It is clear that this maiden voyage in her new capacity was freighted, and she explains both her priorities and the degree to which some (political, environmental, and commercial issues) were given publicity and others (human rights issues) were not but emphasizes that human rights did not take a back seat.
She mentions discussing religious freedom and the related issues of Tibet and Taiwan in meetings with high officials but does not remind us that she took the trouble to attend church services. We at the now-defunct Hillary's Village Forum knew and shared that information, but I never blogged it here.
She also participated in an online chat and a TV interview on this visit, although she does not specifically mention them. Part of her outreach to civil society to be sure.
Hillary Clinton’s Online Chat in China
February 22, 2009 by still4hill
Hillary Clinton’s Dragon TV Interview in China
February 22, 2009 by still4hill |
The
highest profile meeting detailed by the State Department at the time
was her bilateral with then Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.Hillary Clinton with Chinese FM Yang Jiechi
February 21, 2009 by still4hill |
It
was during this meeting that she became aware of the upcoming Shanghai
Expo about which it appeared no one in the U.S. was doing anything. So
Hillary shouldered the responsibility to get a U.S. pavilion up and
running in time for the opening in May 2010.
Video: Secretary Clinton Meeting With Student Ambassadors At The Shanghai Expo
May 27, 2010 by still4hill |
Secretary Clinton’s Remarks At USA Pavilion Gala Dinner
May 22, 2010 by still4hill |
Secretary Clinton Meets and Greets USA Pavilion Student Ambassadors and Employees
May 22, 2010 by still4hill |
Photos: Hillary Clinton at the Shanghai Expo
May 22, 2010 by still4hill |
The
most important item on her agenda with China was formulating a way to
navigate through the 'uncharted waters' of the U.S.-China relationship.
She and other cabinet officials, specifically Timothy Geithner being a
high-profile proponent, were determined to initiate a U.S.-China
Strategic and Economic Dialogue realized in May 2010.
Secretary Clinton’s Address at the Strategic and Economic Dialogue Opening Session
May 24, 2010 by still4hill |
Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the Strategic and Economic Dialogue Opening Session
May 24, 2010 by still4hill
Among
all of the issues involving Asia, the most enormous elephant in the
room swinging its massive trunk on the sidelines of every official
meeting was the issue of 'dominion,' if it can be called that, over the
waters of the South and East China Seas. These waters are vital to
shipping routes, but also flow over precious mineral resources such as
semi-conductors that are indispensable in the hardware that organizes
our online lives now from communications through paperless bill-paying.
The Chinese made it clear that their claims to these waters were
non-negotiable. Hillary thought that if enough of China's smaller
neighbors were to coalesce around the issue of access the giant might
blink.
Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the ASEAN-U.S. Ministerial Meeting
July 22, 2010 by still4hill |
Slideshow: Hillary Clinton ASEAN Hanoi Day Two
July 23, 2010 by still4hill |
She
closes out this Asia chapter with her return from the Hanoi ASEAN with
only a week left to finalize preparations for Chelsea's wedding.
MOTB Hillary Clinton in New York
July 28, 2010 by still4hill |
Slideshow: Hillary and Bill @ Beekman Arms
July 31, 2010 by still4hill |
Here Comes the Bride!
July 31, 2010 by still4hill |
And so ends chapter 4 with a lot of hope for the future.
Hillary Clinton’s ‘Hard Choices’ Retrospective: Introduction
______________________________________________________________
Endnote
*I still contend that if the Senate, at any point, had ratified the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST - see the sidebar on the right) her job from here through her last Asia trip in 2012 would not have been so demanding. The island-hopping and bilaterals and trilaterals that took place in summer of 2012 might not have been so intense and crucial. You might remember her being given access that was not easy to come by to watch WJC address the Democratic National Convention in Septembr of that year. All of that traveling among those islands was over maritime rights in the South and East China Seas. A LOST ratification might have obviated much of that shuttle diplomacy. But that's just me. Just sayin'.How the Tea Party Harpooned Hillary Clinton’s Asia Mission
September 5, 2012 by still4hill |
