时事资讯:奥巴马:美中将"塑造21世纪"_时事

时事资讯:奥巴马:美中将"塑造21世纪"

The nature of the strategic and economic talks in Washington is the result of a push to give political focus to what had been a Treasury-dominated dialogue under Mr Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush.

Hillary Clinton, secretary of state, and Tim Geithner, Treasury secretary, together with China's vice-premier Wang Qishan and state councillor Dai Bingguo are participating in the talks.

Mr Dai said that the two countries were “in the same big boat that has been hit by fierce wind and huge waves, with our interests interconnected, sharing weal and woe”.

He concluded his speech by quoting Mr Obama's campaign cry of “Yes we can”.

In spite of the rhetoric, the relationship between the US and China remains in large part defined by China's status as the world's biggest holder of US Treasury bonds. This status heightens Beijing's influence over Washington and increases its exposure to the battered US economy.

Mr Obama said the countries' top priorities should be co-operation on the economy and climate change, and combating the threat of nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea.

He praised China for “lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty” and emphasised US calls for “the religion and culture of all peoples [to] be respected and protected”.

Washington responded cautiously to recent clashes involving China's Uighur minority in Xinjiang province. US diplomats are trying to balance a likely visit by Mr Obama to China later this year with a possible meeting between Mr Obama and the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader.