Mrs. Clinton has been in Beijing as part of her trip around Asia. Talks are always positive, at least they allow to learn what others think. In particular, it allows to perceive what others think beyond words and beyond silences.
Obviously, since former secretary of state funded and supported the events in Tibet last year, will be difficult for USA to wash its image in China unless clear disengagement of future criminal activities. It is not a matter of which administration did it, it is an answer to a simple question "can USA be trusted?" or "does trust on them depends on which administration grabbed government?". Not easy to answer that question for an American politician, but that question is in the back of our mind and will be until we have a clear answer. In Asia, a friend is a friend always, it does not depend on how friend´s mood changes every four years with elections. Mrs. Clinton has spoken several times about "smart power" as a new way to connect to other countries. Whether it is smart or dumb will be judged by facts once the honeymoon in the Obama´s administration ends up. Few days after Obama´s inauguration, Tim Geithner told that "we will decide whether China is a currency manipulator". Few comments could sound less smart, even American journalists agree that nowadays it sounds as a baseless insult that reflects either wrong intention of the offender or, even worse, ignorance on how financial markets work in 2009. Besides that USA is a curency manipulator too, Japan, the European Centran Bank manipulates its currency (it is part of their formal mission), all countries manipulate their currencies. Would be irresponsible not to to that to keep stability of the global economy. It sounded even worse when "buy American" was signed for the stimulous plan few days later. It is a formal declaration of protectionism. The poor justification that "it does not violate treats and agreements that US has signed" can be a good justification told by a cheap lawyer in a court. But that is not the problem inside "buy American". Mrs. Clinton said in Beijing “By continuing to support American treasury instruments, the Chinese are recognizing” that “we are truly going to rise or fall together”. "Buy American" means that Americans are not recognizing that we are truly going to rise or fall together. Even worse, Americans are not recognizing that China has room enough for development by itself and with Europeans, Asians, Africans and Latinamericans. With or without Americans. But Americans would need one or two decades to have access to cheap goods without China. While price rise is probably the only sickness that US economy is not suffering today, and unfortunately that sickness will come, with China or worse without China. Nowadays, to be humble is probably part of any "smart power" from an American administration. Also, to buy treasuries is part of what US administration wants and beg for, but it does not contribute at all to USA-China trade if those treausuries are wasted in wars or in bailout of dead banks. The only reason because China´s government bought US treasuries was because US government granted that its value are protected IN ANY CASE. Again, is USA to be trusted? or does it depend on its mood every four years after an election? I know that Chinese authorities made the question "how will you protect our interests if we buy more treasuries?", I do not know the answer that Mrs. Clinton offered, but I know that Chinese are very pragmatic, speeches in a press conference do not answer such questions. Second. US government has to understand that people abroad is smart enough to know what to do. There are many options --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World-thread" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
