"Beijing: China yesterday deflected US pressure for a faster rise in the yuan and bolder economic reforms by telling visiting Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that it is still poor and poses no threat to anyone.
Paulson's visit coincides with a drive by US lawmakers, frustrated by America's record trade deficit with China, to press Beijing upon pain of sanctions to allow open markets to set the yuan's value.
Vice-Premier Wu Yi said at the start of her talks with Paulson that she was happy he had first visited poor Qinghai province in western China and had seen for himself the big difference with rich cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.
"In making this contrast, you can understand - who could China threaten? China still has areas as developmentally backward as Qinghai," Wu told Paulson while reporters were in the room.
"China still has 23 million people living in poverty. China's very goal in its development is so that its 1.3 billion people can eat their fill, dress warmly and live well. Who could we threaten? We don't have the ability. China does not and will never threaten anyone (Gulfnews.com, August 3, 2007)."
China, the Asian Tiger that it has become has been a focus of the US for quite some time. Pressure from the United States has a lot to do with Chinas' oil consumption and the high bids for oil reserves to be shipped there. Much more than this is the ever-present threat of poverty in China. Does China pose a threat to the united States? At this point, only in terms of economics.
Link: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/08/01/10143269.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
It is nice to hear that China's leaders are talking about making sure all its people are fed/housed/clothed. The statement that they are not a threat to anyone is I think in stark contrast to much of the U.S. foreign policy and relations. We are easily a threat to everyone! And all our people are not really housed/clothed/fed properly yet either....however, we don't seem to care about that.
Post a Comment