China’s Takeaway From Talks in DC: An Obama-Signed Basketball
EmailABC News' Kirit Radia and Matt Jaffe report: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner today wrapped up two days of senior dialogue with Chinese officials – the broadest such discussions in the history of Sino-American relations – by praising the progress they had made on matters as broad as security, economics, energy, and climate change.
Though the main goal this week was simply to launch the dialogue, it would appear that no concrete agreements were reached on any of the myriad topics on the table.
In fact, China’s most tangible take away from the meetings may be the signed basketball they received from President Obama, which one Chinese official raised above his head during the policy-makers’ closing remarks.
Clinton, who had been criticized for saying on trip to China last February that human rights would take a backseat in US-Chinese relations, said today that she expressed US concerns with the Chinese during this week’s meetings, including over the recent clashes with Uighur separatists in China’s western Xinjiang province.
Speaking later, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan said China appreciated Washington’s “moderate attitude” in response to the situation in Xinjiang, which he called “a highly violent terrorist act.”
Earlier today Clinton and Energy Secretary Chu oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese on energy and climate change, launching an expanded ongoing dialogue on those subjects. The agreement did not decide any of the contentious issues, but rather laid out a framework for future discussions.
On the economic front, Geithner said the two countries had settled on a “broad framework” of measures that will help lay the foundation for global recovery. China, he said, will increase domestic demand-led growth, while the US will work to sustain rising savings rates and seek to slash its soaring budget deficit.
China, the largest foreign holder of US government debt, has voiced increased concerns about the US deficit, which has shot above $1 trillion with three months still left in the fiscal year.
“Once we are confident that recovery is firmly established,” Geithner stated, as he has in the past, “We will move to reverse these exceptional steps we’ve had to take to help address the crisis.”
In a fact sheet, Treasury stated the administration’s commitment to “reducing the federal budget deficit relative to GDP to a sustainable level by 2013.”
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They’re going to be mad when they remember Kim Jong Il got a basketball signed by *Michael Jordan*.
Posted by: MayBee | July 28, 2009, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
The Chinese officials had hoped to get some of their money back, but a basketball was nice…
Was the gift shop closed?
Posted by: Snob | July 28, 2009, 7:10 pm 7:10 pm
Bet they would have preferred Yao Ming’s signature.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | July 28, 2009, 7:45 pm 7:45 pm
The Chinese officials immediately deflated the basketball as a symbol of the “Obama effect” on the value of their U.S. dollar holdings.
Posted by: pauldia | July 28, 2009, 7:57 pm 7:57 pm
Why do I get the feeling I’m in some kind of bizarre Chinese M.A.S.H episode with Hillary play Hot Lips Houlihan, Joe Biden as Frank Burns, Barack Obama as Colonel Blake and Tim “the tax cheat” Geitner as Radar O’Reilly.
(Please feel free to add to the cast as the spirit moves you)
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | July 28, 2009, 8:07 pm 8:07 pm
Obama just letting them know he’s willing to play ball with them….SORRY couldn’t resist…
Posted by: Parallex View | July 28, 2009, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
As Obama “bounces” around the issues our country faces, he maybe is giving a final slam dunk to our history. Obama prefers the Harlem Globetrotters over our Founding Fathers. And as he forfeits our very existence as an individualist society, he will soon be called for a TECHNICAL FOUL, and have to give one at the line, or be ejected. I just wonder, that when he does go to an island somewhere after his four years living it up and laughing at how he got vengeance against our evil Constitution, whether or not he will be wearing high-tops. Maybe he won’t be able to play basketball there, on all of the Chinese-controlled islands…You see, his plan isn’t all Obama-proof.
Fight for America! Our words DO mean something! Stop our first radical President!
Posted by: clint | July 28, 2009, 8:48 pm 8:48 pm
“In fact, China’s most tangible take away from the meetings may be the signed basketball they received from President Obama”
At least it wasn’t His first-pitch baseball. That MIGHT have been more ludicrous.
Posted by: Bet Noir | July 28, 2009, 8:52 pm 8:52 pm
“Though the main goal this week was simply to launch the dialogue, it would appear that no concrete agreements were reached on any of the myriad topics on the table.”
That sentence doesn’t make sense. The structure suggests that no concrete agreements was a surprise, even though the goal was “simply to launch the dialogue.” I take it the interns wrote this one.
Posted by: jhw539 | July 28, 2009, 8:58 pm 8:58 pm
Does the ball contain all of Obama’s speeches?
Posted by: drjohn | July 28, 2009, 10:25 pm 10:25 pm
Mr. Obama might be signing his autographs on Sgt. Crowley’s handcuffs, the same one used to neutralize Prof. Gate’s anger.
Posted by: young_voter | July 28, 2009, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm
They’re going to be mad when they remember Kim Jong Il got a basketball signed by *Michael Jordan*.
Posted by: MayBee |
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Priceless!! lmao!!
Posted by: Sunnyr | July 28, 2009, 11:07 pm 11:07 pm
Why do I get the feeling I’m in some kind of bizarre Chinese M.A.S.H episode with Hillary play Hot Lips Houlihan, Joe Biden as Frank Burns, Barack Obama as Colonel Blake and Tim “the tax cheat” Geitner as Radar O’Reilly.
(Please feel free to add to the cast as the spirit moves you)
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy
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Chicago Rahm Emanuel dressed up in his TUTU and ballet slippers could be Klinger. :)
Posted by: Sunnyr | July 28, 2009, 11:12 pm 11:12 pm
There are no limits to Obama’s arrogance.
Posted by: nick | July 28, 2009, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm
The Democrats harp on the fact that the GOP has no leader.
But the Dems have put all their eggs in one basket.
All their hopes and dreams all depend on a hyped up celebrity.
Without him they have nothing.
They say the GOP is the party of “no”.
So tax and spend is something new?
Exactly how is Obama a different kind of politician?
Posted by: max | July 29, 2009, 12:51 am 12:51 am
“Though the main goal this week was simply to launch the dialogue, it would appear that no concrete agreements were reached on any of the myriad topics on the table.”
That sentence doesn’t make sense. The structure suggests that no concrete agreements was a surprise, even though the goal was “simply to launch the dialogue.” I take it the interns wrote this one.
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Have to agree with you jhw. To me it seems almost like they’ve fabricated a criticism. Intentionally or otherwise.
Posted by: danita | July 29, 2009, 1:55 am 1:55 am
Better that then a signed pair of Obama Mama jeans…
Posted by: sally j | July 29, 2009, 6:50 am 6:50 am
What Geithner is really saying is that after we impliment all of our wealth redistribution policies we will impliment the income redistribution taxes.
Posted by: Judy | July 29, 2009, 7:13 am 7:13 am
“Bet they would have preferred Yao Ming’s signature.”
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Obama’s ego and arrogance would likely lead him to believe that he is more popular in China than is Yao.
Posted by: tjp612 | July 29, 2009, 8:35 am 8:35 am
“Once we are confident that recovery is firmly established,” Geithner stated, as he has in the past, “We will move to reverse these exceptional steps we’ve had to take to help address the crisis.”
How? By continuing to incur projected deficits through 2012 that are LARGER than any of those incurred during the Bush administration (including 2008 – Year of the Bailout).
Another day, more lies, more hypocrisy.
Posted by: tjp612 | July 29, 2009, 8:37 am 8:37 am
The Queen of England got a better gift.
Posted by: Francis | July 29, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am