Secretary of State softens her hawkish image with assurances to allies and rivals ahead of Asia trip
By Chua Chin Hon 15 February 2009
Washington - Ahead of her visit to Asia this week, top US diplomat Hillary Clinton pledged to engage and listen more to a region seen as neglected by Washington in the last eight years.
In broad-ranging remarks aimed at softening her hawkish image, Mrs Clinton offered assurances to traditional allies and rivals alike, and even held out an olive branch to North Korea.
‘I think there has been a general feeling that perhaps we didn’t pay an appropriate amount of attention to Asia over the last years, being very preoccupied with other parts of the world,’ said the Secretary of State, who leaves for a week-long trip to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China tomorrow.
‘So I leave for Asia ready to deliver a message about America’s desire for more rigorous and persistent commitment and engagement...And we are ready to listen.’
During the recent United States presidential race, Mrs Clinton staked out the toughest position on China. She also urged then-president George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of the
Beijing Olympics to protest against the Chinese authorities’ crackdown on unrest in Tibet.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geith- ner’s recent accusation of China as being a currency manipulator has also raised Beijing’s ire.
Mrs Clinton sought to mend fences with the Chinese government yesterday with the most conciliatory remarks to have emerged from the Obama administration thus far.
She used an ancient Chinese aphorism to drive home the message that the US and China were in the same boat, and needed each other’s help to sail through these tough economic times.
‘When you are in a common boat, you need to cross the river peacefully together. The wisdom of that aphorism must continue to guide us today,’ said Mrs Clinton.
She also rejected the notion that China’s rise made it an adversary of the US. ‘To the contrary, we believe that the United States and China can benefit from and contribute to each other’s successes. It is in our interest to work harder to build on areas of common concern and shared opportunities.’
She also announced that both countries would resume mid-level military contacts - broken off by Beijing last year in protest against US arms sales to Taiwan.
The other country that will loom large in Mrs Clinton’s trip is one that she will not be visiting - North Korea. Pyongyang has been ratcheting up its rhetoric against Seoul in recent weeks, with unconfirmed media reports suggesting that the communist regime is readying fresh missile launches.
Mrs Clinton dismissed this as ‘provocative action and unhelpful rhetoric’, but said that Washington was prepared to normalise bilateral ties with Pyongyang if the regime was ‘genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate its nuclear weapons programme’.
Washington is set to appoint a North Korea envoy, though it is unclear if he or Mrs Clinton would be able to get Pyongyang to abide by earlier agreements to abandon its nuclear programme, much less allow inspectors to verify its destruction.
Aside from East Asia, Mrs Clinton will also visit Indonesia, in a move seen as setting the stage for a visit later this year by President Barack Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Jakarta.
Diplomatic sources said Vice-President Joe Biden, another key player in shaping US foreign policy, was the one who suggested that the Secretary of State include Indonesia in her Asia tour.
Mrs Clinton said she would explore partnerships on education, energy and food security in her talks with the Indonesian leadership.
‘The Indonesian government has suggested the creation of a deeper partnership with the US,’ she added. ‘We are committed to working with Indonesia to pursue such a partnership with a concrete agenda.’
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US and China need each other: Hillary
Secretary of State softens her hawkish image with assurances to allies and rivals ahead of Asia trip
By Chua Chin Hon
15 February 2009
Washington - Ahead of her visit to Asia this week, top US diplomat Hillary Clinton pledged to engage and listen more to a region seen as neglected by Washington in the last eight years.
In broad-ranging remarks aimed at softening her hawkish image, Mrs Clinton offered assurances to traditional allies and rivals alike, and even held out an olive branch to North Korea.
‘I think there has been a general feeling that perhaps we didn’t pay an appropriate amount of attention to Asia over the last years, being very preoccupied with other parts of the world,’ said the Secretary of State, who leaves for a week-long trip to Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China tomorrow.
‘So I leave for Asia ready to deliver a message about America’s desire for more rigorous and persistent commitment and engagement...And we are ready to listen.’
During the recent United States presidential race, Mrs Clinton staked out the toughest position on China. She also urged then-president George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of the
Beijing Olympics to protest against the Chinese authorities’ crackdown on unrest in Tibet.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geith- ner’s recent accusation of China as being a currency manipulator has also raised Beijing’s ire.
Mrs Clinton sought to mend fences with the Chinese government yesterday with the most conciliatory remarks to have emerged from the Obama administration thus far.
She used an ancient Chinese aphorism to drive home the message that the US and China were in the same boat, and needed each other’s help to sail through these tough economic times.
‘When you are in a common boat, you need to cross the river peacefully together. The wisdom of that aphorism must continue to guide us today,’ said Mrs Clinton.
She also rejected the notion that China’s rise made it an adversary of the US. ‘To the contrary, we believe that the United States and China can benefit from and contribute to each other’s successes. It is in our interest to work harder to build on areas of common concern and shared opportunities.’
She also announced that both countries would resume mid-level military contacts - broken off by Beijing last year in protest against US arms sales to Taiwan.
The other country that will loom large in Mrs Clinton’s trip is one that she will not be visiting - North Korea. Pyongyang has been ratcheting up its rhetoric against Seoul in recent weeks, with unconfirmed media reports suggesting that the communist regime is readying fresh missile launches.
Mrs Clinton dismissed this as ‘provocative action and unhelpful rhetoric’, but said that Washington was prepared to normalise bilateral ties with Pyongyang if the regime was ‘genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate its nuclear weapons programme’.
Washington is set to appoint a North Korea envoy, though it is unclear if he or Mrs Clinton would be able to get Pyongyang to abide by earlier agreements to abandon its nuclear programme, much less allow inspectors to verify its destruction.
Aside from East Asia, Mrs Clinton will also visit Indonesia, in a move seen as setting the stage for a visit later this year by President Barack Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Jakarta.
Diplomatic sources said Vice-President Joe Biden, another key player in shaping US foreign policy, was the one who suggested that the Secretary of State include Indonesia in her Asia tour.
Mrs Clinton said she would explore partnerships on education, energy and food security in her talks with the Indonesian leadership.
‘The Indonesian government has suggested the creation of a deeper partnership with the US,’ she added. ‘We are committed to working with Indonesia to pursue such a partnership with a concrete agenda.’
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