The White House will deploy, on Wednesday, an arsenal of prestige for ceremonial welcome for four days with Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Washington the day before. This is the first visit by a Chinese head of state in the U.S. for thirteen years. Despite U.S. efforts (arrival ceremony, meets in the Oval Office with Barack Obama, news conference before a sumptuous dinner), this meeting between two giants of the global economy looks tense.
And for good reason, Washington and Beijing will try to resolve their deep differences after a complicated year 2010.Whether the economic and monetary policy, foreign policy or record of human rights, the two countries disagree on many issues.
Monetary policy at the heart of discussions
On Wednesday, it is the economic and trade issues to be addressed by both leaders. The main demand for U.S. monetary policy in China. According to Washington, the undervaluation of the yuan, Chinese currency, lead the U.S. trade deficit with regard to Beijing (270 billion). The U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner reiterated last week his wish to see the yuan appreciate more. For the Chinese, the yuan revaluation will take time.Especially as the weakness of their currency is the backbone of the country's growth based on export capacity.
This question is at the heart of discussions between Barack Obama and Hu Jintao on Wednesday in Washington."These two countries, one still dominant and the other emerging, maintain such an economic interdependence, trade and finance that it is normal to see their relations tense as everyone's interests," said Francoise Lemoine, Senior Economist Centre for Future Studies and International Information (CEPII).
She says an economic compromise is possible between the two parties, because "the Chinese market represents a challenge as the Americans have every incentive to insist on the opening of the market economy in the world." Indeed, Obama's priority is economic.This visit should lead to the signing of a series of contracts, a quarantine, with U.S. companies like Boeing and General Electric. "The White House wants to highlight opportunities for U.S. companies and their exports to China will be positive for employment in the country," said William Meyer, Washington correspondent for FRANCE 24.
Human rights and diplomacy
Besides the monetary and economic policy, the two leaders must address their many disagreements that have plagued their diplomatic relations.Up for discussion arms sales to Taiwan, the visit of the Dalai Lama and Nobel Peace Liu Xiaobo.
The spokesman for the White House, Robert Gibbs, said Obama would talk "directly to his concerns on the issue of human rights" during his state dinner with the Chinese president Wednesday night. U.S. President knows awaited on this issue. In 2009, he postponed a scheduled appointment at the White House with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, not to upset Beijing.
Finally, the United States want their host to pressure the North Korean authorities in Pyongyang's nuclear issue and escalating tension with South Korea.
