More Hopes Than Gains At U.S.-China Meetings

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Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Two days of high-level talks between the United States and China wrapped up Tuesday with both sides hailing modest progress on economic issues even as they traded harsh words about China’s respect for human rights.

The grand scope and pomp of the talks, which have become an annual event involving hundreds of politicians, bureaucrats, generals and business executives, stood in striking contrast to the limited results, which included a Chinese promise to prevent government agencies from using pirated software.

But both sides insisted in closing speeches Tuesday that meeting and talking in themselves were sufficient achievement, because they could lay the groundwork for grander bargains.

“As we say in China, spiritual things can be turned into material ones,” said Cui Tiankai, vice minister of foreign affairs, describing the value of improved relations.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/world/asia/11china.html