On U.S.-China Relations

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met during the United Nations General Assembly’s recent opening session in New York to review U.S.-China relations.

Secretary Clinton began by stating the United States' desire for a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship with China and to see U.S.-China relations make steadfast progress in the period ahead.

In response to Chinese concerns with regard to the recently announced arms sales to Taiwan, Secretary Clinton said that the United States had a strategic interest in the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and that the Taiwan Relations Act calls for the provision of defensive capabilities to Taiwan as one element in the overall U.S. effort to preserve that peace and stability. The Secretary stated her view that the strong support of the United States had provided Taiwan with the confidence to reach out in diplomacy with Beijing in the last several years. She underscored U.S. support for improvement in cross-Strait relations, the building of educational, financial, and people-to-people links between the Mainland and Taiwan.

The Secretary stated that regional stability, freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and unimpeded commerce under lawful conditions are critical components for the United States in the South China Sea. The Secretary indicated that peace was the underpinning of global commerce and an essential feature to overall global maritime stability.

The Secretary also indicated that the United States appreciated the recent statement from Beijing calling for North Korea to take steps to ensure that progress will be made toward the Six-Party Talks.

She called on China to begin a dialogue with the United States on Pakistan, which she said would be important given recent developments and the close relationship that exists between Pakistan and China.

Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Yang's meeting addressed the critical issues in the global economy, and reaffirmed the commitments of the United States and China to cooperate more closely in building a more peaceful and prosperous world.