Clinton Talks Of Shifting Asia Policy

In this June file photo, U.S. president-elect Barack Obama takes the stage with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at a campaign event in Unity, N.H. (Elise Amendola/Associated Press)

From The International Herald Tribune:

WASHINGTON: In her first remarks to reporters as secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton suggested that there could be high-level direct negotiations with North Korea and offered the view that U.S. relations with China had been overly dominated by economic concerns during the Bush administration.

Clinton reaffirmed the Obama administration's commitment to continued multilateral negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear program, with China, Japan, Russia and South Korea also taking part. But she noted that there have also been one-on-one talks between the United States and North Korea within the context of the six-party arrangement.

Turning to China, Clinton said the United States needed "a more comprehensive dialogue" with Beijing, and noted that the strategic dialogue of the Bush administration "turned into an economic dialogue."

Read more ....

My Comment: The enemies of the U.S. want a change in policy, the friends do not.

For the Chinese, their relationship with the U.S. has brought them great wealth and security. I doubt that they will be interested in sharing Secretary of State Clinton's approach towards some form of strategic relationship, thereby changing a relationship that has been very beneficial to them.

For North Korea, they have made it very clear that they want to leave the multi-party talks to direct talks with the U.S.. The pressure that they have been feeling from the Chinese has been getting a bit harsh in the past year .... a situation that I am sure that they willwant to get away from.