Secretary Clinton to Visit Japan, China, South Korea

Secretary of State Clinton testifies at a recent congressional hearing.

By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.
Staff Writer
May 20, 2010

Washington — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is leading a U.S. delegation on a three-nation East Asia diplomatic mission that will focus on regional security and economic talks and include the developing security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

The centerpiece of the trip will be the second joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing May 24–25. Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will hold talks with the Chinese co-chairs, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said at a State Department briefing May 19. The first dialogue was hosted by the United States July 27–28, 2009, in Washington. This is Clinton’s fifth mission to Asia as secretary of state.

Campbell, who is the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the recent announcement by South Korean officials that a North Korean submarine used a torpedo in a March 26 attack on the 1,200-ton Korean corvette Cheonan that killed 46 sailors will be featured prominently during portions of talks in Japan, China and South Korea.

“We will review the developing security situation on the Korean Peninsula,” Campbell told news reporters. “We will discuss the ongoing troubles in Thailand and we will also review our common approaches to engagement of China.”

The two-nation dialogue is expected to address a U.S. desire for China to move to a market-determined currency exchange rate, said David Loevinger, the Treasury Department’s senior coordinator for China affairs. Talks will also include North Korea and its nuclear ambitions.

Clinton announced at a congressional hearing May 18 that Russia and China have joined with U.S. efforts to win a new round of sanctions against Iran in the U.N. Security Council.

The two-and-a-half days of talks in Beijing involve a group of economic, political and strategic players from across the Obama administration to engage in what is being called deep dialogue with Chinese officials on an array of issues, Campbell said. Clinton is also expected to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Beijing.

Geithner is planning a meeting with Governor Zhou Xiaochuan of the People’s Bank of China as well as meetings with Vice Premier Wang, Loevinger said. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Benjamin Bernanke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and others from the Cabinet and federal agencies will attend the dialogue meetings.

“Our relationship with China is one of the most important in the world, and President Obama is committed to making it more beneficial to the American people,” Loevinger told reporters. “President Obama has underscored the very tight link between trade and U.S. jobs creation, and he has set a goal of doubling exports over the next five years to create 2 million additional American jobs.”

“Combating barriers that prevent U.S. workers and companies from getting free and fair access to foreign markets and ensuring that large economies like China with large current-account surpluses depend more on their own domestic demand for growth are key components of our efforts to achieve this goal of doubling exports in five years,” Loevinger added.

In addition to talks in Beijing, Clinton will visit Tokyo on May 21, Campbell said. The secretary has meetings planned during the one-day stop with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada.

“We’ll also be discussing security and defense-related issues, including developments on Okinawa,” Campbell said. U.S. and Japanese officials are expected to discuss plans to move the Futenma U.S. Marine air station and its 2,000 personnel to a less-populous site elsewhere on Okinawa. The air station has been the subject of intense debate within Japan.

“We will be working closely with our Japanese friends to underscore the importance of our alliance,” Campbell said.

While in China, Clinton will visit the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and attend a dinner in honor of the USA Pavilion sponsors and others who helped develop it.

“This is a signature initiative that she has been involved in to bring into life this wonderful exhibit which highlights American life. This is one of the largest expos of its kind in history,” Campbell said.

In Seoul, Clinton will meet with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan. Those talks are expected to focus heavily on the sinking of the Cheonan as well as the stalled Six-Party Talks with North Korea. China, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States have attempted to hold negotiations aimed at convincing the North Korean regime to end its nuclear development program and make the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free.