Mrs. Clinton's Asia Visit: Focus on US-China relations

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US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton has concluded her first overseas as well as Asia tour for eight-days including stops in Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China.. The multi-pronged trip to address political, economic, troops and security issues is expected to bring a shift in US relations with these countries.  In Japan and South Korea, concerns over North Korea's nuclear program dominated the agenda, particularly amid a rise in belligerent rhetoric from Pyongyang directed at Seoul. She reaffirmed U.S. alliances with both countries and signed an agreement in Tokyo on the realignment of American forces. Under a deal in 2007 with the US, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, North Korea agreed to end its weapons-grade nuclear program in exchange for energy aid. But progress in the talks stalled late last year when North Korea, which tested an atomic bomb in 2006 and now Pyongyang has revised its nuclear ambitions and also test fired a missile.

Ms. Clinton has pledged to strengthen US bonds with Asia in order to tackle the global economic crisis, climate change and nuclear proliferation. Amid a new threat from the communist state and kept the region's nuclear future high on her agenda, Ms. Hillary arrived in Japan on 16 Feb, coinciding with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's 67th birthday. Clinton raised eyebrows on Feb 19 when she suggested that a potential succession crisis to replace reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Il might be behind the hostility and that such a power struggle might complicate efforts to restart stalled nuclear disarmament talks. In Indonesia, Clinton promised that the Obama administration would not neglect Southeast Asia, a region that felt slighted during President Bush's two terms in office. She also announced that planning was under way to resume Peace Corps programs in Jakarta.

Mrs Clinton and Japan's Foreign Minister, Hirofumi Nakasone, signed the agreement, in which Japan pledges to pay up to $US2.8 billion in cash and $US3.29 billion in loans and other investments for the relocation cost. The US will move 8000 troops from Okinawa, in southern Japan, to its territory of Guam by 2014 under an agreement signed by the new US Secretary of State in Tokyo on 17 Feb. Okinawans have long been reluctant hosts for more than half of the 40,000 US troops based in Japan. Japan will contribute more than $US6 billion ($9.24 billion) towards the planned relocation of the US Marines, first agreed between Washington and Tokyo in May 2006.

American expectations of Indonesia have been low for decades. Despite the country's physical extent and 200 million plus Muslim population, it rarely registers in Washington.  But President Obama's personal history of having lived as a child there combines with considerable domestic political progress in recent years to create a moment of opportunity, which Mrs. Clinton can signal during her visit. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudiono outlined his ambition to fashion a U.S.-Indonesia "strategic partnership" in a speech made during the G-20 meeting in Washington in November. The idea of creating a "strategic partnership" with a Muslim-dominant population, the most important country in Southeast Asia, which has an important role in global energy supply, is well thought out.

Beijing was the last and perhaps most important stop on Clinton's itinerary, although she sought to assure officials in each capital of the new administration's intent to re-engage them. During her trip to China, Clinton's emphasis on the global economy, climate change and security were meant to highlight the growing importance of U.S.-China relations, which have often frayed over disagreements on human rights. Authorities in Beijing face a year of sensitive anniversaries "” 20 years since the crushing of the Tiananmen Square democracy movement and 50 years since the failed Tibetan uprising that forced the Dalai Lama into exile.

China is seen as Pyongyang's closest ally and the country most likely to influence the hard-line communist country's rulers. Mrs. Clinton had been expected to raise US concerns that China has artificially lowered the value of its currency to gain an advantage in exports to the US - its biggest market. The subject of North Korea, and attempts to get six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program back on track, were also high on the agenda for Hillary Clinton in Beijing.

Mrs. Clinton met President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao later on February 21 for wide-ranging talks on the global economy, climate change and North Korea. Talks focused on the global financial crisis, climate change and security issues including North Korea. Making her final stop in Beijing on a one-week Asian trip that has also taken her to Tokyo, Jakarta and Seoul for politico-economic talks with the leaders, Clinton has stressed how intertwined are the U.S. and Chinese economies. In Beijing she called for a deeper US-China partnership. American foreign minister said co-operation between the US and China on global issues such as the economy and climate change was "imperative". Clinton called for deeper and broader US-Chinese ties. "We believe we have established a solid foundation, but there is much work to be done," Mrs. Clinton said after talks with her Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who said the discussions had been constructive and produced positive results, with both countries agreeing to take steps to tackle the financial crisis and reject protectionism.

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It is speculated president Obama would strengthen US-China ties and detach the Indian baggage former president Bush had gathered on the way. The USA is one of the largest buyers of Chinese exports while China, with foreign exchange reserves of about $2 trillion, is the world's largest holder of U.S. government debt. Hillary Clinton said their economies are so intertwined, the Chinese know that to start exporting again to their biggest market, namely the USA the USA has to take some very drastic measures with this stimulus package, which means we have to incur more debt. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang said that China wants to see its foreign exchange reserves "” the world's largest at $1.95 trillion "” invested safely and wanted to continue working with the United States. "I want to emphasize here that the facts speak louder than words. "I appreciate greatly the Chinese government's continuing confidence in United States Treasuries. I think that's a well grounded confidence," Clinton said. Clinton said in order to boost the economy, the U.S has to incur more debt, she. "It would not be in China's interest if we were unable to get our economy moving," Clinton said, "So by continuing to support American Treasury instruments, the Chinese are recognizing our interconnection. Yang also China makes decisions on how to invest its foreign exchange reserves so as to ensure their safety, value and liquidity.

USA is urging China to continue investing in US Treasury bonds and that country's continued investment in the U.S. is a recognition that the two countries depend on each other. With the export-heavy Chinese economy reeling from the U.S.. downturn, Clinton has sought in meetings with President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Premier Wen Jiabao to reassure Beijing that its massive holdings of U.S. Treasury notes and other government debt would remain a solid investment. "I certainly do think that the Chinese government and central bank are making a smart decision by continuing to invest in treasury bonds," she said during an interview with the show "One on One. It's a safe investment. The United States has a well-deserved financial reputation."

Both USA and China have agreed to focus their governments' efforts on stabilizing the battered global economy and combating climate change, putting aside long-standing concerns about human rights. Yang said China was willing to talk to the United States about human rights on the basis of "non-interference" in each other's internal affairs. He also suggested U.S. concerns were misplaced. "Though these days it's a bit chilly in Beijing ... I have confidence that you will see the biggest number of smiling faces here in China," he said. China stressed that China did respect human rights.

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Washington is not very happy that China censored parts of the new US president's inauguration speech that have appeared on a number of websites. In his inauguration address, President Obama said: "Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions." That entire passage was retained for an English-language version of the speech that appeared on the website of state-run Xinhua news agency but many of the Chinese translations have omitted sensitive sections, the word "communism" was taken out. China's leaders appear to have been upset by references to facing down communism and silencing dissent when Obama criticized those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, "know that you are on the wrong side of history".

Making her first visit to China as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton took a softer line on Chinese political and religious freedoms than in a 1995 Beijing speech in which she openly criticized the Chinese government's human rights record. Before she arrived, many in Beijing were waiting to see if Mrs. Clinton would publicly raise the thorny issue of human rights. In the past, US officials have kept discussions on the topic behind closed doors, for fear of embarrassing their hosts. But Mrs. Clinton openly criticized Beijing's record on women's rights when she visited China in 1995, during the presidency of her husband, Bill Clinton. Before meeting Chinese ministers, Mrs. Clinton said abiding disagreements with China over human rights, Taiwan and Tibet should not interfere with broader bilateral co-operation.

Ahead of her talks, Clinton said China's controversial human rights record would be largely off the table, a blunt admission that startled rights groups and dispensed with standard diplomatic tact. Activists complained that Chinese police were monitoring dissidents and had confined some to their homes during Clinton's two-day visit. Several of those targeted had signed "Charter 08," an unusually open call for civil rights and political reforms. As she wrapped up her trip to China, she also met with women rights advocates and attended church after a day of talks on February 21 with Chinese officials focused on economic and climate change cooperation rather than differences on human rights that traditional feature prominently in U.S.-China talks. The session at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing gathered female lawyers, academics, environmental activists, health care workers and entrepreneurs to highlight the growing leadership role of Chinese women.  Several Chinese dissidents, some of them signatories of a petition called "Charter 08," have been barred from leaving their homes, because of Hillary's China visit, police are standing guard outside.

Also of concern to the new US administration, under President Barack Obama, are figures showing that China has become the world's largest single producer of carbon emissions. Beijing says that as a developing nation, it cannot accept a cap on its emissions. The outcome of talks between Chinese leaders on one hand and Mrs. Clinton and US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern on the other, could affect the outcome of December's UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

An Observation

With little in her background predisposing her to a special interest in the region, Secretary Clinton's choice of destinations"”Tokyo, Jakarta, Seoul and Beijing"”signals that President Obama is likely to take a more activist approach toward the region than his predecessor. Moreover, the trip reflects the widespread notion that the global center of gravity has been sliding toward Asia, and even more so after the economic crisis emerged last year. Hillary Clinton's choice of Asia for her first overseas trip has surprised and largely pleased her Asian hosts.

Hilary Clinton is of the view it is imperative that the USA and China co-operate on a range of issues from the economy to global climate change to development and so much else. Just as USA tells Russia during similar tours, Clinton says the USA and China could pull the world out of economic crisis by working together and made clear this took precedence over U.S. concerns about human rights in China. Hilary Clinton's emphasis on the global economy, climate change and security were meant to highlight the growing importance of U.S.-China relations, which have often frayed over disagreements on human rights. Authorities in Beijing face a year of sensitive anniversaries "” 20 years since the crushing of the Tiananmen Square democracy movement and 50 years since the failed Tibetan uprising that forced the Dalai Lama into exile.

With China surpassing the U.S. last year as the world's leading producer of greenhouse gases, Clinton said she and Chinese officials had agreed to develop clean energy technology that would use renewable sources and safely store the dirty emissions from burning coal. Visiting a new gas-fueled power plant in Beijing, Clinton urged China not to repeat the "same mistakes" that Western countries had made when they developed. Reports sugge4st China will need to reduce its export capacity over the next few years, costing millions of jobs, and the U.S. will reduce its imports and consumption generally, also costing jobs. The potential for trade friction and recrimination is not small.

Both want regular dialogue on economic issues now including terrorism and other security issues. Details will be finalized by President Barack Obama and the Chinese president at an economic summit in London in April.

Mrs. Clinton's first overseas trip as America's chief diplomat is also the first time in nearly five decades that a secretary of state has chosen Asia for his or her maiden voyage. Only a month into the job, Hillary has taken on a complex region.  Crushed badly by a series of financial and economic crashes, USA seeks finances from the rest of the world including China. Along with cooperating on the financial crisis, the U..S. wants China to step up efforts to address threats from nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, and the tenuous security situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan. China has remained a powerful bargain chip for Washington with its key rival, Russia.

With ideas about finances, security, energy for USA now undergoing economic recession, Clinton was capping a week on the road in Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China intended to demonstrate the Obama administration's commitment to Asia, but, however, China seems to be the focal point. A former ideological ally of the USSR, China drifted from Moscow on the same grounds as the so-called Cold War set in and moved , rather cautiously, towards USA and Western orbit to promote market economy , but USA while helping Beijing also criticize it on human rights front.  Now the secret torture camps surrounding the world China considers USA as a case for HR violations.  USA has ensured the chinese money.

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Yours Sincerely,

DR. ABDUL RUFF Colachal

Columnist & Independent Researcher in World Affairs, The only Indian to have gone through entire India

South Asia.