| January 20, 2011 View this newsletter as a web page on CFR's website.  |  | | | | | | Top of the Agenda: China Admits Human Rights Flaws Chinese President Hu Jintao directly addressed China's record on human rights (al-Jazeera) at a joint U.S.-China press conference, conceding "a lot still needs to be done" on the issue. Experts say the statements signal an apparent shift in tone, but stress that China still views human rights through the lens of the larger issue of national development (BBC). In his statements, U.S. President Barack Obama also urged greater civil liberties and advocated for an open Chinese dialogue with the exiled Dalai Lama (WashPost). In private meetings, officials said the two leaders spent time addressing a number of critical points, including economic and currency issues, as well as North Korea and Iran. Some analysts suggest the extraordinary pomp and circumstance surrounding the four-day summit, including two state dinners, reflect the changing nature of the U.S.-China relationship and indicate China's rapid ascension to the elite echelon of economies (WSJ). With GDP growth of 10.3 percent, China surpassed Japan (Guardian) in 2010 to become the world's second largest economy. In the coming days, President Hu is scheduled to meet with several top U.S. executives from firms like General Electric, Coca-Cola, and Boeing before heading to Chicago for more business-focused meetings (BBC) Analysis: Writing for the BBC, Damian Grammaticas discusses the significance of the moment President Hu was put on the spot about China's human rights record. In this analysis for the New York Times, Michael Wines discusses the evolving U.S.-China relationship and the prospects for significant developments in the current presidential summit. China's exchange rate policy will dominate the economic dialogue between the United States and China during President Hu's visit to Washington. There's scant hope differences can be resolved, says CFR's Steven Dunaway. | | | | | | |
