibet, human rights, the whole range of challenges that we often engage on with the Chinese, are not part of the agenda," she said. "But we pretty much know what they're going to say.
"We know we're going to press them to reconsider their position about Tibetan religious and cultural freedom and autonomy for the Tibetans and some kind of recognition or acknowledgment of the Dalai Lama, and we know what they're going to say," Clinton said.
"I have had those conversations for more than a decade with Chinese leaders and we know what they're going to say about Taiwan and military sales and they know what we're going to say," she said.
"We have to continue to press them," she said. "But our pressing on those issues can't interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis and the security crises. We have to have a dialogue that leads to an understanding and cooperation on each of those."
Human rights groups, some of whom had written to Clinton last week urging her to make the matter a priority, immediately denounced the remarks.
"Amnesty International is shocked and extremely disappointed by (Clinton's) comments that human rights will not be a priority in her diplomatic engagement with China," the organization said in statement.
"The United States is one of the only countries that can meaningfully stand up to China on human rights issues," it said. "By commenting that human rights will not interfere with other priorities, Secretary Clinton damages future U.S. initiatives to protect those rights in China."
Human Rights Watch said Clinton had "made a strategic mistake in appearing to concede that she expects no meeting of the minds on human rights issues."
In recent months some 300 Chinese lawyers, writers, scholars and artists signed and circulated the plea for a new constitution guaranteeing human rights, election of public officials, freedom of religion and expression, and an end to the party's hold over the military, courts and government.
In her remarks, Clinton stressed she had never shied away from bringing up human rights issues with China, recalling her 1995 speech to the U.N. Conference on Women in Beijing (left) that so angered authorities they pulled the plug on live television coverage of it.
"I made a speech about women's rights and human rights," she said. "I have had firsthand experience with some of the reactions" to criticism.
Another complaint that Clinton will not address is currency manipulation that some Americans believe has contributed to millions of jobs, reports CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews.
It's estimated China keeps its currency, the yuan, around 40 percent cheaper than the U.S. dollar, which makes Chinese goods 40 percent cheaper to buy and American goods more expensive to sell, reports Andrews.
Clinton has previously promised to crack down on "China's unfair trade practices."
But circumstances are different now.
"That was at a different time when we weren't facing the kind of difficult situations we face today," Clinton told CBS News.
Clinton's arrival in Beijing on Friday evening tops off a week-long trip that has also included visits to Japan, Indonesia and South Korea.
It is her first overseas trip as America's top diplomat.
During her three day stay in Beijing, Clinton is set to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi for talks.
With China and the U.S. still reeling from a global financial crisis, issues of trade and the economy are expected to top the agenda.
China said it has made progress on currency changes and worries about bills introduced in Congress that would impose economic sanctions on China unless it moves more quickly to let its currency rise in value against the dollar.
China's economy depends heavily on exports to the United States, and has the largest U.S. dollar reserves of any foreign country.
Climate change will also be one of the main themes in discussions as both countries prepare for year-end climate talks in Copenhagen.
China has insisted that developed nations whose early growth was fuelled by heavy and polluting industries should give financial aid to developing countries to tackle global warming.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Translation: "We will not let China''s human rights abuses get in the way of our companies outsourcing American jobs to them."
Posted by incog-nito at 07:24 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
Because of Bush''''s fiscal irresponsibility China now owns the majority of the US''''s debt. Now who has whose balls in their pocket?
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Posted by sevenveils at 06:28 PM : Feb 20, 2009
I would think we are in control. In the 80''s Japan was buying up a lot of overpriced real estate - golf courses and such from Americans. They lost a fortune on it when the prices fell substantially and they needed cash to pay for their recession that has been going on since 1989.
Same problem for China today. We will just inflate our way out of this debt problem and pay off the debt for 20-50 cents on the dollar later.
Posted by IndependentI at 07:24 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
Free Tibet!
Because of Bush''s fiscal irresponsibility China now owns the majority of the US''s debt. Now who has whose balls in their pocket?
Posted by sevenveils at 06:28 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
Clinton should know better. If She starts to prod China about Tibet, Taiwan, and ''Human Rights,'' China have better places to put their money instead of buying up useless US treasuries.
Posted by pug_ster at 05:13 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
"I have had those conversations for more than a decade with Chinese leaders and we know what they''re going to say about Taiwan and military sales and they know what we''re going to say," she said.
"With my 35 years experience on how to raise money for Bill''s Library this is not the time to bring up Human Rights if we expect to receive more offerings from them.
This is an important part of my Agenda. You also must realize that Human Rights is an important part of Global Warming. We could care less if a few Chinese are sacrificed in order to save the PLANET. And of course we''re going to pay for all those Chinese Abortions which also should help kill the growth of the World''s Population. Making it a better place to live if you can afford it."
Posted by pepperwood2 at 04:51 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
I am sure that the racists in America would have preferred the wait until later approach on the Civil Rights Bill in the 1960''s too. And the Amendment allowing women to work could also have been delayed a few years too right? Both of these laws were long overdue!
Funny how liberals seem to hold the U.S. to a much higher standard than other countries. Women do not need freedom and education in Afghanistan under the Taliban in their eyes. *** do not need protection in Iran. North Korea can mistreat its citizens and starve them. The liberals admire these countries control over their subjects. Just wait America it is coming here too.
Posted by IndependentI at 04:18 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
Condsidering China''s emerging power in the world picture...human rights are important. What we ignore today we might be living by in 10 years, especially the way our government is tanking.
Posted by likeitis5050 at 04:14 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
Let the Chinese people deal with their own human rights.
That''s their business. There are enough Chinese in the world that if they want change, they certainly can bring about their own change. Why should we continuously fight and argue about "their rights"?
We have to start worrying about our own rights.
Posted by neonink at 03:56 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
The article refers to her as America''s top diplomat. Now that is scary.
Posted by TommyGun083 at 03:55 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse
its about time we got someone in there that will tell
em just the way it is going to be , and for you chicken @@@@s out there live with it.
Posted by georgew1956 at 03:30 PM : Feb 20, 2009 + report abuse |
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发表于 2009-2-21 08:36
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发表于 2009-2-22 16:34
