Asia Pacific Voices » China-Asia Relations

China and USA- Human Rights

Aditi Rao — Fri, 14 May 2010 06:08:14 +0000

For the first time in two years, China and the United States of America are discussing human rights, with a feud brewing over US support for efforts to crack through China’s Internet firewall. Senior officials from both countries had closed door dialogues over a span of two days, in Washington.

The United States has pledged to raise a list of longstanding concerns with China, including its restrictions on freedom of religion and expression and its actions against lawyers who have defended unpopular causes. Ahead of the dialogue, United States said it was considering funding Global Internet Freedom, software run by the Falungong spiritual movement to circumvent Internet censorship- banned by China. “We firmly oppose any government or organization providing support to anti-China forces in their anti-China activities,” foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told reporters in Beijing.

Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are expected to be in China this month for talks. Clinton’s deputy, James Steinberg, recently said that while she would raise human rights, the main topics would be the wobbly global economy, climate change and hot spots such as Iran and North Korea.

US, China talk human rights after hiatus [ AFP, 14 May 2010]
US and China sit down for a belated talk on human rights [ CS , 13 May 2010]

NYT: In Japan, US losing diplomatic ground to China

Bill Hatch — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 02:23:06 +0000

The New York Times gives an overview report today on the recent straining of US-Japan relations and concurrent thawing of China-Japan relations.

Since last year’s election, there have been a flurry of diplomatic visits between China and Japan. The Yoimuri Shimbun even cited an anonymous diplomatic source that said there could be reconciliation over historical issues, which would include a visit by PM Hatoyama to Nanjing to apologize for the 1937 massacre. Though both sides dismissed the report, onlookers have speculated that it may have been a trial balloon.

Meanwhile, conflict has escalated in the row over the relocation of US bases in Okinawa. Today, candidate who opposes the base won the mayoral election of Okinawa, increasing pressure on PM Hatoyama.

For more on relations between the Asia-Pacific’s three largest economies, see below.

Martin Fackler, “In Japan, U.S. is Losing Ground to China,” New York Times, January 23, 2010.

Martin Fackler, “Mayor-Elect of Okinawa Opposes U.S. Base,” New York Times, January 23, 2010.

Koreas, US, China to discuss peace treaty

Bill Hatch — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:04:47 +0000

AFP reports:

SEOUL (AFP) – The United States and North Korea agreed to discuss a peace treaty on the Korean peninsula at four-nation talks involving the two nations, China and South Korea, a news report said Sunday.

The “common understanding” was reached when US envoy Stephen Bosworth visited Pyongyang from December 8 to 10, Yonhap news agency said, citing an unnamed Seoul official.

A peace treaty would replace an armistice to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War at which Communist North Korea, backed by Chinese troops, fought South Korea, supported by US-led UN troops.

Bosworth’s trip to Pyongyang was to persuade North Korea to return to six-party nuclear disarmament talks — which also group South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. Pyongyang quit the talks in April.

Though failing to set a date for the North’s return to the six-party process, the US envoy said both sides agreed on the need to resume nuclear disarmament talks during what he termed “very useful” meetings.