Clinton and China

[countybear]

Reading the below story can only be understood in proper context with the awareness of the information contained in the links I added below this story:

Analysis: Clinton pushes for stronger China role

Mar 27, 3:36 AM (ET)

By FOSTER KLUG

WASHINGTON (AP) -

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has moved aggressively and quickly to secure a stronger role in what she has called the world's most important relationship: U.S. dealings with China. But military and economic tensions between the two powers keep getting in her way.

As the international financial crisis worsens, the two colossal economies have bickered over their intertwined interests. China is nervous about its position as Washington's biggest foreign creditor, holding an estimated $1 trillion in U.S. government debt.

Beijing and Washington also have sparred over military matters, including a confrontation between American and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea and harsh words over Pentagon claims that China's rapidly growing military strength could allow it to win short, intense conflicts against high-tech adversaries.

These issues will demand high-level attention from the Treasury and Defense departments. Clinton is pushing, however, to ensure that her diplomatic corps is not marginalized as the United States engages a country the Obama administration needs as a partner in efforts to solve the world's major problems.

Clinton began staking out her claim on China early. A week after President Barack Obama's Jan. 20 inauguration she signaled her determination not to stand on the sidelines in her first comments to reporters at the State Department.

"The strategic dialogue that was begun in the Bush administration turned into an economic dialogue," Clinton said. "That's a very important aspect of our relationship with China, but it's not the only aspect of our relationship."

In Beijing last month, on her first foreign trip as secretary, Clinton said she and new Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner "will both be fully engaged" in discussions with China. Clinton then pleasantly surprised China by saying the Obama administration would not let its human rights concerns interfere with cooperation with Beijing.

Clinton's efforts mark a change from the Bush administration. George W. Bush's treasury secretary, Henry Paulson, led the main discussions with China; former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice relied on her deputy to handle another set of talks.

Inevitably, with the world economy in danger, treasury will continue to play a top role in dealings with China.

Elizabeth Economy, Asian studies director at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Clinton moved quickly in "capturing the China portfolio, but given the nature of the relationship between China and the United States, there's no doubt that trade, currency and investment issues are going to be front and center."

Geithner is consumed with efforts to lift the U.S. economy, and this might allow Clinton to take an early leading role. But, Economy said, the State Department lacks "the depth and the breadth to manage the full range of economic issues with China."

The global financial crisis has dominated recent discussions between the countries, and it will top talks between Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao at the London meeting of leading economies next week.

In addition to numerous smaller forums, the Bush administration set up two major dialogues with Beijing: the Strategic Economic Dialogue, which were high-level, twice-a-year discussions, led by Paulson; and the Senior Dialogue, led by the deputy secretary of state, the No. 2 department official.

Despite all the talking, Bonnie Glaser, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said there remains a "profound level of distrust between the sides."

The Obama administration has not yet outlined specifics for official dealings with China, although it seems likely that Clinton will take over the Senior Dialogue.

Still, it is unclear how much time Clinton, who must address tensions in the Middle East, South Asia, North Korea and Latin America, will be able to devote to the China relationship.

And then there is the matter of what China wants.
Economy said China would be happiest with a long-running dialogue that does not require major policy changes.
"The United States usually comes to China with a pretty long list of what we want China to do, and, for the most part, what China wants is to be left alone," Economy said.

As the late, great Paul Harvey said; get ready for the rest of the story...

GOP Keeps Up Heat On Possible Clinton-China Links - April 23, 1998

China denies Chung's claim it gave money to influence U.S. presidential campaign - April 5, 1999

Chasing the Dragon Clinton

1996 United States campaign finance controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

THE STEEL DEAL: We live in 'interesting times' ...

Political Campaign Reform under Bill Clinton

Washingtonpost.com: Campaign Finance Special Report

THE CHINA-GATE CANDIDATE

... and finally, this little gem (which touches nicely on the effectiveness of the "Assault Weapons Ban" as well:

Chinagate:
Attempts were made by Communist China to funnel money to the Clinton campaign and influence elections in 1996. Charlie Trie, one of Bills trusted DNC fundraisers, attempted to funnel this money. When faced with indictment he fled to China for refuge. Another money funneler for the communists and Clinton campaign, Johnny Chung, is now in jail. The funds came from divisions of the Chinese army, one of which had been caught only months earlier while attempting to smuggle AK-47's to LA street gangs. This is the government of RED CHINA - definitely a serious matter. If any scandals do catch up with him, which probably will happen, this is by far the worst. Amidst the sex scandals another DNC fundraiser scandal, Johnny Chung, openly admitted to knowingly taking funds from the Chinese government. Chung also testified that the DNC knew the source of this money was communist China. They accepted it anyway. The money is said to have been funneled through Chinese government official Liu Chao-ying then Chung and then to the DNC. Even more revealing was that Liu Chao-ying, daughter of Liu Hauqing (recent head of the Chinese military and top official of the Chinese communist party) and a Peoples Liberation Army and Chinese space agency official, attended a DNC fundraiser. Here she was photographed with Clinton. Chung also visited the White House over 45 times. Chung took several thousand dollars from commies and contributed them to a partisan candidate for President of the United States and leader of the free world. Chung was only a powerful campaign contributer/supporter with ties to the DNC and White House. Johnny Chung testified under oath to Congress on his admitted relations with the Chinese Commies and the ties to the President. Ironically Chung is one of a very small number of people who had greater White House access than Monica Lewinsky! Chung is said to have made over 50 visits compared to Monica's 39! Even better, only a week later Charlie Trie entered a guilty plea for his fundraising crimes and agreed to talk with investigators! Who next? Well it happened to be John Huang! Huang, another Clinton cronie, pled guilty to funneling Chinese funds less than a week after Trie! ...

Think Bill is the author and finisher of the "Clinton-China" legacy? Read the first story over, and think again.

[Retdetsgt]

Yep. The fact that Clinton authorized the sale of satellite and missile technology to China just after that contribution was a one day, back page story.

[countybear]

Yep. The fact that Clinton authorized the sale of satellite and missile technology to China just after that contribution was a one day, back page story.

... and I would say, treasonous. Now is there any wonder that North Korea has nuclear ICBM technology?

[Retdetsgt]

... and I would say, treasonous. Now is there any wonder that North Korea has nuclear ICBM technology?

That was exactly my thought at the time. I couldn't have cared less that he got a blowjob, but that was all the media cared about.

The Clintons are dirty and self serving from the ground up.

[countybear]

That was exactly my thought at the time. I couldn't have cared less that he got a blowjob, but that was all the media cared about.

The Clintons are dirty and self serving from the ground up.

I believe that all of the womanizing matters were really just more smoke and mirrors, to allow the Clinton/Gore camp to function under the radar while the public was distracted.

This is very much a mode of operation for politicians, and certainly continues today under this administration. The Kennedys and LBJ wrote the playbook on it, but the Clintons wrote the appendices.

[Retdetsgt]

I believe that all of the womanizing matters were really just more smoke and mirrors, to allow the Clinton/Gore camp to function under the radar while the public was distracted.

I see the sex thing itself as just part of Clinton's megalomania, I don't think he did it for any reason other than he thought he could get away with just like he always had.

But the media played that up because it sold advertising, plus they didn't care that he was selling us out. He was a Democrat. If a Republican had done it, it would have been front page news. I don't give as much credit to Clinton as I do the liberal media.

[countybear]

I see the sex thing itself as just part of Clinton's megalomania, I don't think he did it for any reason other than he thought he could get away with just like he always had.

But the media played that up because it sold advertising, plus they didn't care that he was selling us out. He was a Democrat. If a Republican had done it, it would have been front page news. I don't give as much credit to Clinton as I do the liberal media.

Good point.

I wonder what it takes to force Americans to face the reality of what they've elected?

[Morris]

I wonder what it takes to force Americans to face the reality of what they've elected?

A sustained power outage that prevents internet access, game box playing or TV watching.

We're long past that point, sadly.

[TXCharlie]

In 1996 it was probably about campaign contributions.

Now it's about the USA having painted itself into a corner, relying too much on China to supply vital goods as well as buying T-Bills to keep us from going bankrupt. No doubt that the political contributions greased the skids on that.

Our dollar would be worth nothing if it weren't for the Chinese propping it up, and our economy would collapse because we'd be short of everything from heavy industrial equipment to computers and car parts.

I bet if someone published a list of the things we depend on from China, it would scare the shit out of everyone. I would not be surprised at all to learn that some of our military parts even come from China, since when I worked at TI in the 1980's, I saw a lot of chips that had all sorts of foreign contries stamped on them (mostly Singapore and Maylisia, since TI had plants over there).

[Retdetsgt]

In 1996 it was probably about campaign contributions.

It was. The Chinese Army made a $25K contribution to the DNC and in return Clinton signed off on the sale of the satellite and missile technology. It was all about money, nothing else.

As CB and I were discussing, Lewinsky was the best thing that ever happened to Clinton in the long run. It polarized the Democratic party in his defense and directed attention away from the shady money deals he and Gore were involved in.

I thought is was amusing (sort of) that the Democrats were saying Republicans were obsessed about the sex when it was the lying they were pissed about. Democrats kept it a sexual topic.

The Clintons were then and still today focused only on power and money. Now they have money, it's the power.

[TXCharlie]

As CB and I were discussing, Lewinsky was the best thing that ever happened to Clinton in the long run. It polarized the Democratic party in his defense and directed attention away from the shady money deals he and Gore were involved in.

Yep, it's kind of reminiscent of the AIG executive bonus diversion that Obama climbed on top of to divert every one's attention away from the OTHER 99.9% of what his bailouts/budget/stimulus package are going for - Including bonuses at Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, plus congress receiving another automatic raise this week.

[Retdetsgt]

Yep, it's kind of reminiscent of the AIG executive bonus diversion that Obama climbed on top of to divert every one's attention away from the OTHER 99.9% of what his bailouts/budget/stimulus package are going for - Including bonuses at Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, plus congress receiving another automatic raise this week.

This just came out about Rahm Emanuel earning $320K from Freddie Mac serving on their board during their making bad loans.....


Obama aide had stint at Freddie - Los Angeles Times

[lewisipso]

I wonder what it takes to force Americans to face the reality of what they've elected?

No such thing exists.

[swaggon]

As CB and I were discussing, Lewinsky was the best thing that ever happened to Clinton in the long run.

My dad has always believed William did that stuff FOR the diversion. (1) How would a grown man ejaculate on the dress and allow her to retain the dress. (2) Why would a "lovestruck" Monica keep the semen stained dress, she had to know Bill would never leave Hillary, divorce is career suicide for politicians. Monica kept the dress to reveal to the media. For what? Monica was paid off too.

[Retdetsgt]

As CB and I were discussing, Lewinsky was the best thing that ever happened to Clinton in the long run.

My dad has always believed William did that stuff FOR the diversion. (1) How would a grown man ejaculate on the dress and allow her to retain the dress. (2) Why would a "lovestruck" Monica keep the semen stained dress, she had to know Bill would never leave Hillary, divorce is career suicide for politicians. Monica kept the dress to reveal to the media. For what? Monica was paid off too.

Maybe, but I don't give him that much credit.

I think he believed he was above it all. For crying out loud, he was using Arkansas state troopers as pimps when he was governor...... He even tried to get a BJ from Paula Jones, a state employee. That takes brass..... But like a lot of politicians, they think (and often do) they have the power to do stuff like that.

Besides, his ego is too big to want something like that to define his presidency, and it did.

I seriously doubt he ever thought that the dress would be an issue. Like most crooks, it never crossed his mind he'd be caught. And he wouldn't have if he hadn't pissed off Lewinsky and she cried to Linda Tripp. If Drudge hadn't blown the whistle on Michael Isikoff who was sitting on the story, I doubt the public would have ever heard it. Even Clinton's major journalist supporter, Dan Rather didn't mention it until it had been everywhere else for over 2 weeks.

I just can't see that kind of conspiracy here. He could have done other things to divert the public that wasn't nearly as damaging to himself.

[Captain America]

Maybe, but I don't give him that much credit.

I think he believed he was above it all. For crying out loud, he was using Arkansas state troopers as pimps when he was governor...... He even tried to get a BJ from Paula Jones, a state employee. That takes brass..... But like a lot of politicians, they think (and often do) they have the power to do stuff like that.

Besides, his ego is too big to want something like that to define his presidency, and it did.

I seriously doubt he ever thought that the dress would be an issue. Like most crooks, it never crossed his mind he'd be caught. And he wouldn't have if he hadn't pissed off Lewinsky and she cried to Linda Tripp. If Drudge hadn't blown the whistle on Michael Isikoff who was sitting on the story, I doubt the public would have ever heard it. Even Clinton's major journalist supporter, Dan Rather didn't mention it until it had been everywhere else for over 2 weeks.

I just can't see that kind of conspiracy here. He could have done other things to divert the public that wasn't nearly as damaging to himself.

I agree, Retdetsgt., the Lewinsky affair left an unwanted stain on Clinton's presidency.

[Norm357]

This surprises who? The Clintons have always been in bed with the Chicoms.

[countybear]

I just can't see that kind of conspiracy here. He could have done other things to divert the public that wasn't nearly as damaging to himself.

I believe he at least tried, by blowing up a Tylenol plant...

[Captain America]

I believe he at least tried, by blowing up a Tylenol plant...

Maybe he thought it was a pillbox.