Challenged by New Crises

Jan. 30, 2001: The CIA issues an annual report that identifies China, along with Russia and North Korea, as “key suppliers” of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons materials and missile-delivery systems.

Oct. 2, 2001: Chinese airlines sign an order for 30 Boeing 737 jetliners in a deal worth about $1.6 billion at list prices.

Oct. 7, 2001: As President Bush announces the beginning of military strikes on Taliban targets and the al-Qaeda network led by Usama bin Laden, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says that China supports the action, provided that it was limited to “specific objectives” and avoided civilian casualties.

Oct. 8, 2001: President Bush talks on the phone with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and thanks the Chinese government for its strong statements against global terrorist networks.

Oct. 8-10, 2001: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly holds two days of talks in Beijing with Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and other Chinese officials to prepare for the first meeting between Bush and Jiang.

Oct. 9-11, 2001: U.S.-China human rights talks take place in Washington, D.C. Lorne Craner, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, headed the U.S. delegation to the three-day talks. China was represented by Li Baodong, the Foreign Ministry’s director for international organizations.

Oct. 11, 2001: China insists the international community should help it stamp out violent Muslim separatism in its far west, saying this was “part and parcel” of the global anti-terrorism fight.

Oct. 19, 2001: Presidents Bush and Jiang meet for over three hours in their first ever face to face meeting on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Shanghai.

Nov. 8, 2001: A Foreign Ministry spokesman says that China ratified a UN treaty against terrorist bombings and will sign a second UN treaty targeting terrorist financing.

Nov. 8, 2001: Former President George Bush tells business leaders in Hong Kong that he is “very pleased that the United States and China and other countries are shoulder-to-shoulder in unity in their determination to win against international terrorism.” Bush calls China’s support of the U.S. war on terrorism “a rather courageous stand’’ that should improve historically fragile ties between Washington and Beijing.

Nov. 10, 2001: World Trade Organization meeting in Doha approves the admission of China. One day later, the WTO clears Taiwan to join.

Nov. 11, 2001: Shi Guangsheng, head of the Chinese government delegation and minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation, delivers to WTO Director General Mike Moore the “Instrument of Ratification Signed by Chinese President Jiang Zemin on China’s Accession to the WTO.”

Nov. 12, 2001: Presidents Jiang and Bush conduct a telephone conversation. Bush congratulates China on its accession to the WTO and the two leaders exchange views on opposing terrorism.

Nov. 20, 2001: A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says that China is firmly opposed to the proposed sale of diesel submarines to Taiwan by U.S. companies.

Nov. 30, 2001: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya holds talks with U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton in Washington on arms control and the prevention of proliferation. He also meets with Secretary of State Colin Powell and Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman.

Dec. 5-7, 2001: China and the U.S. hold a three-day working group meeting to promote military maritime safety under the Sino-U.S. Military Maritime Consultative Agreement.

Dec. 6, 2001: Ambassador Francis X. Taylor, the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism, holds a press conference in Beijing after two days of talks with Chinese officials on cooperation in the fight against terrorism. He was hosted by his counterpart Li Baodong, Director of the International Organizations Department in China’s foreign ministry.

Dec. 11, 2001: U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans congratulates China on becoming the 143rd member of the WTO.

Dec. 13, 2001: President Bush calls President Jiang to notify him that he plans to withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and offers to hold high-level strategic talks.

Dec. 13, 2001: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman expresses concern at U.S. plan to withdraw from the 1972 ABM Treaty and calls for talks on the issue.

Dec. 17, 2001: A team of U.S. diplomats led by Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Avis Bohlen held talks in Beijing on the U.S. decision to withdraw from the 1972 ABM Treaty.

Dec. 27, 2001: President Bush signs a proclamation granting permanent normal trading relations status to the PRC, terminating the annual Jackson-Vanik trade certification process for China. The change takes effect Jan. 1, 2002.

Jan. 8, 2002: President Jiang Zemin meets with a delegation led by Rep. Donald Manzullo, chairman of the U.S.-China Inter-Parliamentary Exchange Group of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Jan. 10, 2002: Loral Space & Communications Ltd., under federal investigation since 1997 for allegedly passing sensitive missile technology to China, agrees to pay $14 million as part of a civil settlement that will allow it to resume shipping satellites and other high-technology gear to that country.

Jan. 13, 2002: Zhou Mingwei, deputy head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, arrives in the U.S. for a week-long visit; he attends a conference in New York and holds consultations with U.S. officials in Washington, D.C.

Jan. 16, 2002: The U.S. imposes sanctions on three Chinese entities found to be in violation of the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000. The three PRC firms accused of supplying Iran with materials used to make chemical and biological weapons are Liyang Chemical Equipment Company, the China Machinery and Electric Equipment Import and Export Company, and an individual broker and agent named as Q.C. Chen.

Jan. 18, 2002: Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government signs an agreement with China’s Qinghua University and the Development Research Center of the State Council to train 300 high-ranking Chinese officials over the next five years.

Jan. 18, 2002: President George W. Bush waives sanctions imposed by his father against China following the 1989 crackdown on student protesters in Tiananmen Square to permit the export of a bomb containment and disposal unit to the Shanghai fire department.

Jan. 19, 2002: Financial Times and The Washington Post report that 27 listening devices were found hidden on President Jiang Zemin’s refitted Boeing 767.

Jan. 20, 2002: Ngawang Choephel, a 34-year old Tibetan music scholar serving an 18-year sentence for spying, is released from prison on medical parole and allowed to fly to the U.S. He reportedly suffers from hepatitis and pulmonary bronchitis and had served about six years of his sentence.

Jan. 23, 2002: China frees Liu Yaping, an U.S. resident, from detention in the province of Inner Mongolia. Liu, a permanent U.S. resident businessman, had been held without trial for more than a year.

Jan. 25, 2002: President Bush reports to Congress that it is in the national interest of the U.S. to terminate the suspensions under section 902 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act insofar as such suspensions pertain to the export of defense articles or defense services in support of efforts by the government of Japan to destroy Japanese chemical weapons abandoned during World War II in China. License requirements remain in place for these exports and require review and approval on a case-by-case basis by the United States government.

Feb. 1-6, 2002: Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing visits the U.S to make preparations for Bush’s China tour. Cui Tiankai, director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Policy Planning Department, holds consultations with his counterpart Richard Haass during the visit.

Feb. 6, 2002: In his annual presentation to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence of the CIA’s estimate of threats to U.S. national security, CIA Director George Tenet warns Congress that over the past year China has increasingly honed its operational military skills to be better prepared to deal with possible military action in the Taiwan Strait and to deter the U.S. from defending Taiwan in case of a mainland attack.

Feb. 7, 2002: Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and Congressman Doug Bereuter (R-NE), the chairman and co-chairman, respectively, of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, hold the first hearing of the commission. The theme of the inaugural hearing is “Human Rights in the Context of the Rule of Law.”

Feb. 11, 2002: About 24 U.S. generals and admirals travel to Beijing as part of the Capstone program for new flag officers. The officers visit the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University and a PLA military base.

Feb. 21, 2002: President George W. Bush lands in Beijing on a 30-hour “working visit” during which he meets with Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji; Presidents Bush and Jiang Zemin hold a joint press conference following their first session of talks. Bush delivers a speech at Qinghua University and visits the Great Wall of China.

Feb. 28, 2002: Presidents Jiang and Bush exchange messages to commemorate the 30th anniversary of signing the U.S.-China Shanghai Communiqué.

March, 4, 2002: The Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor releases the annual Country Report on Human Rights Practices in China, Hong Kong, and Macao.

March 5, 2002: Forty-two legislators submit House Resolution 357 calling on the Bush administration to recognize the authorities of Tibet who are currently exiled in Dharamsala, India, as the legitimate representatives of Tibet if those Tibetans in exile and the Beijing regime do not sign an agreement that provides for the political autonomy of Tibet within three years.

March 6, 2002: Liu Jieyi, director general of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Arms Control and Disarmament, meets with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Avis Bohlen and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Nonproliferation John Wolf.

March 7, 2002: U.S. Ambassador Clark T. Randt is summoned to the Chinese Foreign Ministry to hear “serious representations” from Assistant Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong regarding the U.S. decision to grant Taiwan Defense Minister Tang Yiau-ming an entry visa to attend a conference in the United States.

March 10-12, 2002: U.S.-Taiwan nongovernmental business meeting in Florida. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Wolfowitz and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly meet informally with Taiwan’s DM Tang and Chief of the General Staff Li Chien.

March 11, 2002: Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi says that Beijing is “deeply shocked” over reports that the Nuclear Posture Review, delivered by the U.S. Defense Department to Congress last January, outlined the possible use of nuclear weapons against seven countries including China.

March 11, 2002: The Information Office of the State Council of the PRC releases its annual report on the human-rights record of the U.S.

March 13, 2002: All 18 Congressional members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on Human Rights and the Rule of Law in China, mandated by Congress as a result of passing permanent normal trade relations, sign a letter to President Bush requesting that he support a resolution condemning China’s human rights practices at the UN Human Rights Commission meeting opening March 18 in Geneva.

March 15, 2002: China, the world’s largest steel maker, files a complaint to the WTO against the United States’ decision to impose tariffs of up to 30 percent on steel imports to protect its producers.

March 16, 2002: Chinese Vice FM Li Zhaoxing summons Ambassador Randt to protest the visit by Taiwan DM Tang to the U.S.

March 18, 2002: China denies permission for the USS Curtis Wilbur, a U.S. Navy destroyer, to make a routine port call in Hong Kong April 5-9.

March 19-21, 2002: China and U.S. hold maritime transportation talks in Beijing.

March 20, 2002: CIA Director Tenet delivers testimony to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on the threats facing the U.S., including China.

March 21, 2002: Beijing announces that it will cancel a planned exchange of naval ship visits later this year in retaliation for the Taiwan’s defense minister visit to the U.S.

March 29, 2002: An advance team from China arrives in the U.S. to make preparations for Vice President Hu Jintao’s visit in late April.

April 3, 2002: Chinese President Jiang Zemin meets with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.).

April 4, 2002: The Chinese government frees an elderly Tibetan teacher on medical parole after 19 years in prison.

April 4, 2002: At a State Department news briefing, President George W. Bush welcomes both Taiwan and the PRC into the WTO.

April 6, 2002: President Bush signs a bill supporting Taiwan’s campaign to obtain observer status at the annual assembly of the WHO in Geneva in May.

April 9, 2002: U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick delivers a speech at China’s Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing.

April 9, 2002: On the 23rd anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. Congressional Taiwan Caucus is inaugurated with 85 members. The Caucus is founded by Democrat Representatives Robert Wexler (D-Fl.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.) and Republicans Dana Rohrabacher (R-Ca.) and Steve Cabot (R-Oh.).

April 21- 25, 2002: U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans visits Beijing. Evans and Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng co-chair a meeting in Beijing of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation and Trade.

April 23, 2002: The Department of Commerce announces that U.S. and Chinese trade officials signed in Beijing four grant agreements that will provide funding for projects in China involving e-commerce, renewable energy, the environment, and aviation.

April 25-26, 2002: The 10th China-U.S. Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology is held in Beijing.

April 25, 2002: Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Mn.) submits Senate Resolution 252, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding human-rights violations in Tibet, the Panchen Lama, and the need for dialogue between the Chinese leadership and the Dalai Lama or his representatives.

April 27, 2002: Vice President Hu Jintao arrives in Honolulu on a week-long visit to the United States that included stops in New York, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.

May 1, 2002: Hu meets with President Bush in the Oval Office.

May 7, 2002: President Jiang meets with former U.S. President George H.W. Bush and his wife in Shanghai.

May 9, 2002: The U.S. imposes two-year economic sanctions on 14 companies, including eight Chinese firms, for selling weapons-related goods to Iran.

May 10, 2002: The U.S. House of Representatives approves the “Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal 2003.” The bill carries provisions on U.S.-Taiwan joint military training and on strengthening U.S.-Taiwan high-level military personnel exchanges.

May 10-22, 2002: National War College China Field Study delegation visits Beijing, Urumqi, and Kunming.

May 14, 2002: Taiwan loses its sixth successive bid for observer status to the WHO.

May 16, 2002: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell briefs Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan on the U.S.-Russian nuclear arms agreement via telephone. The two officials also discuss Sino-U.S. relations and the Indo-Pakistani situation.

May 20, 2002: Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Ks.) and Ted Kennedy (D-Ma.) submit Senate Concurrent Resolution 114 calling upon China to immediately release certain refugees from North Korea on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with international law.

May 26, 2002: FM Tang speaks with Secretary Powell by phone to exchange views on the Indo-Pakistani situation.

May 29, 2002: Congressional delegation led by Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) arrives in Beijing and meets with Jiang.

May 29-31, 2002: In the first of a series of semi-annual meetings planned to deal with the issue of terrorist financing, experts from China and the U.S. meet at the Department of the Treasury in Washington, D.C. to exchange views on how to prevent and combat the financing of terrorism.

June 4, 2002: Senate passes by unanimous consent an amended version of Senate Resolution 252 calling upon China to release the Panchen Lama and talk with the Dalai Lama about the future of Tibet.

June 4-13, 2002: At the invitation of the U.S.-China Inter-Parliamentary Exchange Group, a Chinese National People’s Congress delegation headed by Zeng Jianhui, chairman of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee, visits the United States. The Chinese delegation meets with House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-K.) and Henry J. Hyde (R-Il.), chairman of the House International Relations Committee.

June 6, 2002: U.S. Deputy Trade Representative Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. and Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Grant D. Aldonas testify to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

June 13, 2002: House lawmakers pass a resolution 406-0 calling on the PRC to treat DPRK asylum seekers humanely and halt the forced repatriation of North Koreans who face a well-founded fear of persecution if they are returned to North Korea.

June 20, 2002: Members of the U.S. Senate follow the House of Representatives unanimously in calling for a resolution urging the PRC government to allow safe passage for DPRK refugees and to cease repatriating them.

June 20-21, 2002: U.S. and Chinese delegations meet in Washington, D.C. for bi-annual bilateral consultations between the two countries on counterterrorism.

June 24-25, 2002: Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Washington for consultations with U.S. officials at the Department of State and the National Security Council.

June 25-27, 2002: Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman stops in Beijing after visiting Tokyo and Seoul for consultations with Chinese officials on U.S.-Chinese military relations.

June 26, 2002: Zhou Mingwei, deputy head of China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, arrives in Washington, D.C. for discussions on Taiwan with U.S. officials, lawmakers, and scholars.

July 12, 2002: The Department of Defense issues 2002 Annual Report on the Military Power of the People’s Republic of China to Congress.

July 15, 2002: The U.S.-China Security Review Commission, a 12-member bipartisan commission created by Congress to “monitor, investigate, and report to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China” releases its first annual report.

July 17, 2002: An eight-member team from the U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii arrives in China on the first mission allowed by the PRC to search for the remains of U.S. soldiers who went missing in action during the Cold War.

July 19, 2002: State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher confirms a U.S. decision to impose two-year sanctions under the Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992 on eight Chinese companies for selling destabilizing arms and germ-weapons materials to Iran between September 2000 and October 2001.

July 22, 2002: The Department of State announces that the U.S. decided to stop a scheduled $34 million U.S. contribution to the United Nations Population Program (UNFPA), shifting the money instead to its bilateral population programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

July 24, 2002: By a 420-0 vote, the House of Representatives passes a resolution calling on China to stop persecuting Falun Gong practitioners.

July 28-30, 2002: Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman visits Beijing for discussions with her counterpart Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin on bilateral agricultural trade issues and a U.S. proposal to the World Trade Organization to phase out agricultural subsidies and tariffs.

July 31, 2002: Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell hold talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting in Brunei.

July 31, 2002: A delegation of general officers from the U.S. National Defense University headed by Gen. Robert Sennewald arrives in China.

Aug. 2, 2002: President Bush signs the “U.S. 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act,” which includes provisions relating to Taiwan. The following day the Chinese issue a demarche.

Aug. 3, 2002: Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian raises the possibility of a referendum on independence and makes “one country on each side of the Taiwan Strait” comment.

Aug. 6-8, 2002: U.S. and Chinese officials gather in Hawaii for the first meeting of the military maritime and air safety working group for 2002-2003 under the China-U.S. Military Maritime Safety Consultation Mechanism.

Aug. 8-9, 2002: China issues two protests over a visit to the U.S. by Taiwan’s Premier Yu Shyi-kun and U.S. discussions with Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council.

Aug. 23, 2002: The United States’ largest aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from Japan for a routine port visit for 3-4 days.

Aug. 25, 2002: China issues new regulations to control the export of missile technology.

Aug. 25, 2002: China’s announces that the 16th Party Congress will be held Nov. 8.

Aug. 26, 2002: Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visits Beijing to make preparations for the Oct. 25 summit meeting between Presidents George Bush and Jiang Zemin. He tells Chinese officials that the U.S. has added a Uighur minority separatist group to its list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.

Sept. 6, 2002: President Bush phones President Jiang, as well as other U.N. Security Council members, to discuss Iraq.

Sept. 9, 2002: The 15th session of the China-U.S. Joint Economic Committee concludes in Washington, D.C. with a joint statement in which the two countries “pledged to reinvigorate efforts to combat the financing of terrorism and money laundering.”

Sept. 11, 2002: Secretary of State Powell and Chinese FM Tang meet while attending the 57th session of the General Assembly of the UN in New York.

Sept. 11, 2002: In response to a request from the United States, along with China, Afghanistan, and Kyrgyzstan, a UN sanctions committee designates the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as a financier of terrorism, requiring member states to freeze the group’s assets and deny entry to its members.

Sept. 20, 2002: Washington releases The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, which addresses need for preemption against WMD threat.

Sept. 20, 2002: China releases its most prominent advocate for AIDS patients, Dr. Wan Yanhai, after nearly a month’s detention by its state security apparatus.

Sept. 23, 2002: A delegation led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jon Huntsman arrives in Beijing to discuss WTO trade issues.

Sept. 23-26, 2002: PRC Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhou Wenzhong visits Washington D.C. for talks with U.S. officials in preparation for the Oct. 25 Crawford summit.

Sept. 26, 2002: A Chinese government spokeswoman complains that a U.S. naval ship – the U.S.N.S. Bowditch, an oceanographic research vessel – had violated international law by operating inside China’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

September 30, 2002: President Bush signs into law the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003, which contains language favoring closer security ties between the United States and Taiwan.

Oct. 2, 2002: The Congressional Executive Commission on China releases its annual report on human rights and the rule of law in China.

Oct. 7, 2002: The Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor releases the 2002 Report on International Religious Freedom. The Chinese government is criticized for harassing and repressing unregistered religious groups and mistreating Falungong adherents.

Oct. 10, 2002: U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Paul Gaffney, president of the U.S. National Defense University, heading a delegation of seven officers and academics from NDU, meets Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian during a tour of Beijing, Xian, Hangzhou, and Shanghai.

Oct. 14, 2002: The China-U.S. Symposium on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Law Enforcement opens in Wuhan. The symposium is sponsored by the State IPR Bureau in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Commission of Patents and Trademarks.

Oct. 17, 2002: China issues new export control regulations governing the export of Dual-Use Biological Agents and Related Equipment and Technologies.

Oct. 18, 2002: U.S. Under Secretary of State John Bolton and Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly hold consultations with counterparts in Beijing on North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Oct. 18, 2002: U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is interviewed by Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV on the eve of President Jiang Zemin’s arrival in the United States.

Oct. 18, 2002: A symposium of Chinese and American World War II veterans is held in Washington, D.C.

Oct. 19, 2002: Beijing issues new regulations entitled “Administrative Rules on the Export Control of Relevant Chemicals and Related Equipment and Technologies.”

Oct. 20, 2002: China issues new regulations governing the export of military equipment, special production facilities, and materials, technologies, and services for military purposes.

Oct. 21, 2002: U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans and Chinese State Development Planning Commission Minister Zeng Peiyan witness the signing of Sino-U.S. commercial cooperative agreements in New York City on projects in petrochemicals, telecommunications, energy, and other sectors.

Oct. 22, 2002: President Jiang arrives in the United States for a four-day visit to Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Texas.

Oct. 22-24, 2002: U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft visits China for talks with PRC officials on law enforcement in the war on terror and announces the opening of an FBI liaison office in Beijing.

Oct. 24, 2002: A State Department spokesman announces that the next round of the China Human Rights Dialogue will be held the week of Dec. 16.

Oct. 25, 2002: President Jiang Zemin visits President Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, marking the third summit between the two leaders. They hold a joint press conference following their talks.

Oct. 29-30, 2002: The First Sino-U.S. Narcotics Control Strategic Intelligence Sharing Conference is held in accordance with agreements China and the United States reached at a meeting on law enforcement cooperation in Washington, D.C. during March 2002.
Nov. 8, 2002: China votes in favor of U.S.-backed resolution demanding unfettered access for UN inspectors in Iraq.

Nov. 12, 2002: Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly makes his second trip to China in a month for consultations on matters related to the Korean Peninsula as well as other regional and bilateral issues.

Nov. 14, 2002: Liu Jieyi, director general of the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivers the luncheon keynote address at the Carnegie International Non-Proliferation Conference in Washington, D.C.

Nov. 15, 2002: The U.S. congratulates Hu Jintao on becoming Chinese Communist Party general secretary and declares that it looks forward to working with the new leadership in Beijing.

Nov. 16, 2002: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman “resolutely objects” to the Taiwan-related provisions in the U.S. defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2003, claiming that they “wantonly interfere in the PRC’s internal affairs.”

Nov. 21, 2002: U.S. Secretary of State Powell briefs Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan by phone on the situation in Iraq.

Nov. 22, 2002: The USS Constellation aircraft carrier and six other warships in its battle group arrive in Hong Kong for a routine port call.

Nov. 24, 2002: The USS Paul F. Foster makes a port call at China’s northern port city of Qingdao, the first visit by a U.S. ship to a mainland China port since the collision between a U.S. Navy EP-3 surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter on April 1, 2001.

Nov. 25, 2002: China declines to join the International Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC), an international pact to prevent proliferation of ballistic missiles adopted by 85 nations at an international conference in The Hague.

Nov. 29, 2002: A Capstone Delegation of the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University leaves to visit U.S. forces and military universities.
Nov. 29, 2002: The U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk and its two support ships arrive in Hong Kong for a routine port call.

Dec. 4-6, 2002: The second meeting of the China-U.S. Military Maritime-Air Safety working group is held in Qingdao within the framework of the Military Maritime Consultation Agreement.

Dec. 7, 2002: Long Yongtu, Chinese vice minister of foreign trade and economic cooperation, visits Washington, D.C.

Dec. 9-10, 2002: Senior level U.S.-China defense talks resume with the convening of the fifth Defense Consultative Talks in Washington, D.C. Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Gen. Xiong Guangkai conducts the DCT with Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith.

Dec. 10, 2002: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman and Minister of Science and Technology Xu Guanhua sign a Protocol on Cooperation in Agricultural Science and Technology. The protocol expands current areas of cooperation between the United States and China and encourages further cooperation in the areas of agricultural biology and the agricultural environment.

Dec. 11, 2002: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative releases the 2002 Report to Congress on China’s WTO Compliance.

Dec. 11, 2002: U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans and Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Xu Guanhua sign a Protocol Agreement on Cooperation in Civilian Industrial Technology and Scientific and Technical Information Policy. The agreement will create new opportunities for technology-based entities by facilitating technology partnerships between the United States and China.

Dec. 11, 2002: Deputy Under Secretary of State Richard Armitage arrives in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials on Iraq as part of a four-nation Asia tour.

Dec. 12-17, 2002: Commander, U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Fargo visits Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Ningbo.

Dec. 16-17, 2002: China and the United States hold the 13th Sino-U.S. dialogue on human rights in Beijing. The last round took place in Washington, D.C. in Oct. 2001. The delegation also visits the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Dec. 21, 2002: Secretary of State Powell calls Chinese Foreign Minister Tang as well as his counterparts in South Korea, Russia, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and IAEA, to discuss the pending crisis on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea moves to dismantle surveillance gear and restart its nuclear reactors.

Dec. 24, 2002: China releases Xu Wenli, its most prominent pro-democracy prisoner, sending him to exile and medical treatment in the United States.

Jan. 6, 2003: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopts resolution on North Korean cooperation and compliance.

Jan. 7, 2003: The CIA issues a report on weapons proliferation trends covering July 1-Dec. 31, 2001 that cites China as a key supplier of various technologies and weapons expertise.

Jan. 7, 2003: U.S, South Korea, and Japan hold Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG) meeting.

Jan. 9, 2003: Secretary of State Colin Powell talks to Chinese FM Tang Jiaxuan by phone about North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Jan. 10, 2003: President George W. Bush talks by phone with Chinese President Jiang Zemin following North Korea’s announcement it is withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Jan. 10, 2003: North Korea announces it is withdrawing from Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), South Korean Foreign Ministry calls on North Korea to cancel its decision.

Jan. 11, 2003: South Korea and Russia jointly urge North Korea not to withdraw from NPT.

Jan. 12-14, 2003: U.S. Asst. Secretary of State James Kelly meets President-elect Roh Moo-hyun and begins consultations with ROK officials on North Korean nuclear issue.

Jan. 14-16, 2003: The third meeting of the U.S.-China Working Group on Climate Change is held in Beijing.

Jan. 14-16, 2003: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly visits Beijing from Seoul to discuss the impasse over North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs.

Jan. 16, 2003: President Jiang meets a delegation from the U.S.-China Interparliamentary Exchange of the U.S. House of Representatives led by Don Manzullo.

Jan. 16, 2003: South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-hyun urges U.S. to open talks with North Korea on peaceful resolution of nuclear issue.

Jan. 17, 2003: Charles Kartman says construction of Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) project still going forward; Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage says U.S. has no hostile intent toward North Korea.

Jan. 18, 2003: Ambassador Thomas Hubbard says U.S. will aid North Korea if it abandons nuclear program.

Jan. 19, 2003: On the eve of an antiterrorism meeting of foreign ministers sponsored by the United Nations Security Council, China’s FM Tang meets Secretary Powell.

Jan. 20, 2003: Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya and Under Secretary of State John Bolton hold the first round of China-U.S. vice-foreign-ministerial-level consultations on strategic security, multilateral arms control, and counterproliferation in Beijing.

Jan. 22, 2003: Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs John Bolton says U.S. expects North Korea nuclear issue will be referred to UN Security Council.

Jan. 24, 2003: In statement concluding inter-Korean talks, South and North Korea agree nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully.

Jan. 25, 2003: At World Economic Forum, U.S. and South Korean officials exchange proposals on multilateral framework for addressing nuclear issue with North Korea.

Feb. 3, 2003: North Korea says it is prepared to counter “U.S. plans to invade amid a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula.”

Feb. 4, 2003: FM Tang meets Secretary Powell in New York as both attend a UNSC meeting.

Feb. 5, 2003: Joint U.S.-ROK panel gives Korean prosecutors greater rights to question U.S. soldiers for off-duty alleged crimes.

Feb. 7, 2003: President Bush phones President Jiang to urge him to do more to help resolve the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Feb. 11, 2003: Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet delivers the “The Worldwide Threat in 2003: Evolving Dangers in a Complex World,” which contains a section on China.

Feb. 11, 2003: Director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff Richard Haass holds talks with Chinese counterparts on a broad range of international security issues.

Feb. 11, 2003: North and South Korean officials discuss inter-Korean economic issues in Seoul.

Feb. 12, 2003: USTR Robert B. Zoellick stops in Beijing as part of a multi-nation tour to promote strategic dialogue on trade liberalization and global development.

Feb. 12, 2003: China, a member of the IAEA Board of Governors, votes to refer the North Korean nuclear issue to the UN Security Council.

Feb. 12, 2003: The IAEA declares the DPRK in breach of its nuclear nonproliferation commitments and refers the matter to the Security Council.

Feb. 13, 2003: North Korea says it has the ability to strike U.S. military targets anywhere in the world. President-elect Roh says he will strive to prevent new Korean war even if it means disagreement with the U.S.

Feb. 17-20, 2003: Robert Zoellick, the United States trade representative, travels to Beijing, Chongqing, and Shenzhen to discuss issues in U.S.-Chinese trade.

Feb. 17, 2003: North Korea announces it will build four more nuclear power plants, each bigger than Yongbyon.

Feb. 18, 2003: Four Chinese intellectuals hand petition (signed by 906 scholars and students) to U.S. Embassy officials in Beijing opposing the war in Iraq.

Feb. 18-19, 2003: Ambassador J. Cofer Black, director of the State Department’s anti-terrorism office, visits Beijing to conduct the third China-U.S. antiterrorism consultation and the second consultation on financial antiterrorism.

Feb. 18, 2003: Ambassador Hubbard foresees possibility for new “division of roles” between U.S. and ROK military forces in future realignment; North Korea threatens to abandon 1953 Armistice that ended Korean War.

Feb. 20, 2003: North Korean MiG-19 fighter penetrates South Korean airspace, turning back before being intercepted. Incoming National Security Advisor Ra Jong-il meets with North Korean official in Beijing, urging inter-Korean summit meeting.

Feb. 21, 2003: Ambassador Hubbard says U.S. is reviewing consolidation of military bases in Korea, including relocation of Yongsan army base in downtown Seoul.

Feb. 24, 2003: Secretary Powell holds talks in Beijing with Chinese leaders.

Feb. 24, 2003: Secretary Powell holds a press conference in Beijing after talks with Chinese leaders; participants include China Youth Daily, USA Today, CCTV, CNN, and 21^st Century World Herald.

Feb. 24, 2003: Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, meets with a delegation of officers from the U.S. National Defense University Capstone Program.

Feb. 24, 2003: North Korea tests antiship missile, one day prior to President Roh’s inauguration.

Feb. 25, 2003: State Department issues annual report on human rights. It concludes that although legal reforms in China continued in 2003, “there was backsliding on key human rights issues during the year, including arrests of individuals discussing sensitive subjects on the Internet, health activists, labor protesters, defense lawyers, journalists, house church members, and others seeking to take advantage of the space created by reforms.”

Feb. 25, 2003: Roh Moo-hyun is inaugurated as president of the Republic of Korea. Secretary of State Colin Powell leads U.S. delegation, says U.S. will resume food aid to North Korea.

Feb. 26, 2003: U.S. Customs Service Deputy Commissioner Douglas Browning speaks at Terminal Operations Conference 2003 in Hong Kong entitled “Pushing Security Borders Back to Origin.”

Feb. 27, 2003: U.S. reports that North Korea has restarted its 5-megawatt Yongbyon reactor.

March 2, 2003: DPRK fighter intercept and shadow a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane over the Sea of Japan about 150 miles off the DPRK coast.

March 4, 2003: Operation “Foal Eagle” begins for Combined Forces Command, testing force deployment, protection, command and control between U.S. and ROK forces; Defense Secretary Rumsfeld deploys 24 long-range bombers to Guam, within range of North Korea.

March 5, 2003: The 10th National People’s Congress (NPC) opens in Beijing, China.

March 5, 2003: Two top U.S. aerospace companies, Hughes Electronics Corporation, a unit of General Motors, and Boeing Satellite Systems, agree to pay a record $32 million in fines to settle civil charges that they unlawfully transferred rocket and satellite data to China in the 1990s.

March 6, 2003: ROK Prime Minister Goh Kun calls for U.S. forces to remain in Korea for deterrent purposes.

March 7, 2003: FM Tang meets with Secretary Powell on the sidelines of the UNSC meeting on Iraq.

March 7, 2003: ROK Defense Ministry formally protests North’s interception of U.S. reconnaissance plane.

March 8, 2003: North Korea rejects U.S. proposal of multilateral talks, insisting on direct negotiations.

March 10, 2003: Presidents Bush and Jiang have a scheduled phone conversation on the subjects of North Korea and Iraq.

March 10, 2003: North Korea conducts second test launch of antiship missile.

March 11, 2003: The House of Representatives unanimously passes a bill authorizing the U.S. to seek observer status for Taiwan at the World Health Organization.

March 11, 2003: The U.S. announces it will send up to six radar-avoiding F-117A “stealth” warplanes to South Korea for “Foal Eagle” exercise.

March 13, 2003: President Bush thanks President Roh for South Korean support on Iraq. Nuclear carrier USS Vinson arrives in Pusan to participate in military exercises.

March 16, 2003: At the conclusion of the annual session of the NPC President Jiang steps down and Hu Jintao, current party secretary, is named as his successor.

March 17, 2003: Newly appointed Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing confers by phone with Secretary Powell on Iraq.

March 18, 2003: President Bush phones Hu to congratulate him on his election as Chinese president and discusses Iraq, North Korea, and China-U.S. relations.

March 18, 2003: KPA turns down UN Command offer of general officer-level talks to explain current joint military exercises in South Korea; U.S. Secretary Powell rejects North Korean demand for direct talks in lieu of multilateral framework; Pentagon announces U.S. and South Korea will develop a realignment blueprint by Sept. 2003.

March 19, 2003: The China-U.S. Metropolis Green Environment Seminar convenes in Beijing to discuss construction of green metropolises.

March 20, 2003: Secretary Powell phones State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan who relates China’s position that military actions against Iraq should avoid civilian casualties and calls for an immediate halt to U.S. military operations in Iraq.

March 20, 2003: Ambassador Hubbard says U.S. will meet directly with North Korea in a multilateral setting.

March 21, 2003: Charles Li, a U.S. citizen, is sentenced to three years in prison and deportation by a Chinese court after being convicted of sabotaging broadcast facilities in connection with the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement.

March 26, 2003: South Korean Foreign Minister Yoon Yang-kwan meets with Secretary Powell in Washington.

March 28, 2003: China provides an exit visa to Tibet’s longest-serving female political prisoner, Ngawang Sangdrol, permitting her to seek medical treatment in the U.S.

March 29, 2003: Jerry D. Jennings, deputy assistant security of defense for POW and missing personnel affairs, concludes visit to China during which specialists discuss cooperation in resolving POW and MIA cases. The team explored options for gaining information from Chinese archival materials at the national and provincial levels.

July 1, 2003: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in Washington D.C. for discussions with U.S. counterparts that focus largely on the North Korea nuclear weapons issue.

July 2, 2003: China and Russia block a U.S.-proposed statement condemning North Korea for reviving its nuclear weapons program in a meeting of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members.

July 3, 2003: The Bush administration imposes economic sanctions on five Chinese firms and a North Korean company that it said had made shipments to Iran that had “the potential to make a material contribution to weapons of mass destruction or missiles.” One of the companies charged is the China North Industries Corporation, Norinco, a major supplier to the Chinese military that does billions of dollars of business.

July 4, 2003: China strongly protests the U.S. imposition of sanctions on five Chinese firms for arms sales to Iran.

July 15, 2003: Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Randall
Schriver tells Radio Free Asia that Beijing has failed to fulfill its promises on four specific human rights issues that it made to the U.S., which formed the basis of the U.S. decision to not introduce a resolution condemning China at the UN Human Rights Commission this year.

July 15, 2003: House of Representatives unanimously approves a sweeping measure that calls on China to dismantle its missiles aimed at Taiwan, urges U.S. President George W. Bush to approve the sale of the Aegis battle management system to Taipei, and directs Bush to seek from China an immediate renunciation of the use of force against Taiwan. The bill is approved as an amendment to the State Department Authorization bill that funds State Department programs for fiscal 2004.

July 16, 2003: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Secretary of State Colin Powell discuss North Korea via phone.

July 17, 2003: Chinese Vice Minister Dai Bingguo arrives in Washington D.C. to brief U.S. officials on his four-day visit to Pyongyang, where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

July 21, 2003: State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin and his deputy Zhou Mingwei visit Washington, D.C.

July 23, 2003: The U.S. launches antidumping investigation against four Chinese companies following a determination by the U.S. International Trade Commission in June that the U.S. television industry had been materially harmed by low priced imports of certain color televisions from China and Malaysia.

July 24, 2003: Paula DeSutter, assistant secretary of state for verification and compliance, testifies to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review that China has failed to fulfill its nonproliferation promises and continues to export banned weapons. She calls for China to tighten its controls over missile proliferation.

July 28, 2003: John Bolton, under secretary of state for arms control and International Security, visits Beijing for the second round of China-U.S. security talks that focus on nonproliferation, arms control, and the DPRK nuclear issue. He meets with Vice Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Zhang Yesui, and FM Li.

July 29, 2003: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner signs a declaration of principles with his Chinese counterpart, Mou Xinsheng, formalizing China’s agreement to participate in the Containment Security Initiative.

July 30, 2003: President Bush speaks by telephone to President Hu Jintao and discusses SARS and the North Korea nuclear weapons issue. Bush encourages Hu “to stay involved in the process of discussion” with DPRK leader Kim Jong-il.

July 30, 2003: The Federal Register reports that the U.S. imposed sanctions on the China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation for alleged missile technology proliferation.

July 30, 2003: Department of Defense releases its annual report to Congress on China’s military power.

Aug. 3, 2003: The Chinese edition of Hilary Clinton’s autobiography, Living History, released in China with unauthorized changes removing commentary viewed as offensive to the Chinese government.

Aug. 7, 2003: The U.S. Trade and Development Agency announces a $585,250 grant to China’s customs agency to partially fund a feasibility study on modernizing Chinese port operations and training Chinese port personnel on World Trade Organization (WTO) trading norms, fraud prevention practices, customs management, and international trade coordination.

Aug. 13, 2003: At the Asia Society Forum in Sydney, Australia, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage states that the U.S. is “absolutely delighted with the state of our relations with People’s Republic of China and the direction we’re going.”

Aug. 21, 2003: The Washington Post reports that Assistant Secretary of State Lorne Craner says in a phone interview that China has not lived up to human rights commitments made to the U.S. in December 2002.

Aug. 29, 2003: FM Li and Secretary Powell exchange views over the phone on the six-party talks.

Sept. 3-4, 2003: Treasury Secretary John W. Snow visits China and pressures Beijing to allow its currency to trade freely on international markets.

Sept. 4, 2003: In an interview with CNBC, President Bush says “China’s currency policy was unfair and Washington would “deal with it accordingly.”

Sept. 5, 2003: A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduces legislation that would impose an across-the-board tariff on Chinese imports if China does not increase the value of its currency relative to the U.S. dollar.

Sept. 5, 2003: Secretary Powell delivers a foreign policy address at George Washington University in which he characterized U.S.-China relations as the best they have been since President Richard Nixon’s visit to Beijing in 1972.

Sept. 8, 2003: By unanimous consent, the U.S. Senate passes a resolution honoring Tibet’s Dalai Lama and welcoming him to the U.S.

Sept. 8, 2003: President Hu meets with former President Jimmy Carter and his wife at the Great Hall of the People.

Sept. 11, 2003: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds hearings on China-U.S. relations.

Sept. 11, 2003: Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama meets with President Bush during his 20-day visit to the U.S.

Sept. 15, 2003: President Bush submits to Congress the “World Major Narcotics Producing and Trafficking Countries Annual Report.” China was included for the eighth successive time since the State Department began writing this annual report in 1996.

Sept. 15, 2003: Speaking to the Detroit Economic Club in Michigan, Commerce Secretary Don Evans says the Bush administration views China as falling short in meeting its trade commitments.

Sept. 16, 2003: At the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna, Austria, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority Zhang Huazhu sign a Statement of Intent covering the process for determining what nuclear technologies require government-to-government nonproliferation assurances and procedures for exchanging the assurances.

Sept. 17-18, 2003: The commerce departments of the United States and China co-host the “China-US Export Control Seminar” in Shanghai. The purpose of this seminar is to educate Chinese and U.S. businesses about export control policies, regulations, and practices of both countries.

Sept. 19, 2003: The U.S. imposes another round of sanctions on Norinco as well as on the Chinese government for allegedly selling advanced missile technology to an unnamed country.

Sept. 22, 2003: FM Li meets with President Bush on his two‑day visit to Washington, D.C. Li subsequently visits New York to attend the 58th session of the UN General Assembly.

Sept. 22, 2003: The China Institute of Contemporary International Relations and the U.S. embassy in China co-sponsor a one-day seminar in Beijing to discuss security for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Sept. 22, 2003: The USS Cowpens, a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided-missile cruiser, and a missile frigate the USS Vandergrift dock in the port of Zhanjiang, headquarters of the South China Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy, kicking off their five-day goodwill visit to China.
Sept. 24-25, 2003: The Congressional-Executive Commission on China holds hearings on whether China is playing by the rules regarding free and fair trade and its commitment to comply with WTO requirements.

Oct. 2, 2003: Congressional Executive Commission on China releases its annual report.

Oct. 3, 2003: The Senate passes a resolution calling on China to release immediately and unconditionally Rebiya Kadeer, a prominent businesswoman from China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Oct. 9, 2003: President Hu Jintao meets former U.S. President George Bush in Beijing.

Oct. 12, 2003: Chinese FM Li Zhaoxing exchanges views with Secretary of State Powell by phone on bilateral ties, North Korea, and Iraq.

Oct. 15, 2003: The Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou 5, carrying astronaut Lt. Col. Yang Liwei, blasts off from the Gobi Desert, orbits the Earth 14 times, and returns safely after a voyage of roughly 21 hours.

Oct. 19, 2003: President Bush sends Hu a letter congratulating China on the successful completion of its first manned space mission.

Oct. 19-21, 2003: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick travels to Beijing and Shenyang to discuss China’s implementation of WTO commitments and the important role China plays in the regional and global economy.

Oct. 20, 2003: FM Li meets with Secretary Powell prior to the APEC forum meeting in Bangkok. The two sides agree to step up cooperation in all areas, including counterterrorism, and to increase bilateral trade.

Oct. 20, 2003: Secretary of Health Tommy Thompson meets his Chinese counterpart and announces the opening of an HIV-AIDS office to be run by officials from the U.S. Center for Disease Control.

Oct. 21, 2003: Presidents Bush and Hu meet on the sidelines of the 11th APEC forum meeting in Bangkok.

Oct. 22, 2003: Two PLA Navy ships arrive in Guam for a four-day goodwill visit. The fleet is commanded by Rear Adm. Xue Tianpei, deputy commander of the PLAN South Sea Fleet, and marks the first visit by the PLAN to the U.S. territory in the Pacific.

Oct. 26, 2003: Commerce Secretary Donald Evans arrives in China for a four-day visit. After traveling to Xian, he ends his visit in Beijing, where he meets with Chinese leaders and delivers a speech at the American Chamber of Commerce urging China to open its markets to U.S. companies and implement its WTO obligations.

Oct. 27, 2003: China deports a Chinese-born American who had been convicted of obtaining state secrets two years before his prison sentence expires. Fong Fuming, 68, a business consultant from West Orange, N.J., had been on a list of 13 prisoners that the United States government identified to China as priority cases.

Oct. 28-29, 2003: Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan meets separately with Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Powell, and NSC Adviser Condoleezza Rice, with the latter meeting including a five-minute drop-by by President Bush. Cao also visits the Pacific Command and West Point Military Academy during his trip.

Nov. 4, 2003: Alan Larson, U.S. under secretary of state for economic, business, and agricultural affairs, heads a delegation to Beijing to attend an economic development and reform dialogue between the Chinese State Development and Reform Commission and the U.S. State Department.

Nov. 4, 2003: Chinese Ministry of Labor and Social Security and U.S. Department of Labor sign an agreement on a labor law project. The two sides will carry out technical cooperation in labor legislation, law execution, labor law education, industry relations, and labor legal aid.

Nov. 4, 2003: FM Li and Secretary Powell talk by phone and reportedly agree to actively implement the consensus reached by their presidents in Bangkok to strengthen the China-U.S. relationship.

Nov. 5, 2003: Secretary Powell delivers a speech on China-U.S. relations at a conference at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. Former Vice Premier Qian Qichen also attends the conference.

Nov. 6, 2003: Secretary of Commerce Evans says in remarks to the Minnesota and St. Paul Chambers of Commerce that the Bush administration opposes congressional proposals to repeal China’s normal trade relations status and to impose a 27.5 percent tariff on Chinese exports to the United States.

Nov. 7, 2003: After accompanying National People’s Congress Chairman Wu Bangguo to Pyongyang, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Washington to discuss the North Korea nuclear weapons issue.

Nov. 13, 2003: China signs deals with U.S. companies to purchase 30 Boeing 737 planes and 4,500 U.S. made cars.

Nov. 15, 2003: Deputy USTR Josette Sheeran Shiner leads two U.S. delegations to China to discuss intellectual property rights protection and China’s implementation of its WTO commitments.

Nov. 17, 2003: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) votes to invoke safeguard relief on knit fabric, dressing gowns and robes, and bras imported from China following petitions filed by the U.S. textile industry.

Nov. 19, 2003: Vice FM Zhou Wenzhong summons U.S. Ambassador Clark Randt to express concerns over the U.S. decision on imposing quotas on three types of textile products it imports from China.

Nov. 19, 2003: Vice FM Wang Yi meets James Kelly, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, in Beijing to discuss the possibility of holding another round of six-party talks.

Nov. 20, 2003: Ambassador Randt is summoned for a second time following Washington’s decision to slap import quotas on PRC textile products, state press said. Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong warns Randt that U.S. import quotas on textile products would negatively impact PRC-U.S. trade and harm U.S. domestic interests.

Nov. 20, 2003: Randall Schriver, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, holds a press conference on U.S.-Taiwan-China issues.

Nov. 21, 2003: The Washington Post publishes an interview with Wen Jiabao prior to his departure for the United States.

Nov. 21, 2003: China delays the departure of an official trade delegation to the U.S. to buy agricultural products.

Nov. 24, 2003: The U.S. imposes dumping duties on color TVs imported from China.

Nov. 26, 2003: Gao Zhan, former researcher and human rights activist, pleads guilty of exporting sensitive technology to China and tax fraud. Gao faces up to 13 years in prison and will be sentence on March 5, 2004.

Dec. 2, 2003: China’s State Council Information Office publishes a white paper entitled “China’s Non-Proliferation Policy and Measures.”

Dec. 4, 2003: The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) votes unanimously to impose antidumping duties on imports of malleable pipe fittings from China. President Bush must make the final decision on whether to accept the USITC recommendation.

Dec. 5, 2003: Chinese FM Li calls Secretary Powell to exchange views on Taiwan and the North Korean nuclear issue, according to a Xinhua report.

Dec. 8-10, 2003: Premier Wen visits New York, Washington, and Boston.

Dec. 9, 2003: Yang Jiechi, China’s ambassador to the U.S., and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia de Stacy Harrison sign an executive plan agreeing on cultural exchanges from 2004 through 2006.

Dec. 9, 2003: U.S. and China sign a five-year bilateral maritime agreement that gives U.S. registered shipping companies the legal flexibility to perform an extensive range of new business activities in China.

Dec. 9, 2003: President Bush meets with Premier Wen in the Oval Office and declares that he “opposes comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan” that “indicate that he may be willing to unilaterally change the status quo, which we oppose.”

Dec. 11, 2003: Commerce Department initiates an antidumping investigation on imports of wooden bedroom furniture from China.

Dec. 15, 2003: FM Li and Secretary Powell hold a phone conversation in which they discuss Wen’s successful visit to the United States, developments in Iraq, and efforts to convene another round of six-party talks to resolve the North Korea nuclear weapons issue.

Dec. 15, 2003: USITC determines that imports of certain ductile iron waterworks fittings from China are hurting U.S. producers. The commission will recommend remedies under which domestic producers can obtain relief.

Dec. 18, 2003: Newly appointed U.S. State Department special envoy on Korean Affairs Joseph R. De Trani arrives in Beijing for a visit.

Dec. 19, 2003: In an annual report to Congress, the USTR accuses China of dragging its feet on implementing its international trade commitments, saying the PRC “lost a significant amount of momentum” in 2003.

Dec. 21, 2003: President Hu tells President Bush in a late night phone call that he appreciated the U.S. reaffirmation of the “one China” policy and opposition to “the words and actions of Taiwan authorities aimed at altering Taiwan’s status.”

Dec. 22, 2003: A Chinese purchasing mission signed contracts with U.S. companies totaling $320 million on importing aluminum from the United States. The mission also signed contracts totaling more than $500 million on importing fertilizers.

Dec. 29, 2003: Special envoy James Baker arrives in Beijing to discuss with Chinese leaders the possibility of Beijing reducing or canceling the debts owed to China by Iraq.

Jan. 2-3, 2004: Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Sheng Huaren meets with Ted Stevens, President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Sen. Daniel Inouye in Hawaii and signs a MOU to establish an NPC-Senate Parliamentary Group.

Jan. 12, 2004: During a three-day visit to China by Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, he and his counterpart Zhang Huazhu, chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority, sign a Statement of Intent that establishes a process to coordinate joint efforts on nuclear non-proliferation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Jan. 12, 2004: Secretary Abraham with Science and Technology Minister Xu and Beijing’s Vice Mayor Fan sign the Green Olympic Protocol for Beijing’s 2008 Olympic Games.

Jan. 12, 2004: During a three-day visit to China by Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham, he and his counterpart Zhang Huazhu, chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority, sign a Statement of Intent that establishes a process to coordinate joint efforts on nuclear non-proliferation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Jan. 12, 2004: Secretary Abraham with Science and Technology Minister Xu and Beijing’s Vice Mayor Fan sign the Green Olympic Protocol for Beijing’s 2008 Olympic Games.

Jan. 13, 2004: U.S. Department of Agriculture announces the opening of a new agricultural trade office in Beijing.

Jan. 13, 2004: Fu Ying, director of the Asian Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry, and Ning Fukui, newly appointed special ambassador in charge of Korean peninsula affairs, visit Washington D.C. to discuss the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Jan. 13, 2004: U.S. Department of Agriculture announces the opening of a new agricultural trade office in Beijing.

Jan. 13, 2004: Fu Ying, director of the Asian Affairs Department of the Foreign Ministry, and Ning Fukui, newly appointed special ambassador in charge of Korean peninsula affairs, visit Washington D.C. to discuss the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

Jan. 14-15, 2004: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers visits China. Delegation meets senior Chinese military leaders and visits the Beijing Aerospace Control Center.

Jan. 29-30, 2004: Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visits Beijing and meets with Premier Wen Jiabao, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin, and counterparts in the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Feb. 3, 2004: TAO Director Chen arrives in Washington for talks with U.S. officials and experts about Taiwan’s March 20 presidential election and the planned referendum.

Feb. 10, 2004: The sixth round of bilateral Defense Consultative talks are held in Beijing with the U.S. delegation headed by Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith and the Chinese delegation headed by PLA Deputy Chief of the General Staff Xiong Guangkai.

Feb. 16-17, 2004: Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs John Bolton visits China for the third round of China-U.S. consultations on strategic security, multilateral disarmament, and proliferation prevention.

Feb. 21, 2004: Vice FM Wang Yi meets in Beijing with Joseph R. DeTrani, a U.S. State Department special envoy for Korean affairs, to discuss the upcoming six-party talks.

Feb. 23, 2004: FM Li Zhaoxing and Secretary of State Powell talk on the phone on how to secure smooth progress in the second round of six-party talks to be held in Beijing.

Feb. 24-28, 2004: The USS Blue Ridge, command ship of the Seventh Fleet, berths at Shanghai’s Huangpu River for the third time on a five-day visit to the municipality.

Feb. 26, 2004: Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese PLA Xiong Guangkai meets a delegation from the U.S. National Defense University Capstone Program, headed by ret. Gen. Robert Sennewald. The delegation also visited Urumchi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Feb. 26, 2004: China grants one-year sentence reduction and releases Phuntsog Nyidron, a Tibetan Buddhist nun and longest-serving female political prisoner in China. She was imprisoned for campaigning for Tibetan independence and served nearly 15 years.

Feb. 26, 2004: Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese PLA Xiong Guangkai meets a delegation from the U.S. National Defense University Capstone Program, headed by ret. Gen. Robert Sennewald. The delegation also visited Urumchi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Feb. 26, 2004: China grants one-year sentence reduction and releases Phuntsog Nyidron, a Tibetan Buddhist nun and longest-serving female political prisoner in China. She was imprisoned for campaigning for Tibetan independence and served nearly 15 years.

Feb. 27, 2004: FM Li calls Secretary Powell to exchange views on the second round of six-party talks.

Feb. 28, 2004: U.S. and China celebrate 32^nd anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqué.

March 1, 2004: China releases its annual report on the human rights in the United States.

March 2, 2004: China and the U.S. launch a joint project to fight AIDS. The Global AIDS Program, initiated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, promises $15-million U.S. investment.

March 5, 2004: China’s National People’s Congress opens for a 10-day session.

March 5, 2004: China releases from prison Wang Youcai, sentenced to 11 years behind bars for subversion after he and two other dissidents founded the China Democracy Party.

March 5, 2004: China’s National People’s Congress opens for a 10-day session.

March 5, 2004: China releases from prison Wang Youcai, sentenced to 11 years behind bars for subversion after he and two other dissidents founded the China Democracy Party.

March 6, 2004: USS Kitty Hawk strike group makes a ship visit in Hong Kong, revisiting the city more than 15 months since its last visit in November 2002.

March 9-10, 2004: Vice FM Dai Bingguo visits Washington for consultations on Taiwan and North Korea. He delivers a letter from President Hu Jintao to President George Bush.

March 9-11, 2004: Fourth China-U.S. Military Maritime and Air Safety Working Group meeting in Shanghai under the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement mechanism.

March 9-10, 2004: Vice FM Dai Bingguo visits Washington for consultations on Taiwan and North Korea. He delivers a letter from President Hu Jintao to President George Bush.

March 9-11, 2004: Fourth China-U.S. Military Maritime and Air Safety Working Group meeting in Shanghai under the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement mechanism.

March 12, 2004: FM Li talks on the phone with Secretary Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

March 18, 2004: U.S. files case against China at the WTO, charging Beijing with pursuing a discriminatory tax rebate policy for integrated circuits.

March 20, 2004: Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian is re-elected by less than 30,000 votes and the results are disputed by the opposition pan-blue coalition.

March 21, 2004: FM Li phones Secretary Powell and the two discuss Taiwan’s presidential election, among other issues.

March 22, 2004: The U.S. announces its intention to introduce a resolution on China’s human rights practices at the 2004 U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

March 23, 2004: Chinese Foreign Ministry summons U.S. Ambassador Randt to protest U.S. decision to make a human rights motion on China to the UN Human Rights Commission and suspends bilateral dialogue with the U.S. on human rights in retaliation.

March 26, 2004: Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People’s Bank of China, meets with U.S. Treasury Secretary Snow in Washington, DC.

March 26, 2004: U.S. delegation holds discussions with Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai to prepare agenda of the 15th meeting of the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade planned for April.

March 26, 2004: Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People’s Bank of China, meets with U.S. Treasury Secretary Snow in Washington, DC.

March 26, 2004: U.S. delegation holds discussions with Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong and Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai to prepare agenda of the 15th meeting of the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade planned for April.

March 30, 2004: Agence France-Presse reports that China will retaliate against U.S. decision to fingerprint PRC citizens applying for non-immigrant visas by ending the policy of “visa on arrival” for U.S. citizens and by tightening rules for U.S. citizens visiting China.

March 31, 2004: FM Li meets with Secretary Powell in Berlin on the sidelines of the International Conference on Afghanistan to discuss bilateral and international issues.

April 1, 2004: Joseph De Trani, U.S. State Department Special Envoy for the DPRK issue, visits Beijing.

April 1, 2004: The Bush administration imposes sanctions on 13 foreign companies and individuals in seven countries that it says have sold equipment or expertise to Iran that could be used in WMD programs. Included are five Chinese companies.

April 6, 2004: General Administration of Civil Aviation of China and U.S. Trade and Development Agency sign Memorandum of Understanding on aviation cooperation.

April 13, 2004: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick announces a new and expanded Office of China Affairs, covering the PRC, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and Mongolia, and headed by Charles Freeman with the new title of acting assistant U.S. trade representative (AUSTR) for China.

April 13-15, 2004: Vice President Dick Cheney arrives in China for a three-day visit.

April 14, 2004: Treasury Secretary John Snow announces Ambassador Paul Speltz will fill new post as Treasury’s economic emissary to China.

April 15, 2004: 60^th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights votes not to consider a U.S. draft resolution criticizing China’s human rights practices.

April 19-21, 2004: Robert Mueller, FBI head, visits Beijing to open the FBI’s legal attaché office and promote law enforcement cooperation.

April 21, 2004: President Bush meets Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi at the White House.

April 21, 2004: Commerce Secretary Don Evans, USTR Robert Zoellick and Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi chair the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

April 21, 2004: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly delivers testimony on Taiwan to the House International Relations Committee.

April 21, 2004: Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and Chinese Minister for the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine Li Changjiang sign agreement establishing a consultative mechanism on food safety and animal and plant health issues.

April 28, 2004: U.S. turns down requests by labor and industry groups to consider duties on Chinese goods over alleged violations of labor rights and Beijing’s currency policy.

May 10, 2004: China’s special envoy for DPRK issues Ning Fukui arrives in Washington to consult with U.S. in advance of six-party working group meeting in Beijing May 12.

May 10-16, 2004: Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs John Taylor travels to China, Japan, and Korea to discuss global and regional economic issues. Economic emissary Speltz joins him in Beijing.

May 23, 2004: FM Li and Secretary Powell discuss Iraq and Taiwan on the phone.

May 23, 2004: U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Vice Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Guobao sign Memorandum of Understanding to launch the U.S.-China Energy Policy Dialogue.

May 25, 2004: Deputy USTR Josette Shiner leads high-level team to Beijing to press for swift implementation of trade reform commitments by the PRC.

May 28, 2004: China joins the Nuclear Suppliers Group, an unofficial organization of nuclear capable countries exercising control on nuclear exports.

May 29, 2004: President Hu and President Bush discuss Iraq and Taiwan on the phone.

May 29, 2004: Annual DoD report on Chinese military power, required under the FY2000 National Defense Authorization Act, is released.

May 31, 2004: FM Li and Secretary Powell hold a phone conversation to discuss the draft resolution on the Iraq by the UNSC and issues in bilateral relations.

June 3, 2004: Commerce Department concludes that it will retain China’s “nonmarket” status, inviting expected rebuke by Chinese officials.

June 5, 2004: Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai meets with USTR Zoellick at APEC ministerial meeting in Pucon, Chile.

June 7, 2004: FM Li and Secretary Powell hold phone conversation on Iraq and Taiwan.

June 7, 2004: China and U.S. hold fourth antiterrorism consultation in Washington D.C. Li Baodong, director general of the International Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Ambassador Cofer Black, State Department coordinator for counterterrorism, head respective delegations to the consultation.

June 8, 2004: Treasury Secretary Snow praises new memorandum of understanding between China and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to help develop China’s currency derivatives market.

June 9, 2004: State Councilor Zhou Yongkang meets in Beijing with Thomas Collins, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard to discuss cooperation between the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice and State.

June 11, 2004: FM Li attends former President Ronald Reagan’s funeral as a special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao and meets with Secretary Powell.

June 12, 2004: President Bush and VP Cheney meet with Chinese FM Li in Houston.

June 14, 2004: President Bush signs legislation authorizing the secretary of State to initiate a plan to endorse and obtain observer status for Taiwan at the annual summit of the World Health Assembly.

June 15, 2004: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a bipartisan review commission established by Congress in 2000 to assess economic and national implications of the U.S.-China relationship and provide policy recommendations to Congress, releases annual report to the public.

June 18, 2004: Transportation Secretary Mineta announces landmark air services agreement between the U.S. and China promising a substantial expansion of commercial aviation services between the two countries.

June 18, 2004: Department of Commerce imposes preliminary anti-dumping duties of up to nearly 200 percent on $1.2 billion of wooden bedroom furniture imported from the PRC, but said most PRC companies would escape the highest duties.

June 19-24, 2004: Secretary of Commerce Evans visits China.

June 21-24, 2004: Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao visits China and announces a $3.2 million grant for HIV/AIDS workplace education in China. Four letters of understanding are signed to expand cooperation in the areas of pension programs, wage laws, occupational hazards, and worker health.

June 24, 2004: U.S. House of Representatives’ International Relations Committee passes resolution reaffirming Congress’s unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of U.S. relations with Taiwan.

July 2, 2004: Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing meets Secretary of State Colin Powell in Jakarta on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Conference.

July 8-9, 2004: U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice visits Beijing on a trip that also includes Japan and South Korea.

July 8, 2004: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative issues a press release noting that the U.S. and China have agreed on a resolution to their dispute at the World Trade Organization regarding China’s tax refund policy for integrated circuits.

July 15, 2004: U.S. House of Representatives passes a Concurrent Resolution stating “that the United States Government should reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act as the cornerstone of United States relations with Taiwan.”

July 19, 2004: Chinese government releases Jiang Yanyong, the surgeon who exposed China’s SARS coverup and condemned the 1989 crackdown on democracy protesters. He was held in military custody for 45 days.

July 20, 2004: The fifth China-U.S. conference on arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation opens in Beijing.

July 23, 2004: Adm. Thomas Fargo, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, visits China as well as Guam, Mongolia, and Japan.

July 24, 2004: The U.S. and China sign a landmark air services agreement that will more than double the number of airlines that can fly between the two countries and will permit a nearly five-fold increase in U.S.-China air services over the next six years.

July 26, 2004: FM Li and Secretary Powell talk by phone to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, Taiwan, and the alleged beating of a Chinese citizen on July 21.

July 29-30, 2004: U.S. envoy for North Korean nuclear affairs, Joseph DeTrani, visits Beijing.

July 29, 2004: Secretary Powell promises in a letter to his counterpart Li that the U.S. government would thoroughly investigate, according to U.S. laws, the beating case of Zhao Yan by U.S. Customs and Border Protection police.

July 30, 2004: Presidents Bush and Hu Jintao hold a telephone conversation that focuses on U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

Aug. 3, 2004: Ted Stevens, president pre tempore of the U.S. Senate, leads a delegation to China to launch a formal exchange mechanism between China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) and the U.S. Senate.

Aug. 13, 2004: U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce William Lash holds a press conference in China where he commends China’s economic achievements, but condemns continuing copyright priracy.

Aug. 29, 2004: Chinese FM Li and Secretary Powell talk by phone, discussing the issue of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula and Taiwan.

Sept. 9, 2004: USTR rejects a petition filed by the AFL-CIO and organizations from the steel and textile industries requesting an investigation of China’s currency rate policy under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, stating that engagement is more likely to produce progress on this issue.

Sept. 9, 2004: U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce Grant Aldonas attends the Eighth China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Beijing and meets with State Council Vice Premier Wu Yi.

Sept. 13, 2004: U.S. House of Representatives passes a resolution condemning China for having not followed through on pledges of greater democracy set down in the
China-British Joint Declaration of 1984.

Sept. 13-14, 2004: Asst. Secretary of State James Kelly stops in Beijing after holding talks in Tokyo in an attempt to firm up dates for the six-party talks.

Sept. 14, 2004: Under Secretary of Commerce Aldonas visits China.

Sept. 16, 2004: FM Li talks on the phone with Secretary Powell on how to properly handle the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan within the United Nations Security Council. Li also briefs Powell on his recent visit to several Arab states.

Sept. 19, 2004: At the fourth plenary meeting of the 16th CPC Central Committee, Jiang Zemin steps down from his post as chairman of the Central Military Commission and Hu Jintao is appointed CMC chairman.

Sept. 20, 2004: U.S. delays decision on imposing sanctions on China North Industries Corporation, extending the waiver for six months that was granted when sanctions were invoked one year ago. New sanctions are imposed on China’s Xinshidai for weapons proliferation.

Sept. 30, 2004: After attending the UN General Assembly session in New York, FM Li visits Washington D.C. and meets with Secretary Powell.

Sept. 30, 2004: At the invitation of Treasury Secretary John Snow, Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing leads an official delegation to Washington D.C. to co-chair the 16th Session of the U.S.-China Joint Economic Committee. They discuss a range of topics, including macroeconomic policy, financial sector issues, and efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering,

Oct. 1, 2004: China’s central bank president Zhou Xiaochuan and Minister of Finance Jin Renqing join a special meeting of the Group of Seven (G-7) industrialized countries.

Oct. 1, 2004: Department of the Treasury releases a joint statement on the proceedings of the 16^th Session of the U.S.-China Joint Economic Committee held Sept. 30. U.S. and Chinese delegates discussed topics, including macroeconomic policy, financial sector issues, and efforts to combat terrorist financing and money laundering.

Oct. 5, 2004: Congressional-Executive Commission on China releases 2004 Annual Report on China assessing developments in China’s human rights conditions and the rule of law.

Oct. 6-15, 2004: At the invitation of the Supreme Court of the United States, Chinese Supreme People’s Court President and Chief Grand Justice Xiao Yang visits the U.S., the first such visit in nearly 20 years.

Oct. 7, 2004: President Bush telephones Hu Jintao and they discuss Beijing’s exchange rate policy, Taiwan, and efforts to defuse the North Korean nuclear crisis.

Oct. 19, 2004: Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs Alan Larson visits China as part of U.S. delegation to discuss agricultural issues and market access and delivers a speech at Beijing University.

Oct. 24, 2004: Chief of the PLA General Staff Gen. Liang Guanglie arrives in the U.S. and meets with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Powell, and National Security Adviser Rice. He also visits the U.S. Joint Forces Command, Air Combat Command, Joint Task Force Civil Support, U.S. Army Infantry Center, and the Air Force Academy.

Oct. 25, 2004: Powell stops in China on a three-day swing through Northeast Asia.

Oct. 25, 2004: Powell gives interviews to Phoenix TV and CNN following talks with Chinese leaders. His comments include the statement that “reunification” between Taiwan and China is the eventual outcome that “all parties are seeking” and Taiwan is not an “independent” country and “does not enjoy sovereignty as a nation.”

Oct. 28, 2004: State Department spokesman says the U.S. will not repatriate Uighurs alleged to be “East Turkistan” terrorists that have been detained in Guantanamo, Cuba to China, and that it was preparing to settle them in a third country to the northwest of China instead.

Nov. 1, 2004: China Daily, publishes an article entitled “U.S. Strategy to be Blamed,” by former Vice Premier Qian Qichen, that harshly criticizes President Bush’s foreign policy.

Nov. 5, 2004: Representatives of foreign affairs departments from China and the U.S. sign a protocol in Beijing to install a telephone hotline between two foreign ministers in the near future.

Nov. 5, 2004: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing talks by phone with Secretary Powell on strengthening coordination and mutually beneficial cooperation in fields such as economy and trade, antiterrorism, the DPRK nuclear issue, and law enforcement, and on how to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue.

Nov. 8, 2004: FM Li talks with National Security Adviser Rice by phone about bilateral relations and the Iranian nuclear issue.

Nov. 8, 2004: Presidents Bush and Hu Jintao exchange views by phone on the eve of their planned bilateral meeting at APEC and Hu congratulates Bush on his reelection.

Nov. 12, 2004: U.S. Trade Representative Office rejects a petition filed Sept. 30 under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on the issue of China’s currency.

Nov. 15, 2004: Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Shen Guofang discuss proposed “U.S.-China Global Issues Forum” aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation on transnational issues and exploring new possibilities for joint work on a global basis.

Nov. 18, 2004: FM Li meets Secretary Powell on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Chile.

Nov. 20, 2004: Presidents Bush and Hu meet on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Santiago, Chile.

Dec. 1, 2004: U.S. imposes sanctions on four Chinese entities for violations of the 2000 Iran Nonproliferation Act, including a state-run firm, and one North Korean company for selling weapons or cruise and ballistic missile technology and equipment to Iran.

Dec. 1-3, 2004: Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo visits Washington, D.C. for wide-ranging discussions with U.S. officials on bilateral, regional, and global issues as a follow-on the Bush-Hu talks at the Santiago APEC summit.

Dec. 2, 2004: Sun Laiyan, the head of China National Space Administration visits NASA headquarters where he discusses with counterpart Sean O’Keefe cooperation on the use of space, geoscience, and space science, and agrees to establish a regular exchange mechanism to promote bilateral contact and understanding.

Dec. 3, 2004: Treasury Department releases semi-annual currency report that urges China to move to a flexible exchange rate as soon as possible, but stops short of issuing a formal finding that Beijing is manipulating the exchange value of the yuan.

Dec. 6-7, 2004: U.S. special envoy on North Korea Joseph DeTrani travels to Beijing, then to Tokyo and Seoul, to promote early resumption of the Six-Party Talks. He meets with Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong, Director General of the MFA’s Asia Affairs Department Cui Tiankai, and Ambassador for North Korean Affairs Ning Fukui.

Dec. 6, 2004: FM Li exchanges views by phone with Secretary Powell on the consensus reached by the Chinese and U.S. presidents at APEC in Chile.

Dec. 7, 2004: Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo unexpectedly returns to Washington to continue talks with U.S. officials that focus on Taiwan.

Dec. 14, 2004: U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations holds hearings on China’s human rights policies.

Dec. 17, 2004: Department of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham arrives in China where he meets with Ma Kai, chairman, National Development Reform Commission, holds discussions with Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, tours the Qinghua-MIT Modular Pebble Bed Reactor Project, and delivers a speech at Qinghua University.

Dec. 20, 2004: In an interview on PBS, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage explains that the U.S. is not required to defend Taiwan and the decision to go to war resides with Congress. He adds “all agree that there is but one China, and Taiwan is part of China.”

Dec. 27, 2004: China issues white paper entitled “China’s National Defense in 2004.”

Jan. 3, 2005: Federal Register reports that penalties were imposed on eight Chinese entities under the Iran Nonproliferation Act for the transfer to Iran of equipment and technology that have the potential to make a material contribution to the development of weapons of mass destruction or cruise or ballistic missiles.

Jan. 4, 2005: Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin arrives in Washington for talks with U.S. officials and members of Congress about the proposed anti-secession law.

Jan. 6, 2005: Under Secretary of Commerce Grant Aldonas says in Hong Kong that economic and trade relations between the U.S. and China have never been better and that China is now a very open market.

Jan. 6-16, 2005: Rep. J. Randy Forbes leads a House delegation to China and South Korea to assess military and economic trends in those countries and their effect on American relations.

Jan. 11-13, 2005: Rep. Tom Lantos of the House International Relations Committee visits China and meets with State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong, and Chinese Ambassador in Charge of the Korean Peninsula issue Ning Fukui.

Jan. 11, 2005: Outgoing Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans arrives in Beijing for a China-U.S. roundtable conference on intellectual property rights. He meets Chinese leaders including Wen Jiabao, Wu Yi, and Bo Xilai and discusses China-U.S. trade, economic relations, and other related issues.

Jan. 11, 2005: U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases “U.S.-China Trade, 1989-2003: Impact on Jobs and Industries, Nationally and State-by-State.”

Jan. 12, 2005: Chinese Defense Minister and Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Cao Gangchuan meets delegation from House Armed Services Committee and expresses hopes for stable progress in U.S.-Chinese military relations.

Jan. 15, 2005: U.S. congressional delegation, headed by Curt Weldon, meets Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress (NPC) Cheng Siwei and others to discuss China-U.S. relations, cooperation between the legislative bodies of the two countries, and the North Korea nuclear issue after a visit to Pyongyang.

Jan. 17, 2005: Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, meets a delegation of the U.S. Committee of 100 and expresses his appreciation of the latter’s efforts to promote exchange and friendship between the Chinese and American people.

Jan. 18, 2005: Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan reiterates Chinese government’s opposition to any form of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and adherence to its commitments at a press conference. Kong objects to arbitrary sanctions by the U.S. on Chinese companies based on its domestic laws.

Jan. 19, 2005: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice says at her confirmation hearing for secretary of state that the U.S. is building “candid, cooperative and constructive” ties with China that embrace common interests but still recognize the considerable differences about values.

Jan. 31, 2005: First special policy dialogue between the Chinese Ministry of Defense and its U.S. counterpart begins in Beijing. Topics include U.S. global military deployment, China’s military modernization, Taiwan, and maritime military security.

Jan. 31, 2005: Chinese FM Li talks with Secretary Rice over the phone, and Rice reaffirms U.S. stance on resuming the Six-Party Talks on the Korean Peninsula.

Jan. 31- Feb. 1, 2005: Deputy Assistant of Defense Lawless visits Beijing for the first U.S.-China policy dialogue between the U.S. and Chinese militaries. He meets with Deputy Chief of the General Staff Xiong Guangkai.

Feb. 1, 2005: NSC senior officials Michael Green and William Tobey begin talks in Beijing that focus on North Korean nuclear weapons programs amid reported new evidence that North Korea exported nuclear material to Libya.

Feb. 2, 2005: House passes resolution urging the EU to maintain its arms embargo on China by a vote of 411-3.

Feb. 3, 2005: Sen. Charles Schumer and others introduce a bill to authorize appropriate action if negotiations with China regarding China’s undervalued currency are not successful, which is read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Feb. 9, 2005: Rep. Bernard Sanders and others introduce a bill to withdraw normal trade relations treatment from Chinese products; it is referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Feb. 12, 2005: Chinese FM Li talks with Secretary Rice over the phone, exchanging views on the North Korean nuclear issue.

Feb. 15, 2005: Robert Zoellick, during his confirmation hearing as deputy secretary of state, slams China’s planned anti-secession law before saying that it moves in the “other direction” of U.S. goals for a peaceful settlement of cross-Strait issues.

Feb. 16, 2005: Rep. Thomas Tancredo and others submit a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the U.S. should resume normal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China on Taiwan; it is referred to the Committee on International Relations.

Feb. 16-17, 2005: U.S. intelligence officials provide testimony on current and projected national security threats to the United States, held by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld addresses questions on China in testimony to both the House and the Senate Armed Services Committees.

Feb. 19, 2005: U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee issues a joint statement in Washington vowing to strengthen security and defense cooperation. The two sides list encouraging the “peaceful resolution of issues concerning the Taiwan Strait” as one of their common strategic objectives.

Feb. 22, 2005: Chinese FM Li and Secretary Rice exchange views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue during a phone conversation. Both agree that the Six-Party Talks should be resumed as early as possible.

Feb. 23-24, 2005: The fourth meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Liaison Group on Law Enforcement is held in Beijing to further cooperation in such fields as anti-narcotics, illegal emigration and antiterrorism.

Feb. 23, 2005:: Former President Bill Clinton travels to China on a goodwill mission visiting AIDS patients at a Beijing hospital and signs an agreement with the Chinese Health Ministry to provide more than $70,000 worth of drugs.

Feb. 24, 2005: China chides former President Clinton for his upcoming visit to Taiwan, saying he should know how to act to honor a series of promises that the past U.S. governments, including his, made to the Chinese government on Taiwan.

Feb. 28, 2005: State Department releases report on global human rights practices in 2004 and calls China’s human rights record a top concern of the Bush administration.

March 3, 2005: China issues its annual report on human rights in the U.S., accusing Washington of committing widespread rights violations.

March 4, 2005: FM Li and Secretary Rice discuss China-U.S. relations over the phone and exchange views on furthering constructive and cooperative bilateral relations.

March 4, 2005: A poll of 1,175 families in five major Chinese cities finds that 71 percent of the respondents have a positive view of Americans, but 57 percent also believe that America is trying to limit China’s advancement.

March 6, 2005: Chinese FM Li, at an NPC press conference, warns the U.S. and Japan not to go beyond the bilateral scope of their alliance and include Taiwan directly or indirectly into their security framework.

March 8, 2005: China’s special envoy handling the North Korean nuclear crisis Ning Fukui heads to the U.S. to try to break the deadlock in six-nation talks.

March 8, 2005: Washington calls on Beijing to reconsider passage of its anti-secession law, calling it unhelpful.

March 8, 2005: Chinese FM Li holds a phone conversation with Secretary Rice at the latter’s request. The two sides exchange views on the Six-Party Talks, Taiwan, and consultation and coordination between the two countries in international organizations.

March 8, 2005: Adm. William Fallon, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, calls China’s proposed anti-secession legislation disconcerting and expresses concern about China’s increase in military capabilities at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

March 9, 2005: China’s Lenovo Group wins U.S. government clearance for its $1.25 billion purchase of IBM’s PC unit, overcoming national security concerns.

March 9, 2005: Commander of U.S. forces in Latin America Gen. Bantz Craddock tells House Armed Services Committee that the U.S. must carefully watch China’s increasing economic and military presence in the region, although it is not a threat to the U.S.

March 10, 2005: Stephen Rademaker, assistant secretary of state for arms control, tells U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that Beijing has taken important steps to strengthen nonproliferation laws and policies, but it needs to be more effective and consistent about enforcing them because “unacceptable proliferant activity continues.”

March 14, 2005: China’s National People’s Congress passes anti-secession law, which the U.S. says is contrary to current positive trends in cross-Strait relations.

March 16, 2005: Chinese VP Zeng Qinghong talks with counterpart VP Dick Cheney over the phone to exchange views on issues relating to the World Bank.

March 16, 2005: U.S. House of Representatives passes a resolution by a vote of 424-4 condemning China’s anti-secession law.

March 17, 2005: U.S. says it would not seek China’s censure at the current session of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The decision comes as China announces the freeing of a prominent Uighur political prisoner, Rebiya Kadeer, days before Secretary Rice arrives in Beijing.

March 19, 2005: Secretary Rice delivers an address at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, in which she discusses China.

March 20, 2005: Rice says at a news conference in Seoul that European weapons technology should not be used by China to expand its military and warns against lifting the EU arms embargo to China.

March 20-21, 2005: Rice visits Beijing and meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, FM Li, Vice Premier Wu Yi, and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan.

March 20, 2005: Rice attends a church service in Beijing to highlight U.S. concern for religious freedom, following denunciations of Beijing’s human rights record and particularly its restrictions on worship.

March 28, 2005: USS Blue Ridge, an amphibious command and control ship of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, arrives at Zhanjiang port in South China’s Guangdong Province, kicking off a three-day goodwill visit.

March 28, 2005: Department of State releases “Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2004-2005” which notes that China’s human rights record remains poor and the government continues to commit numerous and serious abuses.

March 29, 2005: U.S. Pacific Commander Adm. William J. Fallon expresses concerns about China’s military buildup in an Associated Press interview in Manila, Philippines.

March 30, 2005: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative releases the “National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers” and criticizes “epidemic levels” of counterfeiting and piracy in China that seriously harm U.S. businesses. The report notes that the U.S. government is conducting a review of China’s protection of IPR, which may result in action at the WTO.

April 4, 2005: U.S. Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, chaired by the Department of Commerce, initiates safeguard proceedings on imports of Chinese textile and apparel products to determine whether quotas should be re-imposed.

April 6, 2005: U.S. textile and clothing industry asks the government to re-impose quotas on 14 categories of clothing to protect U.S. manufacturers after the Bush administration brought its own cases on different clothing products.

April 8, 2005: State Department announces that the U.S. and China agree for the first time to hold regular, senior-level talks on a wide range of political and economic issues.

April 13, 2005: China’s State Council issues a white paper on China’s human rights progress in 2004 in response to criticism from U.S. human rights groups and outlines “significant progress” in 2004.

April 13, 2005: U.S. and China hold the inaugural U.S.-China Global Issues Forum in Washington, D.C. The sessions focus on clean energy and sustainable development, humanitarian assistance, poverty alleviation, development financing, law enforcement, and public health.

April 14, 2005: Congressional policy advisors and academics testify before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission that Chinese protests against Japan raise concerns that China could one day unleash popular wrath on the U.S. Susan O’Sullivan, senior adviser for Asia in the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, cites lagging political reform and repression of human rights as systematic problems.

April 14, 2005: Under Secretary of State R. Nicholas Burns testifies before the House Committee on International Relations and the House Armed Services Committee that the U.S. strongly opposes a lifting of the EU arms embargo on China as it threatens peace and security in the region and would send the wrong signal. Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman and Acting Undersecretary of Commerce Peter Lichtenbaum also testify.

April 15, 2005: During an appearance before the American Society of Newspaper editors, President George Bush calls for China to float its currency, welcome all religions, cooperate in the war on terror, and keep peace with Taiwan. He also attributed the surge in oil prices partly to China’s growing demand for energy.

April 18, 2005: Treasury Secretary John Snow says after a G7 meeting of finance ministers that China has had long enough to prepare its financial system and is ready now to adopt a more flexible exchange rate.

April 19, 2005: As a result of a joint U.S.-China investigation to enforce intellectual property laws, two Americans are sentenced in Shanghai for selling pirated DVDs on the Internet.

April 19, 2005: Secretary of the Navy Gordon England, nominated as the new deputy defense secretary, says during his confirmation hearing that the U.S. must be prepared to meet any challenge from China.

April 21, 2005: Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says at a Senate Budget Committee hearing that China’s fixed exchange rate is taking a toll on the Chinese economy and must be eased sooner rather than later.

April 21, 2005: Rep. Robert Portman, nominated as the next U.S. trade representative, vows during his confirmation hearing to order “a top-to-bottom review” of U.S. trade relations with China if confirmed.

April 26, 2005: Senate passes a bill calling for the administration to address the lack of intellectual property protection in China and Russia and ensure that action is taken against any country in violation of its WTO commitments.

April 26, 2005: Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill arrives in Beijing from Seoul and meets with Chinese vice foreign ministers Dai Bingguo, Yang Jiechi, and Wu Dawei to discuss bilateral relations, the Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis, and other issues.

April 27, 2005: Chinese Customs puts forward a container security cooperation proposal with the U.S. to guard against terrorists hiding arms of massdestruction in containers. The two countries will post customs officers in each other’s ports.

April 29, 2005: Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz meets at the Pentagon with Lt. Gen. Xiong Guangkai as part of annual defense policy talks. The Chinese military continues to object to a proposal to set up a hot line between the Pentagon and its Beijing counterpart.

April 29, 2005: U.S. trade representative’s office releases its special “Out-of-Cycle Review,” or OCR, of the IPR situation in China, concluding that the efforts to date, while serious, have not significantly reduced IPR crime across China.

May 5, 2005: In a telephone conversation, Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Bush discuss North Korea, trade and economic ties, and Taiwan.

May 9, 2005: Treasury Department and Chinese central bank officials hold talks on financial issues, including currency flexibility, and will hold more talks this summer.

May 13, 2005: Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi tells U.S. Ambassador to China Clark Randt that China hopes to resolve trade disputes through consultation and cautions against “mixing economic and trade problems with politics.”

May 13, 2005: Chinese FM Li Zhaoxing talks with Secretary of State Rice on the phone on exchanging presidential visits within the year and other issues.

May 13, 2005: Department of Commerce announces the imposition of temporary quotas on three categories of clothing from China after deciding that a surge in imports of those products from China is disrupting the U.S. market.

May 16, 2005: U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Chamber of Commerce-China announce plans to cooperate in monitoring China’s enforcement of intellectual property rights laws.

May 17, 2005: Department of Treasury says in its Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies that China’s exchange rate is a substantial distortion to world markets and a source of large risk to the Chinese economy, but falls short of designating China for currency manipulation.

May 18, 2005: Department of Commerce adds four more categories of textile and apparel products from China to the list subject to temporary quotas.

May 19, 2005: China’s Commerce Minister Bo Xilai calls quotas “unwise” and says that China will not adopt additional measures to curb its textile exports.

May 19, 2005: Treasury Secretary Snow appoints Olin Wethington special envoy on China, responsible for issues related to exchange rate and financial market reform.

May 20, 2005: China announces new tariffs on 74 types of goods, an increase of up to 400 percent, to begin on June 1.

May 25, 2005: China threatens to renege on a promise to impose tariffs on textile products if the same items are subject to quotas overseas.

May 26, 2005: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless warns the House International Relations Committee on the dangers of China’s military buildup and its potential impact on the security of Taiwan. Assistant Secretary Hill also testifies.

May 26, 2005: Treasury Secretary Snow defends his department’s report that stops short of branding China a currency manipulator in front of the Senate Banking Committee. He expresses confidence in U.S. policies and expects China to revalue the yuan before October.

May 27, 2005: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative says that a Section 301 action is not appropriate or productive way to achieve the goal of changing China’s currency regime.

May 30, 2005: Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai says that China is willing to handle the textile trade issues through consultations. He notes that the Chinese government hopes to maintain friendly economic cooperation with the U.S. and EU.

May 30, 2005: Vice President Dick Cheney urges China to do more to revive the stalled Six-Party Talks on CNN’s “Larry King Live.”

June 1, 2005: China scraps export tariffs on 81 categories of clothing, in response to the EU’s decision to impose quotas as well as U.S. decision to re-impose restrictions on seven kinds of Chinese textile and clothing imports.

June 1, 2005: Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez in Beijing urges China to speed progress on bilateral trade issues or risk an outbreak of protectionism that will hurt both countries’ economies and stresses the protection of intellectual property rights.

June 2, 2005: Secretary Rice and FM Li hold a phone conversation and agree to enhance cooperation between the two countries in major global and regional affairs.

June 3, 2005: U.S.-China Business Council, in its 2005 scorecard on China’s WTO commitments, finds that, despite demonstrable progress, many Chinese trade policies still violate WTO rules.

June 4, 2005: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says in Singapore that China’s defense expenditures are much higher than published figures and its ability to project power is growing.

June 4, 2005: On the 16^th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, the U.S. government issues a statement calling on the Chinese government to account for its actions, reexamine the event, and allow its citizens to assemble, speak, and worship freely.

June 7, 2005: Assistant Secretary Hill testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that China’s growing influence is a result of its economic success and not a zero-sum game for the U.S.

June 7, 2005: In a meeting with Sheng Huaren, vice chairman and secretary general of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, Bush says that he is looking forward to meeting with Hu later this year.

June 8, 2005: U.S. and Chinese parliamentary groups hold second work meeting since 2003 and exchange opinions on Sino-U.S. relations, Taiwan, parliamentary contact, economic and trade issues, and international and regional situations.

June 10, 2005: Chinese Vice FM Yang Jiechi holds talks with Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and other senior U.S. officials.

June 10-17, 2005: China and U.S. inter-parliamentary exchange groups hold the sixth round of regular meetings to discuss China-U.S. relations, Taiwan, parliamentary exchanges, trade issues, China’s peaceful development, and the DPRK nuclear issue.

June 13, 2005: Secretary Rumsfeld, in an interview with BBC News, argues that China’s communist system will cause tension with the fast growing economy in the future and expects a loosening of the political system.

June 16, 2005: China announces temporary anti-dumping measures against imported Furan phenol, a chemical raw material, from Japan, the U.S., and the EU.

June 18, 2005: China test-fires a new long-range, submarine-launched ballistic missile, believed to be the Ju Lang-2, according to reports by the Japanese government.

June 20, 2005: Haier, a Chinese appliance maker, joins two private equity firms in an offer to acquire all Maytag’s outstanding stock for $16 a share.

June 22, 2005: CNOOC, China’s third-largest oil producer, offers to buy Unocal, a U.S. oil and gas company, for $18.5 billion in cash, topping the $16.6 billion Chevron bid.

June 23, 2005: Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Peter Lichtenbaum testifies before a U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission hearing that “China poses particular challenges for U.S. dual-use export control policy, because there are immense potential benefits from expanding trade, but there are also serious security concerns.”

June 23, 2005: Federal Chairman Greenspan warns members of the Senate Finance Committee that proposed tariffs against Chinese goods and other forms of protectionism would significantly lower U.S. living standards and would not save U.S. jobs.

June 23, 2005: Kelly Ryan, deputy assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, urges the executive board of the UN Population to end its family planning program in China until Beijing stops using coercion, forced abortions, and punishment to enforce its one-child policy.

June 30, 2005: Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman announces establishment of a Department of Energy office in Beijing to support cooperative efforts with China on energy and nuclear security issues. On the same day, the first meeting of the U.S.-China Energy Policy Dialogue was held in Washington.

June 30, 2005: Treasury Secretary Snow announces a compromise with authors of the Schuman/Grassley bill to postpone the July 27 vote on imposing a 27 percent tariff on Chinese goods until the fall.

June 30, 2005: House International Relations Committee unanimously passes The East Asia Security Act of 2005, a bill that would impose a wide array of sanctions against countries and firms that sell arms to Beijing.

June 30, 2005: House of Representatives votes 333-92 to block the Bush administration from approving CNOOC from acquiring U.S. oil and gas producer Unocal Corp. In a separate nonbinding resolution, the House votes 398-15 in favor of an immediate review of the possible takeover. The resolution states that a CNOOC takeover of Unocal “would threaten to impair the national security of the United States.”

July 5, 2005: North Korea launches seven ballistic missiles, including one long-range Taepodong 2.

July 7, 2005: Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, says the U.S. faces “significant challenges” in dealing with China because of issues like the Taiwan Strait, but he hopes to deepen bilateral understanding by boosting defense ties.

July 10, 2005: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Beijing on a four-nation visit to Asia and meets with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

July 11, 2005: U.S. manufacturers petition the Bush administration to impose quotas on additional imports of Chinese textiles and clothing, saying they will keep filing cases until the two countries negotiate a comprehensive agreement on Chinese imports.

July 11, 2005: Luo Gan, member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo in China, meets U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is visiting China at the invitation of the Supreme People’s Court of China.

July 11, 2005: The 16^th annual Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) meeting opens in Beijing to discuss disagreements over trade and investment policies. The U.S. delegation is represented by JCCT co-chairs Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez and USTR Rob Portman, and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns.

July 12, 2005: Tim Hauser, U.S. acting under secretary of commerce for international trade, and Wan Jifei, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, sign a Memorandum of Understanding during the JCCT meeting to launch a new U.S.-China International Partner Network in 14 major business centers across China.
July 13, 2005: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley and Sen. Max Baucus of Montana say in a letter to President George Bush that they are pleased he would order a review by the Committee on Foreign Investments in the U.S. if Unocal were to accept CNOOC’s offer.

July 13, 2005: Witnesses tell the House Armed Services Committee that CNOOC’s bid for Unocal is part of a Chinese effort to gain economic and military advantages over the United States. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House committee, vows to introduce a bill to block acquisition by CNOOC.

July 14, 2005: House rejects the East Asia Security Act giving the president the authority to bring sanctions against European companies that sell arms to China after U.S. business groups came out strongly against it. The final vote is 215-203, short of the two-thirds majority needed.

July 14, 2005: Rep. Charles B. Rangel and others introduce the Fair Trade with China Act of 2005 that would require the USTR to investigate currency practices of China, make applicable determinations, and implement any appropriate action. It is referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology.

July 15, 2005: At a function for foreign journalists organized in part by the Chinese government, Maj. Gen. Zhu Chenghu, a dean at China’s National Defense University, warns that in a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, “If the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition on to the target zone on China’s territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons.”

July 15, 2005: Sen. Byron Dorgan introduces a bill that would prohibit the merger, acquisition, or takeover of Unocal by CNOOC to prevent the risk of “strategic assets of Unocal Corporation being preferentially allocated to China by the Chinese Government.” It is referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

July 16, 2005: Gen. Liu Zhenwu leads a delegation of PLA military officers to Hawaii to meet with Adm. Fallon, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific.

July 19, 2005: President Bush, in a meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, says Australia and the U.S. can work together to encourage China to accept values such as minority rights and the freedoms of speech and religion and to take a more active role in East Asia to prevent nuclear proliferation.

July 19, 2005: After a several month delay, the Pentagon releases its 2005 report on “The Military Power of the People’s Republic of China” as mandated by Congress.

July 19, 2005: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld asserts that the report on China’s military power supports the government position that a European arms embargo against the Chinese should be kept in place.

July 21, 2005: China’s central bank announces that the yuan will appreciate against the dollar by 2 percent and says that it will peg the yuan to a basket of currencies and allow it to fluctuate within a narrow 0.3 percent range.

July 21, 2005: Chinese appliance maker Haier America drops its $1.28 billion bid to purchase Maytag after Whirlpool announced a higher offer at $1.37 billion.

July 21-22, 2005: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearings on China’s growing global influence, from China’s global strategy to its relations with African and Latin American countries.

July 26, 2005: The U.S. House of Representatives votes 240-186, short of the two-third majority needed for bills introduced under special procedures that limit debate, on the U.S. Trade Rights Enforcement Act that would allow the government to impose duties on Chinese products in response to trade restrictions by Beijing and address currency manipulation and intellectual property issues.

July 27, 2005: Republicans bring the U.S. Trade Rights Enforcement Act legislation back to the House floor under normal House rules, and it passes 255 to 168. It is subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.

July 27, 2005: Tang Jiaxuan, China’s State Councilor, meets with President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, and Treasury Secretary John Snow while visiting Washington. Tang delivers a letter from Chinese President Hu to Bush during the meeting.

July 30, 2005: Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick meets with Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang and discusses the economic evolution in Hong Kong, its relations with the U.S., and cooperation on aviation and intellectual property protection.

July 30, 2005: An official U.S. House delegation leaves for a 10-day trip to China. The delegation is composed of 12 U.S. House members, most of whom belong to the U.S.-China Working Group, an organization dedicated to building diplomatic relations with China and promoting congressional and national awareness U.S.-China issues.

Aug. 1, 2005: Deputy Secretary Zoellick arrives in Beijing to launch the Senior Dialogue on strategic issues.

Aug. 1, 2005: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements announces its decision to extend until Aug. 31 the period for making determinations in six textile market disruption cases on Chinese imports.

Aug. 1, 2005: China and the U.S. hold the seventh parliamentary dialogue in Beijing, focusing on political and trade issues.

Aug. 2, 2005: CNOOC withdraws its $18.5 billion bid to buy Unocal Corp., citing “unprecedented political opposition” in the U.S.

Aug. 3, 2005: China’s ambassador to the U.N. Wang Guangya says that the U.S. and China have agreed to work together to block a plan to expand the U.N. Security Council.

Aug. 3, 2005: Chinese FM Li and Secretary Rice talk by phone.

Aug. 4, 2005: Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo and Dennis Hastert, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, hold talks and agree to further regular parliamentary exchanges and cooperation at all levels.

Aug. 11, 2005: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearing on China’s strategy and objectives in global capital markets and recommends to Congress additional disclosures by state-owned Chinese companies seeking to tap U.S. capital markets.

Aug. 16-17, 2005: U.S. and Chinese textile negotiators hold talks in San Francisco. U.S. officials say that the two sides are close to a comprehensive agreement to limit imports of Chinese clothing and textiles.

Aug. 30, 2005: Results of the 2005 Member Survey by the U.S.-China Business Council are released.

Aug. 30, 2005: U.S. and Chinese officials resume negotiations in Beijing to reach a comprehensive agreement on textile trade. The following day the talks end without resolving the dispute.

Sept. 1, 2005: The Bush administration announces that it is re-imposing import quotas on two types of Chinese clothing and textiles and extending until Oct. 1 a deadline for making decisions in four other cases.

Sept. 4, 2005: Chinese President Hu’s visit to the U.S. is postponed as President Bush deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Both leaders agree by phone to meet on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting later in the month.

Sept. 4, 2005: The Chinese government announces it will give up to $5 million in relief supplies to victims of Katrina. It also offers rescue workers and medical personnel.

Sept. 5, 2005: Commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Adm. Fallon, arrives in China at the invitation of Guangzhou Military Region Commander Liu Zhenwu.

Sept. 8, 2005: Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress, meets with U.S. Senate President Pro Tempore Ted Stevens at the UN headquarters and holds a phone conversation with U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert. They discuss Sino-U.S. relations and the next round of regular exchange between the Chinese NPC and the U.S. Senate.

Sept. 9, 2005: Ma Delun, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, says that China will not sell large quantities of U.S. Treasury bills despite its recent decision to cease pegging the yuan to the dollar.

Sept. 13, 2005: Presidents Bush and Hu meet in New York on the sidelines of the UNGA.

Sept. 13, 2005: In its annual testimony for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on China’s WTO compliance, the U.S.-China Business Council states that China has adopted policies resulting in a far more open and profitable business environment for many U.S. companies, but has fallen short in areas such as intellectual property rights enforcement, transparency, and the granting of rights to distribute products in China made elsewhere.

Sept. 13, 2005: USS Curtis Wilbur, an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, arrives in Qingdao for a four-day port visit.

Sept. 15, 2005: The U.S. textile industry re-files nine petitions to extend safeguards on 16 categories of textile products from Chinese imports through 2006.

Sept. 15, 2005: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang announces that President Bush will visit China in November after a summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in the Republic of Korea.

Sept. 16, 2005: While accompanying Hu to Canada, Chinese FM Li has a telephone conversation with Secretary Rice. They exchange views on implementing the consensus reached between the heads of state of the two countries at the New York meeting on Sept. 13. They also discuss issues concerning the ongoing Six-Party Talks in Beijing.

Sept. 19, 2005: The Bush administration invites Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing and Zhou Xiachuan, the head of China’s central bank, to attend a luncheon as part of the G-8 meeting.

Sept. 20, 2005: FM Li holds talks with Secretary Rice on the sidelines of the 60th session of the UNGA in New York.

Sept. 20-25, 2005: At the invitation of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Meng Hongwei, Chinese vice minister of public security, leads a Chinese public security delegation to the U.S. In addition to Gonzales, Meng meets with Randy Beardsworth, acting undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security, Nancy Powell, acting assistant secretary of state, Robert Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Thomas Collins, commandant of the Coast Guard, as well as responsible persons of the Secret Service, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other law enforcement agencies.

Sept. 21, 2005: Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick delivers a speech on China-U.S. relations to the National Committee on U.S.-China relations entitled “Whither China: from Membership to Responsibility?”

Sept. 23, 2005: China’s central bank widens the yuan’s trading band against non-dollar currencies to 3 percent from 1.5 percent, further loosening restrictions on the yuan’s foreign exchange regime.

Sept. 24, 2005: U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow meets with China’s top central banker Zhou Xiaochuan and Finance Minister Jin in Washington and notes the need for greater exchange rate flexibility.

Sept. 26, 2005: U.S. and Chinese negotiators begin another round of talks on textile products from China, but industry officials are pessimistic the two sides can find common ground.

Sept. 28, 2005: The U.S.-China textile talks conclude with no agreement. Negotiators say the next round will be held in October.

Oct. 3, 2005: U.S. Treasury announces that a Treasury economic attaché, David Loevinger, will be posted in Beijing to deal with foreign exchange issues as well as energy and antiterrorism efforts.

Oct. 5, 2005: The U.S. Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements accepts petitions from the U.S. textile industry to launch investigations into whether quotas should be imposed on 21 categories of clothing and textile imports from China.

Oct. 6, 2005: Treasury Secretary John Snow tells the Senate Finance Committee that upcoming U.S.-China Joint Economic Commission meetings in Beijing will be an opportunity to press the Chinese to overhaul their currency system more quickly.

Oct. 6, 2005: Sens. Evan Bayh, Debbie Stabenow, and Charles Schumer submit a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the International Monetary Fund should investigate whether China is manipulating the rate of exchange between the yuan and the dollar. The bill is referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Schumer says in an interview that he will push forward legislation; which would impose 27.5 percent tariffs on imports from China in November if Beijing has not revalued the yuan by that time.

Oct. 11, 2005: Visiting Japan, Snow urges China to adopt a more flexible, market-driven currency while applauding the recent upswing in Japan’s economy.

Oct. 11-17, 2005: Snow visits China where he meets with finance sector leaders and attends the G-20 meeting as well as U.S.-China Joint Economic Commission meetings.

Oct. 12, 2005: Chinese conduct their second successful manned space launch, Shenzhou.

Oct. 12, 2005: U.S. and China begin another round of textile talks in Beijing.

Oct. 13, 2005: Richard Trumka, secretary treasurer of the AFL-CIO, urges the U.S. government to challenge more strongly China’s unfair manipulation of its exchange rate.

Oct. 13, 2005: U.S. and China fail to agree on a formula to regulate Chinese textile exports in the just concluded recent round of textile talks.

Oct. 16-17, 2005: Treasury Secretary Snow, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Christopher Cox participate in U.S.-China Joint Economic Commission talks. A joint statement highlights agreement to cooperate in reforming and regulating financial markets and the need for currency stability.

Oct. 17, 2005: State Department spokesperson congratulates the Chinese people on the successful conclusion of Shenzhou 6, the second Chinese manned space mission.

Oct. 18-20, 2005: Secretary Rumsfeld visits China for the first time as President Bush’s secretary of defense. Rumsfeld meets with President Hu Jintao and his counterpart, Gen. Cao Gangchuan.

Oct. 19, 2005: U.S. Trade and Development Agency announces that the U.S. and China have signed a $1.27 million technical assistance agreement aimed at promoting beneficial trade, cooperation in aviation standards and air safety practices, and government-industry collaboration, as part of the U.S.-China Aviation Cooperation Program launched in 2004.

Oct. 20, 2005: U.S. and China sign a bilateral aviation safety agreement to enhance air safety while reducing regulatory burdens and costs for airlines and aviation authorities of both countries, according to a Federal Aviation Administration press release.

Oct. 24, 2005: Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez calls on China to implement economic reforms, expressing concerns about practices such as providing subsidies for production costs and issuing loans to state-owned enterprises with no hope of repayment. He warns of “a risk of restrictions on commerce” in the absence of reform.

Oct. 24-28, 2005: Linton Brooks, head of the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Security Administration, announces Oct. 25 that the U.S. and China will step up cooperation on nuclear security at the week-long U.S.-China 2005 Integrated Nuclear Material Management Technology Demonstration.

Oct. 26, 2005: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Rob Portman announces in Geneva that the U.S. has initiated a special process under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules to obtain information on China’s intellectual property enforcement efforts. Japan and Switzerland separately submit similar requests.

Oct. 30, 2005: Next round of textile talks between the U.S. and China opens in Washington.

Nov. 1, 2005: The U.S. and China Business Councils for Sustainable Development sign agreement to collaborate on economic, social, and environmental projects, beginning with expanding the use of clean-burning bio-fuels, creating a more sustainable strategy for the cement industry, and implementing by-product synergy.

Nov. 1, 2005: U.S. State Department and Chinese Foreign Ministry hold consultations on arms control and nonproliferation. Director General of the MFA’s Department of Arms Control and Disarmament Zhang Yan heads Chinese delegation; the U.S. side is led by Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Steven G. Rademaker.

Nov. 2, 2005: David Spooner, chief textile negotiator for the USTR, announces that the fifth round of textile talks made progress, but concluded without an accord. Both sides agree to extend a quota on imported socks from China until the end of 2005.

Nov. 4-9, 2005: Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Jon Dudas travels to China to meet Chinese officials to track progress on commitments made by the Chinese government at a July 2005 meeting of the Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade.

Nov. 8, 2005: The U.S. and China reach agreement on Chinese textile exports, covering more than 30 individual products and instituting quotas that will begin at low levels in January 2006 but will increase by about 3 percent each year until 2008, when safeguard measures are due to expire under WTO rules.

Nov. 8, 2005: Officials from the U.S. and China meet in Washington for the inaugural session of the Joint Committee on Environmental Cooperation, established to further scientific and technical cooperation on environmental issues between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and China’s State Environmental Protection Administration.

Nov. 8, 2005: In an interview with the Hong Kong-based, Chinese-owned Phoenix TV, President Bush says that he hopes to discuss free trade, intellectual property rights and, the currency issue, as well as areas of cooperation during his upcoming visit to China.

Nov. 8, 2005: State Department cites China as one of eight “countries of particular concern” for denying religious freedom in its 2005 International Religious Freedom Report to the Congress.

Nov. 9, 2005: U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases annual report on China, concluding that “trends in the U.S.-China relationship have negative implications for the long-term economic and security interests of the United States.”

Nov. 14, 2005: USTR Portman says at a conference in Beijing that the U.S. and China have a broad economic relationship that, for the most part, is mutually beneficial, but there are a number of issues that still need resolution. He expresses concern especially with the growing trade deficit with China, expected to top $200 billion in 2005.

Nov. 15, 2005: Policy planning departments of the Department of State and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs hold a round of talks on regional and global issues.

Nov. 16, 2005: President Bush delivers a speech in Kyoto, Japan in which he urges China to grant more political freedom to its people and cites Taiwan as an example of successful transition from repression to democracy.

Nov. 16, 2005: Sens. Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham announce that the Senate will delay consideration of a sweeping economic sanctions bill on China this year, but warn of reviving it next spring if they are not satisfied with China’s currency reform.

Nov. 19, 2005: U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales holds talks with counterpart Minister of Public Security Luo Gan in Beijing on expanding cooperation between U.S. and Chinese law enforcement agencies. Gonzales calls for more substantive results in deporting criminal suspects, antiterrorism, fighting drugs, and protecting IPR.

Nov. 19, 2005: U.S. and China announce joint actions at bilateral, global, and regional levels to prevent and respond to avian and pandemic influenza, including vaccine development and testing, surveillance and rapid response, and preparedness planning.

Nov. 19, 2005: President Bush arrives in China, attends services at a state-sanctioned Protestant church in Beijing, and meets President Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao.

Nov. 22, 2005: Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration announces that the U.S. and China agree to cooperate on installing special equipment at Chinese ports to detect smuggling of nuclear and radioactive materials.

Nov. 27-30, 2005: Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer travels to Beijing to conduct talks with the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Africa as part of Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick’s Senior Dialogue with China.

Nov. 28, 2005: Secretary Snow, upon the release of a required report to Congress on currency practices of major U.S. trading partners, says that China has demonstrated greater exchange rate flexibility by adopting a new exchange-rate mechanism, but it must do more to develop open capital markets “as quickly as possible.”

Nov. 30, 2005: Sen. Joseph Lieberman says in a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations that U.S. failure to cooperate with China to find alternate energy sources could lead to military conflicts over dwindling world oil reserves.

Dec. 4, 2005: A Council on Foreign Relations report finds China challenging U.S. interests and values in Africa, shielding “rogue states,” harming the environment, and thwarting anti-corruption drives, but stops short of calling China an adversary.

Dec. 5, 2005: Assistant Secretary Frazer disputes the Council of Foreign Relations report and says that Chinese interests are not in direct competition with those of the U.S., although the two countries differ on certain issues such as Sudan.

Dec. 7, 2005: Acting Assistant USTR for Intellectual Property Victoria Espinel tells House Judiciary Committee that the administration is considering stronger actions against China and Russia if they fail to fulfill commitments to protect IPR.

Dec. 7-8, 2005: Second round of U.S.-China Senior Dialogue takes place in Washington followed by a visit to President Franklin Roosevelt’s home in Hyde Park, NY.

Dec. 9-10, 2005: Senior U.S. and Chinese defense officials conduct talks in Beijing on strengthening military cooperation. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless and Zhang Bangdong, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, discuss military exchange programs and maritime military security.

Dec. 12, 2005: USTR releases its 2005 Report to Congress on China’s WTO Compliance, noting that China is continuing to make progress in meeting its membership commitments, although serious problems remain in select areas such as IPR enforcement.

Dec. 14, 2005: Senate Republican Policy Committee policy paper on China’s legal commitments under WTO rules says that China has failed to fulfill its obligations, causing material harm to U.S. economic interests, and calls for measures such as countervailing duty to address these violations.

Dec. 15, 2005: Delegation from China’s National Defense University headed by Rear Adm. Yang Yi, visits the Pentagon.

Dec. 16, 2005: House and Senate pass a concurrent resolution calling on the international community to condemn the Laogai, the system of forced labor prison camps in China.

Dec. 28, 2005: U.S. imposes sanctions on six Chinese government-run companies under the Iran Nonproliferation Act for transfers that contribute to Iran’s ballistic missile chemical-weapons programs. Of the six, three had been previously sanctioned.

Jan. 1, 2006: The Sino-U.S. textile agreement, signed in November 2005, takes effect, imposing quotas on 21 types of clothing and textiles from China by 2008.

Jan. 3, 2006: Sens. Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Barack Obama (D-IL) establish Senate China Working Group to look more closely at China’s growing economic, political, and military influence and its implications for American interests.

Jan. 4-5, 2006: Sheng Huaren, vice chairman and secretary general of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), exchanges views with U.S. Senate President pro tempore Ted Stevens on relations and parliamentary exchanges between the two countries in Hawaii.

Jan. 5, 2006: Chinese Vice FM Yang Jiechi meets Secretaries Rice and Paulson as part of his trip to Washington.

Jan. 5, 2006: President Bush names Commander of U.S. Pacific Command Adm. Fallon as the next commander of Central Command, which covers the war efforts in Iraq.

Jan. 6, 2006: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 is approved by the president and both houses of Congress. The Act prohibits the secretary of defense from procuring goods and services from China except under a waiver that deems a purchase necessary for national security purposes.

Jan. 9-17, 2006: U.S. Reps. Mark Kirk and Rick Larsen, founders of the House of Representatives’ China Working Group, visit China for the first time since the establishment of the group last June.

Jan. 10, 2006: Cao Gangchuan, China’s minister of national defense, expresses readiness to expand military relations with the U.S. on the basis of mutual benefit and equal consultation during his meeting with a delegation from the U.S.-China Working Group.

Jan. 13, 2006: China’s legislator Wu Bangguo calls for the legislative bodies of China and the U.S. to have closer ties when meeting Lisa Murkowski, chairwoman of the Asia-Pacific group of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Jan. 23-25, 2006: Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick visits Beijing and Chengdu.

Jan. 25, 2006: Deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Karan Bhatia calls for China to be more responsible and take more of leadership role in global trading, even extending beyond its WTO requirements.

Jan. 25, 2006: The U.S.-China Business Council reports that trade with China is “clearly beneficial” for the U.S. as the U.S. experiences higher GDP, increased efficiency, and lower prices as a result of trading with China.

Jan. 26, 2006: At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that the U.S. should engage China and encourage it to become a responsible stakeholder in the international community. China also has the responsibility to reform its economic system to conform with international standards.

Jan. 27, 2006: Senate refers a resolution to the Committee on Foreign Relations that calls on the international community to condemn the laogai, the system of forced labor prison camps in China.

Jan. 30, 2006: U.S. reaffirms the “one China” policy in response to Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian’s Lunar New Year’s address calling for the abolition of Taiwan’s National Unification Guidelines and National Unification Council.

Jan. 30, 2006: Officials from the U.S., China, Britain, France, Germany, and Russia meet in London to discuss the Iran nuclear issue.

Feb. 1, 2006: Congressmen accuse U.S. companies Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, and Cisco of helping the Chinese government enforce censorship and track down “dissidents.” The companies call on the U.S. to engage the Chinese government to affect change in China.

Feb. 2, 2006: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearings on “Major Challenges Facing the Chinese Leadership.”

Feb. 2, 2006: Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte testifies to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Current and Projected National Security Threats to the U.S. China is identified as “a rapidly rising power with steadily expanding global reach that may become a peer competitor to the United States at some point.”

Feb. 3, 2006: Department of Defense releases its Quadrennial Defense Review.

Feb. 9, 2006: Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduce legislation to withdraw normal trade relations treatment for China.

Feb. 12, 2006: NSC Acting Senior Director for Asian Affairs Dennis Wilder and Clifford Hart, director of the State Department’s Taiwan Desk, reportedly travel secretly to Taiwan to try to dissuade Chen Shui-bian from abolishing the National Unification Council.

Feb. 14, 2006: USTR releases a report to Congress on U.S.-China trade calling for the more stringent application of trade laws, the creation of “a China Enforcement Task Force,” and more bilateral dialogue.

Feb. 15, 2006: House holds hearing on “The Internet in China: A Tool for Freedom or Suppression.”

Feb. 22, 2006: Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) travels to Taiwan. He calls for Taiwan to approve the purchase of the U.S.-offered arms package and meets with Chen Shui-bian.

Feb. 22, 2006: Chinese VM of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi visits Washington and meets Deputy Secretary Zoellick, National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, and Assistant Secretary Christopher Hill to discuss President Hu Jintao’s upcoming visit to U.S. and concerns about Taiwan.

Feb. 27, 2006: Chen Shui-bian announces that Taiwan’s National Unification Council will “cease to function.” Hu calls the move “a dangerous step on the road toward ‘Taiwan Independence.’” State Department spokesman says “It’s our understanding that President Chen did not abolish it, and he reaffirmed Taiwan’s commitment to the status quo.”

Feb. 28, 2006: John Negroponte, director of National Intelligence, presents the “Annual Threat Assessment” to the Senate Armed Services Committee. China is described as “a rapidly rising power with steadily expanding global reach that may become a peer competitor to the United States at some point.”

March 5-16, 2006: China holds annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC).

March 7, 2006: Chinese FM Li Zhaoxing, speaking on the sidelines of the NPC, calls on the U.S. to work with China to maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait. Li also suggested that the U.S. remove restraints on high-technology exports to China to improve the trade imbalance between the two countries.

March 7, 2006: At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Chairman John Warner questions whether the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense if the island’s leaders precipitated an incident by changing the status quo.

March 8, 2006: State Department releases annual report detailing human rights abuses in China. China’s State Council responds, accusing the U.S. of human rights abuses.

March 8, 2006: U.S. Coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement Chris Israel, testifying in before a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation subcommittee, says China has made limited progress toward improving its IPR situation, and those efforts are undermined by lack of political will and corruption.

March 13, 2006: U.S. Pacific Command delegation visits China as part of a program for bilateral military exchanges agreed during Secretary Rumsfeld’s October visit to China.

March 14, 2006: In remarks to the Asia Society in Washington, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez calls on China to reduce its trade surplus with the U.S. and improve protection of IPR.

March 14-19, 2006: Secretary Rice travels to Indonesia and Australia, where she calls on China to open its economy and be more transparent about its military buildup.

March 16, 2006: The White House releases National Security Strategy of the United States of America that reasserts the administration’s belief in the doctrine of preemption and encourages China to act as “a responsible stakeholder.”

March 16, 2006: Sen. Lugar (R-IN) introduces legislation calling for “a formal coordination agreement with China and India as they develop strategic petroleum reserves.”

March 16, 2006: Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman delivers remarks before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on “China’s Military Modernization and Export Controls.”

March 20-26, 2006: Sens. Schumer (D-NY), Graham (R-SC) and Coburn (R-OK) travel to China to discuss China’s currency valuation, IPR protection, and Chinese barriers to foreign investment. They meet FM Li Zhaoxing, Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, Central Bank Gov. Zhou Xiaochuan and Vice Premier Wu Yi, and engage with students at Qinghua University.

March 26, 2006: Commerce Secretary Gutierrez arrives in Beijing for meetings with senior Chinese economic officials to finalize the agenda for the meeting of the Sino-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade to be held in Washington April 11.

March 28, 2006: USTR Rob Portman names Stephen Kho, acting chief counsel for China enforcement, and Terry McCartin, deputy assistant U.S. trade representative for China enforcement, as co-chairs of the USTR’s new China Trade Enforcement Task Force, which will oversee China’s trading practices.

March 29, 2006: Under Secretary for International Affairs Tim Adams testifies at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on “U.S.-China Economic Relations Revisited.”

March 29, 2006: Chinese delegation headed by Jiang Enzhu, chairman of the NPC’s Foreign Affairs Committee, leads delegation to Washington and holds eighth round of formal meetings with the House of Representatives under the Inter-Parliamentary exchange mechanism.

March 30, 2006: U.S. and the EU request WTO dispute settlement consultations with China in response to its alleged unfair treatment of imported auto parts.

March 30, 2006: White House issues a statement expressing grave concern about Beijing’s repatriation of a North Korean refugee, Kim Chun-hee. It urged China not to return refugees without allowing the UN High Commission for Refugees access to them.

March 31, 2006: USTR releases its 2006 National Trade Estimate on Foreign Trade Barriers. The chapter on China amounts to 71 of its 712 pages.

April 4, 2006: Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff visits Beijing and meets Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhou Yongkang. They discuss joint efforts in the campaign against illegal immigration and furthering mutual trust and coordination.

April 5, 2006: State Department releases its annual Supporting Human Rights and Democracy report, which highlights the programs the U.S. is pursuing with foreign countries to promote human rights. In China, these measures include bilateral diplomatic efforts, and multilateral action and support through Chinese government and nongovernmental channels for rule of law and civil society programs.

April 7, 2006: Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), joined by 16 fellow members of the Senate Finance Committee, writes an open letter to Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi calling on China to address Washington’s concerns about the currency exchange rate, IPR violations, and meeting World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments.

April 7-14, 2006: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson travels to China and meets with Minister Zhou Shengxian of China’s State Environmental Protection Administration and Deputy Director Pei Chenghu of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau to discuss opportunities for increased cooperation and to observe progress on existing collaborative initiatives.

April 10, 2006: During a news conference in Beijing, Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai vows to crack down on IPR violations and goes on to say that the trade imbalance between China and the U.S. is not generated by IPR violations, but rather U.S. export controls on high technology and the competitiveness of Chinese companies.

April 11, 2006: Seventeenth annual meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) is held in the U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Trade Representative Rob Portman head the U.S. delegation, joined by Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, while Vice Premier Wu Yi leads the Chinese delegation.

April 12-15, 2006: Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas Shannon travels to Beijing and meets MFA officials to discuss China’s Latin America policy and to promote U.S.-China cooperation in the region.

April 17, 2006: In a speech at the Institute for International Economics, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick says that Chinese currency reforms are moving in the right direction. Zoellick also has positive comments regarding China’s efforts (especially in the reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan) to enhance international security.

April 18, 2006: The U.S. and China sign a five-year extension of their bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, which covers infectious diseases, energy research, and atmospheric sciences.

April 18, 2006: Department of State releases fact sheets calling for increased religious freedom, as well as greater political and civil rights, in China.

April 18-21, 2006: President Hu travels to Seattle, Washington, Washington, D.C., and New Haven, Connecticut. In Washington, he meets with President Bush.

April 19, 2006: Speaking at the Trade Policy Review of the People’s Republic of China in Geneva, Ambassador Peter Allgeier, the U.S. trade representative to the WTO says, “it is apparent that China has not yet fully embraced the key WTO principles of non-discrimination and national treatment, nor has China fully institutionalized market mechanisms and made its trade regime predictable and transparent.”

April 20, 2006: U.S. and China renew the United States-China Education Agreement for Cooperation in Educational Exchanges.

April 24-25, 2006: China and the U.S. co-sponsor the APEC Anti-corruption Workshop in Shanghai.

April 27, 2006: Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ), chairman of the House International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations chastises China for repatriating North Korean refugees, in violation of China’s obligations under the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees.

April 28, 2006: USTR releases its 2006 Special 301 Report, which emphasizes China’s IPR violations and moves U.S. policy toward using WTO dispute settlement mechanisms in regards to China.

May 3, 2006: U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) releases its annual report in which China is listed as one of the “countries of particular concern” due to restrictions, state control, and repression to which all religious communities are subjected.

May 4, 2006: Sens. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) introduce the Silk Road Strategy Act of 2006, which “expresses the sense of Congress with respect to U.S. political, diplomatic, and economic interests in and the democratic and stable development of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.” The legislation calls for the U.S. to attain observer status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) “for the purpose of promoting stability and security in the region.”

May 5, 2006: Department of Defense releases five ethnic Uighurs from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Albania.

May 9-16, 2006: Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of U.S. Forces in the Pacific, travels to China, where he meets with Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. Fallon invites senior Chinese officers to observe U.S.-led joint military exercises in June, promising them the opportunity to review U.S. bases and board U.S. warships during air-sea drills, which China later accepts.

May 10, 2006: Treasury Department releases its semi-annual Report on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies saying that China has been too slow to revalue the RMB, but doesn’t label China as a “currency manipulator.” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao expresses his country’s appreciation at not being listed as a “currency manipulator.”

May 10, 2006: House International Relations Committee holds hearing on China’s resurgence. Deputy Secretary Zoellick testifies, “how we deal with China’s growing influence is one of the central questions of 21^st century U.S. diplomacy.” He calls on Beijing to be a “responsible stakeholder” if it wants other countries to feel secure as China rises.

May 11, 2006: President Bush meets with three prominent Chinese Christian activists and pledges to discuss the issue of religious freedom with Chinese leaders.

May 15, 2006: China’s currency creeps past 8.00 to the dollar for the first time, passing a psychological barrier for the renminbi.

May 16, 2006: The American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing releases its annual white paper calling on Washington to loosen export controls and Beijing to better protect IPR.

May 17, 2006: Treasury Secretary John Snow, testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, says that China needs to adopt more flexible exchange-rate policies and implement other economic overhauls to address growing global imbalances for the health of both the U.S. and Chinese economies.

May 18, 2006: State Department announces that it will not use computers purchased from Chinese manufacturer Lenovo for classified work due to fears that the machines would pose a security risk.

May 22-25, 2006: Speaking at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill says that China-U.S. cooperation on global affairs is possible and that Beijing should hold direct talks with Taipei. Hill travels to Beijing where he meets Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei.

May 22-25, 2006: Under Secretary of Commerce David H. McCormick visits China and meets Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and other officials in China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC). Mr. McCormick announces that the U.S. is poised to loosen restraints on civilian-use high-technology exports to China.

May 23, 2006: The U.S. Department of Defense releases Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2006.

May 24-27, 2006: Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Karan Bhatia visits Taiwan. Speaking at the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, he calls for the liberalization of cross-Strait trade. Bhatia also indicates that a free trade agreement (FTA) between the U.S. and Taiwan would be “unlikely” in the short term.

May 25, 2006: U.S. and China reach an agreement for four North Korean defectors seeking asylum at the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang to travel to the United States.

May 27, 2006: FM Li holds a phone conversation with Secretary Rice.

May 30, 2006: The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan releases its annual white paper, which calls on the Taiwanese government to institute direct cross-Strait links.

June 1, 2006: Presidents Bush and Hu speak by phone. They discuss U.S.-China relations, North Korea, and the Iran nuclear issue.

June 3, 2006: Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld only briefly mentions China’s lack of military transparency, toning down the rhetoric from his speech at the same forum one year earlier.

June 4, 2006: State Department calls on China to account for victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre, as well as ongoing human rights violations. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao characterizes the demand as “groundless criticism.”

June 5, 2006: President Bush meets visiting Chinese delegation of senior public servants headed by Zhou Qiang, first secretary of Central Secretariat of Communist Youth League at the White House.

June 7, 2006: Assistant USTR Timothy Stratford and Commerce Department’s International IPR Enforcement Coordinator Chris Israel testify before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Stratford states the U.S. could bring an IPR case against China at the WTO.

June 8, 2006: At the eighth annual round of Defense Consultative Talks (DCTs), Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman meets Mj. Gen. Zhang Qinsheng, assistant chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in Beijing.

June 9, 2006: Meeting on the side of the Group of Eight (G-8) dialogue between finance ministers, Treasury Secretary Snow and Chinese Finance Minister Jin Renqing discuss bilateral financial and economic cooperation and agree to boost dialogue in this field.

June 9, 2006: Speaking at CSIS in Washington, D.C., Under Secretary of Commerce McCormick announces that the U.S. will allow more civilian-use high-technology exports to Chinese companies that have been approved under a new licensing program.

June 11, 2006: U.S. Coast Guard cutter Rush becomes the first major Coast Guard vessel to visit China since World War II when it arrives at Qingdao. The visit helps further law enforcement cooperation between the U.S. and China.

June 12, 2006: House of Representatives passes three resolutions condemning escalating religious persecution in China, condemning Beijing’s interference in the internal affairs of the Catholic Church and persecution of Catholics loyal to the Pope, and remembering the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

June 13, 2006: FM Li has a phone conversation with Secretary Rice.

June 13, 2006: Department of the Treasury designates four Chinese companies and one U.S. company as having supplied Iran with missile-related and dual-use components. The designations prohibit all transactions between the designees and any U.S. person, and freeze any assets the designees might have under U.S. jurisdiction.

June 15, 2006: State Department spokesman responds positively to the agreement signed between China and Taiwan on direct cross-Strait flights, but also urges the governments in Beijing and Taipei to engage in “direct discussions.”

June 19-23, 2006: A 10-member Chinese delegation observes Valiant Shield-06, a large-scale U.S. military exercise near Guam, at the invitation of Adm. Fallon, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

June 21, 2006: At the closing press conference after the EU-U.S. summit in Vienna, George Bush praises China for its efforts to resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

June 22, 2006: Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, while meeting with a delegation of the American Foreign Policy Council led by Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says that China is “open” to military exchanges with the U.S.

June 22, 2006: Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter Rodman testifies before the House Armed Services Committee about the Defense Department’s annual report on Chinese military power. Rodman reports on a lack of transparency regarding Chinese military spending and intentions, but also states that China-U.S. relations are improving.

June 23, 2006: USTR Susan C. Schwab appoints Claire E. Reade chief counsel for China trade enforcement, a position created to ensure that China meets its international trade commitments as it approaches the end of its transition period as a WTO member.

June 27, 2006: During his confirmation hearing, Treasury Secretary nominee Hank Paulson indicates a shift in U.S. policy to emphasize opening the financial sector rather than currency reform.

June 27, 2006: Sens. George Allen (R-VA) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) introduce resolution calling on the U.S. to strengthen links with Taiwan, allow unrestricted visits by high-level Taiwanese elected officials, and allow Cabinet-level exchanges with Taiwan.

June 28, 2006: The amphibious command and control ship USS Blue Ridge docks in Shanghai for exchanges with the PLA Navy.

July 4, 2006: North Korea launches seven short- to long-range ballistic missiles. All fall into the Sea of Japan.

July 6, 2006: President George Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao talk by phone in the wake of North Korea’s missile tests.

July 7-12, 2006: Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill travels to Asia to discuss North Korea’s missile tests. In Beijing, he meets Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, Vice FM Wu Dawei, and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan. Hill also visits with officials in Seoul, Tokyo, and Moscow.

July 7, 2006: In remarks at the 11^th annual Senators’ Trade Conference, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) says engagement with China is in the best interest of the U.S.

July 8, 2006: Chinese FM Li holds a phone conversation with Secretary Rice to discuss the North Korea situation.

July 9, 2006: Speaking on FOX News Sunday, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns urges China to exert its influence to help resolve the North Korea crisis.

July 10, 2006: Chinese FM Li and Secretary Rice discuss in a phone call the proposed United Nations Security Council resolution regarding North Korea’s missile launch. State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan also speaks with Rice by phone.

July 10, 2006: White House Press Secretary Tony Snow says that it is China’s responsibility to ensure that North Korea stops behaving in an “unacceptable manner.”

July 11, 2006: In an interview with Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun, President Bush calls on China to convince North Korea to re-engage in diplomatic negotiations.

July 16, 2006: President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao meet on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg. They agree to work together to bring North Korea back to the Six-Party Talks. In addition, they discuss China-U.S. relations, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the Middle East crisis.

July 17-21, 2006: Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (CMC), travels to the U.S. for the first time.

July 25-31, 2006: Franklin Lavin, undersecretary of commerce for international trade, visits Beijing to press for wider access to China’s market for U.S. banks and other companies.

July 26-29, 2006: Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhou Yongkang travels to the U.S., where he meets Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Treasury Henry M. Paulson, and Reps. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Rick Larsen (D-WA). The two countries agree to enhance law enforcement cooperation. Beijing agrees to strengthen its monitoring of Chinese banks to fight money laundering and counterfeiting by North Korea and share pertinent information with Washington.

July 28, 2006: Secretary Rice meets with FM Li on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Kuala Lumpur. Both participate in “5+5” Talks on Northeast Asia security issues.

July 31, 2006: President Bush authorizes the sale of bulk graphite to China. Chinese firms plan to use the bulk graphite, a refined form of carbon, to make electrodes, dies, and moulds that will in turn be used to produce plastic, rubber, copper, tin, and iron components, but it could also be used in rockets to launch satellites into space.

Aug. 3-4, 2006: Thomas Christensen, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, and Katharine Fredriksen, principal deputy assistant secretary of energy for policy and international affairs, deliver statements at a hearing on “China’s Role in the World,” sponsored by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC).

Aug. 7-12, 2006: A delegation of the Senate, led by Ted Stevens (R-AK), travels to China for the third annual meeting with the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s legislative body. The delegation meets President Hu and China’s top legislator Wu Bangguo.

Aug. 9-10, 2006: Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky meet at the second session of the China-U.S. Global Issues Forum in Beijing.

Aug. 17, 2006: Secretary Rice and FM Li talk by phone. They exchange views on how to implement the consensus reached by Presidents Hu and Bush at an outreach session of the July G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg.

Aug. 21, 2006: Presidents Bush and Hu talk by phone. They discuss cementing economic dialogue, promoting bilateral trade ties, and restarting the stalled Six-Party Talks.

Aug. 27-29, 2006: USTR Susan Schwab travels to China and meets Commerce Minister Bo Xilai. They discuss the role China can play in working toward a successful conclusion of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Doha Round of talks.

Sept. 5-11, 2006: Assistant Secretary of State Hill travels to China. He meets Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai to discuss developments on the Korean Peninsula and ways to restart the Six-Party Talks.

Sept. 6, 2006: U.S. and Chinese ships conduct a joint communication and formation exercise off the Hawaii coast; later (Sept. 20) conduct search and rescue exercise off the Californian coast.

Sept. 8, 2006: Barbara Franklin, vice chairperson of the U.S.-China Business Council meets with Vice Premier Wu Yi in Xiamen. They exchange views on bilateral trade relations and issues of common concern.

Sept. 8-22, 2006: China sends its first air marshals to receive training in the U.S., as agreed to in a Memorandum of Understanding the two countries signed in April 2006.

Sept. 9, 2006: FM Li and Secretary Rice speak by phone.

Sept. 13, 2006: In the second round of the U.S.-China Energy Policy Dialogue, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) agree to pursue future cooperation in improving energy efficiency and developing new and renewable energy resources.

Sept. 13, 2006: On the eve of his first visit to China as Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson delivers a speech on China and the international economic system.

Sept. 13, 2006: Taiwan Affairs Office Director Chen Yunlin visits Washington, D.C. and warns of the dangers of constitutional revision efforts in Taiwan.

Sept. 14, 2006: While meeting Chinese officials in Beijing, DOE Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs Karen A. Harbert and Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Jeffrey Jarrett reach agreement for the two countries to share information in areas critical to improving energy security and environmental protection. Harbert also participates in the second U.S.-China Energy Policy Dialogue in Hangzhou.

Sept. 14, 2006: Assistant Secretary of Defense Peter W. Rodman and Assistant Secretary of State Paula DeSutter testify before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on “China’s Proliferation to North Korea and Iran, and Its Role in Addressing the Nuclear and Missile Situations in Both Nations.”

Sept. 14, 2006: The Senate passes legislation to award a congressional gold medal to the 14^th Dalai Lama in recognition of his many enduring and outstanding contributions to peace, non-violence, human rights, and religious understanding.

Sept. 15, 2006: U.S. State Department releases annual International Religious Freedom Report 2006, which condemns the Chinese government’s respect for religious freedom as “poor.” China’s Foreign Ministry characterizes the report as “groundless criticism.”

Sept. 15, 2006: USTR Susan Schwab announces that the U.S., the EU and Canada are requesting the WTO establish a dispute settlement panel regarding China’s treatment of imported auto parts.

Sept. 18, 2006: Secretary Rice meets FM Li on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, elects not to participate in second round of 5+5 Talks (on Sept. 20).

Sept. 19, 2006: State Councilor Chen Zhili visits Washington, D.C. and meets Ted Stevens, president tempore of the Senate, and John Marburger, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Sept. 19-22, 2006: Treasury Secretary Paulson travels to China, where he meets President Hu, Premier Wen, and Vice Premier Wu Yi. The two sides reach an agreement to establish a China-U.S. economic strategic dialogue.

Sept. 20, 2006: Congressional-Executive Commission on China releases its annual report, which asserts that the Chinese Communist Party continues to implement policies that augment its authority at the expense of citizens’ human rights. The Chinese Foreign Ministry “resolutely refutes” the charges.

Sept. 20, 2006: U.S. and Chinese navies hold a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) off the coast of Southern California. The second half of the exercise will be held off the coast of China.

Sept. 23, 2006: NASA chief Michael Griffin arrives in China for a six-day visit. He tours the Chinese Academy of Space Technology in Beijing and meets his Chinese counterpart Sun Laiyan, head of the China National Space Administration, then visits a facility in Shanghai.

Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2006: Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Christopher Henry travels to China for vice minister-level defense talks. The two sides discuss the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and the improvements in Sino-U.S. military ties. Henry also meets experts from the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the PLA Military Academy of Sciences.

Oct. 9, 2006: North Korea conducts an underground nuclear test. Beijing, notified of the test 20 minutes in advance by Pyongyang, alerts the U.S. of the impending nuclear test.

Oct. 9, 2006: Chinese FM Li Zhaoxing and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hold phone conversation about the North Korean nuclear test and related issues. Presidents George Bush and Hu Jintao also discuss North Korea’s nuclear test by telephone.

Oct. 12, 2006: Hu Jintao dispatches a special envoy, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, to Washington, D.C. in the aftermath of North Korea’s nuclear test. Tang meets President Bush, Secretary Rice, and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

Oct. 15-17, 2006: The U.S.-China Science and Technology Policy Forum takes place in Beijing. Forum participants include policy-level government officials, scientists, engineers, and policy scholars from both the U.S. and China.

Oct. 18-19, 2006: The 12^th China-U.S. Joint Commission Meeting on Scientific and Technological Cooperation is held in Washington, DC. State Councilor Chen Zhili, Chinese delegation head, meets John Marburger III, director of the White House Science and Technology Policy Office, to discuss cooperation in science and technology.

Oct. 20, 2006: Secretary Rice stops in China on the third leg of a four-nation tour that also includes visits to Japan, the ROK, and Russia. Rice meets with Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, Chinese FM Li Zhaoxing, and Tang Jiaxuan.

Oct. 31, 2006: The heads of delegations to the Six-Party Talks from China, North Korea, and the U.S. hold an informal meeting in Beijing. Assistant Secretary Chris Hill notes a Chinese statement that North Korea has agreed to return to Six-Party Talks.

Nov. 7, 2006: U.S. holds mid-term elections, in which Democrats gain control of both houses of Congress.

Nov. 8, 2006: China and the U.S. hold the third round of the Senior Dialogue in Beijing, agreeing on stronger cooperation and closer consultation. Chinese Vice FM Yang Jiechi and the U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns co-chair the Dialogue.

Nov. 13-16, 2006: In an effort to expand U.S. export opportunities, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez leads a delegation of 25 U.S. business executives to China to discuss ways to resolve key bilateral trade issues with senior Chinese officials. Gutierrez meets Vice Premier Wu Yi and Premier Wen. He also meets Han Zheng, acting party chief and mayor of Shanghai, and expresses a U.S. interest in playing a large role in Shanghai’s 2010 World Expo.

Nov. 13, 2006: Jon Dudas, U.S. under secretary of commerce for intellectual property, meets Liu Binjie, China’s deputy director of the State Press and Publication Administration, to discuss intellectual property protection at a closed-door session in Beijing. Both parties express interest in furthering U.S.-China cooperation in anti-piracy.

Nov. 14, 2006: U.S. Ambassador to China Sandy Randt takes part in fifth annual Ambassador’s IPR Roundtable in Beijing.

Nov. 15, 2006: Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Gary Roughead arrives in China on the USS Juneau for a weeklong visit that includes U.S.-Chinese joint naval exercises.

Nov. 16-17, 2006: Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings visits Beijing at the invitation of China’s Ministry of Education as part of U.S. Higher Education Delegation to Asia. She discusses educational exchange opportunities with Education Minister Zhou Yi and Premier Wen and visits top Chinese universities.

Nov. 16, 2006: Forty marines from the United States and China take part in an obstacle course competition in Zhanjiang, a port city in South China’s Guangdong Province. The competition marks the first face-to-face exchanges between the two marine forces.

Nov. 16, 2006: The U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission releases its 2006 Annual Report to Congress. The report gives lawmakers 44 recommendations, which include boosting support for Taiwan’s bid to join international organizations and placing more pressure on China to end genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Nov. 17-19, 2006: Presidents Bush and Hu hold a bilateral meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam on the sidelines of the 14^th APEC Leaders Meeting. Secretary Rice, also in attendance, expresses concerns about China’s outsized military expansion, unfair trading practices, and human rights record, but says U.S. concerns are manageable within the context of a strong bilateral relationship.

Nov. 19, 2006: The U.S. and PLA navies take part in a bilateral joint search and rescue exercise. Following a port visit to Zhanjiang, China, the USS Juneau participates in the exercise off the southern Chinese coast.

Nov. 20, 2006: Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill arrives in Beijing to discuss the Six-Party Talks with Chinese officials.

Nov. 21, 2006: In the first case in 15 years, the Department of Commerce accepts a petition requesting an anti-subsidy investigation of coated printing paper from China.

Nov. 27, 2006: Presidents Bush and Hu exchange views on Darfur and other issues of common concern in a telephone conversation.

Nov. 28, 2006: Chief negotiators of China, the DPRK, and the U.S. meet in Beijing to discuss resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

Dec. 5, 2006: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez announces that the public comment period has closed for new U.S.-China export security regulations, and that he will be leading an effort to finalize the new rules.

Dec. 5, 2006: The second session of the Seminar on U.S.-China Legal Exchange takes place in Cleveland, Ohio. Vice Director of China’s State Council Office of Legislative Affairs Zhang Qiong, Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong, and General Law Consultant of the U.S. Department of Commerce John Sullivan attend.

Dec. 7, 2006: In a statement released a week before his trip to China as part of the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue delegation, Energy Secretary Sam Bodman says that the U.S. and China will strengthen cooperation on energy security.

Dec. 8, 2006: During a visit to Beijing, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney meets Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and delivers a speech at Qinghua University.

Dec. 11, 2006: U.S. Trade Representative issues a report, required by law, on the fifth anniversary of China’s joining the World Trade Organization. The report notes China’s incomplete transition from a command economy to a free market economy.

Dec. 11, 2006: Fifth anniversary of China’s accession to the WTO.

Dec. 13, 2006: In a meeting with Hu Jintao, former President George H. W. Bush says the U.S.-China relationship is “the best ever in history.”

Dec. 13, 2006: Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt and Chinese Vice Minister of Health Huang Jiefu inaugurate the China-U.S. Collaboration Program Office for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases in Beijing.

Dec. 14-15, 2006: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi co-chair the first round of the Sino-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue in Beijing.

Dec. 16, 2006: Energy Secretary Bodman attends energy ministerial meeting of China, the U.S., Japan, the ROK, and India in Beijing. The meeting focuses on ways to increase energy utilization efficiency, keep international energy markets stable, and strengthen international energy security.

Dec. 16, 2006: China’s Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Secretary Bodman sign a memorandum of understanding for Westinghouse Electric Co. to provide technology for four nuclear power plants to be built in China. Westinghose is awarded the $8 billion contract.

Dec. 18, 2006: The Six-Party Talks open in Beijing.

Dec. 19, 2006: The Treasury Department releases its semiannual currency report, which does not cite China as a currency manipulator.

Dec. 22, 2006: As the Six-Party Talks recess, Chinese FM Li Zhaoxing and Secretary Rice speak by phone.

Dec. 31, 2006: A delegation from the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, headed by Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, visits China and meets Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan.

Jan. 2-5, 2007: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attends the funeral ceremony of former U.S. President Gerald Ford. He meets Deputy National Security Advisor David McCormick, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Treasury Henry M. Paulson, and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns.

Jan. 7, 2007: While visiting Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing exchanges views on issues of common concerns over the phone with Secretary Rice.

Jan. 8, 2007: China protests a planned stopover in San Francisco by Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian.

Jan. 9, 2007: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman says that China strongly opposes U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies selling sanctioned weapons to relevant countries.

Jan. 9, 2007: The U.S. Embassy spokesman in Beijing says that the U.S. has urged China to reconsider a reported multibillion dollar natural gas deal between the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) with Iran amid international efforts to sanction Tehran for its nuclear programs.

Jan. 11, 2007: Andrew Natsios, the U.S. president’s special envoy to Sudan, visits Beijing and meets State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Jan. 11, 2007: China successfully tests an anti-satellite weapon, destroying an aging Chinese weather satellite.

Jan. 12, 2007: China and Russia cast vetoes in the UN Security Council to stop a U.S. draft resolution condemning human rights abuse in Myanmar.

Jan. 17-21, 2007: U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Karen Hughes and Public Diplomacy Envoy Michelle Kwan visit Beijing to promote people-to-people exchange.

Jan. 17-19, 2007: Chinese Vice Minister of Taiwan Affairs Office Sun Yafu travels to the U.S. to discuss developments in cross-Strait relations with U.S. officials and scholars.

Jan. 22, 2007: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill visits Beijing and talks to Chinese Foreign Ministry officials about his meeting with DPRK officials in Berlin.

Jan. 23, 2007: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman confirms that China fired a missile to destroy an orbiting satellite, China’s first confirmation of the ASAT test.

Jan. 23, 2007: Chinese FM Li and Secretary Rice exchange views over the phone on promoting a constructive China-U.S. relationship and on the North Korean nuclear issue.

Jan. 23, 2007: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Kristen Silverberg visits Beijing and meets FM Li, Assistant FM Cui Tiankai, Director of Department of International Affairs Wu Hailong, and Director of Department of Policy Research Ma Chaoxu.

Jan. 24, 2007: In a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, 23 U.S. senators appeal to impose duties on Chinese imports in response to a request for public comment on whether the U.S. countervailing duty law should apply to imports from China.

Jan. 28-Feb. 9, 2007: A senior PLA delegation headed by Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Ge Zhenfeng visits Hawaii, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., and meets U.S. Pacific Commander William J. Fallon and Pentagon officials.

Jan. 29-30, 2007: A Chinese delegation led by Ma Chaoxu, director of the MFA’s Department of Policy Research, visits Washington, D.C. for talks with Stephen Krasner, director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Bureau.

Jan. 30-31, 2007: A U.S. transportation delegation travels to Beijing to restart talks with Chinese counterparts on a bilateral open skies agreement.

Jan. 31, 2007: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson tells the Senate Banking Committee that the administration will continue to press China to accelerate currency reform.

Feb. 1-2, 2007: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on economic and security issues in the U.S.-China relationship. Among those testifying are U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Thomas Christensen.

Feb. 2, 2007: The U.S. files a trade case against China at the WTO charging that China unfairly subsidizes its steel, information technology, wood, and other industries.

Feb. 5, 2007: FM Li calls Secretary Rice over the phone and expresses China’s condolences over the losses caused by the thunderstorm and tornado in Florida.

Feb. 7, 2007: Under Secretary for International Trade Franklin Lavin tells a U.S. steel industry gathering that the Bush administration is concerned about state-supported expansion of the Chinese steel industry and problems created by China’s rapid growth.

Feb. 8, 2007: The fifth round of the Six-Party talks resumes in Beijing.

Feb. 9, 2007: U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs James Swan says in a speech at Columbia University that the U.S. does not regard China’s emerging interest in Africa as a security threat.

Feb. 12, 2007: Chinese DM Cao tells a visiting Japanese delegation that China has no plans to carry out further anti-satellite missile tests.

Feb. 13, 2007: Third phase of the fifth round of Six-Party Talks ends in Beijing. The six parties reach an agreement under which North Korea promises to shut down its main nuclear reactor in return for fuel aid. The six parties agree to hold the sixth round on March 19.

Feb. 13, 2007: Chinese Councilor of the State Council Tang Jiaxuan meets the heads of delegations attending the Six-Party Talks in Beijing.

Feb. 15, 2007: President Hu Jintao talks to President Bush on the phone and exchanges opinions on China-U.S. relations and the North Korean nuclear issue.

Feb. 20, 2007: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill says that the six-party agreement to end North Korea’s nuclear program has strengthened the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and China.

Feb. 21, 2007: U.S. and China mark the 35^th anniversary of President Nixon’s visit to China.

Feb. 23, 2007: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney says in Australia that China’s recent anti-satellite weapons test and rapid military buildup are “not consistent” with its stated aim of a peaceful rise as a global power.

Feb. 27, 2007: Michael McConnell, new director of National Intelligence, tells the Senate Armed Services Committee that China’s military modernization is aimed at achieving parity with the U.S. and is not limited to its drive for reunification with Taiwan.

Feb. 28, 2007: Assistant Secretary Hill testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stating that one of the benefits of the six-party process has been the development of U.S.-China relations.

Feb. 28, 2007: U.S. Department of Defense announces that it plans to sell Taiwan more than 400 missiles worth $421 million, which would include 218 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles, 235 Maverick missiles, as well as spare parts and maintenance equipment. China voices strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the U.S. plan.

March 3, 2007: FM Li calls Rice and expresses China’s condolences over losses caused by a tornado in the U.S. Southeast and Midwest.

March 3-5, 2007: On his first trip to the region as deputy secretary of state, John Negroponte visits Beijing and meets Vice FM Yang Jiechi, Vice FM Dai Bingguo, FM Li and State Councilor Tang. China-U.S. relations, particularly the upcoming strategic dialogue, Taiwan, North Korean nuclear program, Iran and Sudan are discussed.

March 4, 2007: Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian announces “four wants and one have not”: that Taiwan wants independence, a new constitution, name rectification and further development, and there are no rightist and leftist divisions in Taiwan except for the debate on the issue of reunification and independence.

March 4, 2007: The Annual Meeting of the National People’s Congress of China opens in Beijing. China announces an increase in military spending of 17.8 percent in 2007.

March 5, 2007: China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issues a warning that “Chen Shui-bian’s pursuit of ‘Taiwan’s de jure independence’ and [Taiwan’s] separation from the country through ‘constitutional amendment’ will severely undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait region and even the Asia-Pacific region.” The State Department labels President Chen’s remarks as “unhelpful.”

March 5-7, 2007: Chinese Assistant FM He Yafei visits Washington. In addition to meeting officials at State, NSC, DOD, and members of Congress, he delivers speeches at the U.S.-China Business Council and the Council on Foreign Relations.

March 6, 2007: State Department releases 2006 Country on Human Rights Practices report. China is included in countries in which power is concentrated in the hands of unaccountable rulers and is one of “the world’s most systematic human rights violators.”

March 6-13, 2007: China and the U.S. join in a naval exercise codenamed Aman (peace) with Pakistan and six other countries aimed at consolidating efforts against terrorism.

March 7, 2007: U.S. Adm. William J. Fallon, outgoing chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, testifies to the House Armed Services Committee, noting that U.S.-Chinese military exchanges are “moving forward.”

March 7, 2007: Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says at a Pentagon press roundtable that he does not view China as a strategic adversary of the U.S. despite Beijing’s growing military budget.

March 7-8, 2007: Treasury Secretary Paulson travels to China. In Beijing, he meets Vice Premier Wu Yi and discusses the planned May meeting of the Strategic Economic Dialogue and other bilateral issues. In Shanghai, Paulson delivers a speech at the Shanghai Futures Exchange and encourages China to launch capital market reforms more quickly.

March 8, 2007: China’s State Council Information Office issues the Human Rights Record of the U.S. in 2006.

March 8, 2007: U.S. Navy Adm. Timothy Keating, nominee to head U.S. Pacific Command, says during a Senate hearing that if confirmed, he will pursue robust engagement with China to help defuse tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

March 12, 2007: The People’s Bank of China releases a statement that it will gradually increase the flexibility in the exchange rate of the RMB.

March 12, 2007: Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier travels to China and holds meetings with Chinese counterparts on issues related to the current WTO round, the Doha Round, and bilateral commercial ties.

March 13, 2007: Assistant Secretary Hill arrives in Beijing to join working group talks on denuclearization, economic and energy cooperation, and peace and security in Northeast Asia.

March 13, 2007: U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab welcomes news that China has announced the termination of one of the subsidy programs the U.S. challenged as a prohibited export subsidy in a Feb. 2 request for WTO dispute settlement consultations.

March 14, 2007: U.S. Treasury finalizes a ruling against Banco Delta Asia that prohibits all U.S. financial institutions from maintaining correspondent accounts for BDA and prevents BDA from accessing the U.S. financial system. China expresses deep regret over Treasury’s decision.

March 16, 2007: The National People’s Congress (NPC) of China concludes its annual session with the adoption of a properly law and a corporate income tax law.

March 17-18, 2007: Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Glaser travels to Macau and Beijing to discuss with Macau and Chinese officials issues related to BDA.

March 19, 2007: The sixth round of Six-Party Talks begins in Beijing aimed at implementing the Feb. 13 agreement.

March 22, 2007: The Six-Party Talks recess with a chairman’s statement reaffirming all parties’ commitment to the Joint Statement of Sept. 19, 2005 and the Joint Statement of Feb. 13, 2007.

March 22, 2007: Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong delivers a speech on U.S.-China trade, China’s economic development, and Taiwan at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University.

March 22-25, 2007: Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, arrives in Beijing for a four-day visit.

March 25, 2007: Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Glaser arrives in Beijing to discuss with Chinese officials issues related to the transfer of North Korean money from BDA.

March 25, 2007: FM Li and Secretary Rice hold a phone conversation about Sino-U.S. relations and promoting the Six-Party Talks.

March 27, 2007: Thomas J. Christensen, deputy assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, testifies before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment.

March 27-28, 2007: The Senate Finance Committee holds hearings on U.S.-China trade and China’s currency regime.

March 28, 2007: United Airlines launches direct flights between Washington. and Beijing.

March 28, 2007: Speaking at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., China’s Ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong calls on the U.S. to stop selling advanced weapons and sending to Taiwan.

March 29, 2007: Gen. James Cartwright, commander U.S. strategic command, testifies before the strategic forces subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

March 29-30, 2007: U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearing on China’s military modernization and its impact on the U.S. and the Asia Pacific.

March 30, 2007: Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez announces the adoption of new policy imposing potentially steep tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods on the grounds that its government subsidies of exports are illegal.

March 30, 2007: U.S. health officials say that a toxin used in fertilizer in China and to make plastics in the United States has been found in samples of recalled pet food and in imported Chinese wheat gluten used in the food.

April 1-6, 2007: A senior PLA Navy delegation led by Navy Commander Vice Adm. Wu Shengli meets officials at Pacific Command in Hawaii and in Washington, DC, including Commander of U.S. Pacific Forces Adm. Timothy Keating and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace. The delegation also visits the U.S. Naval Academy.

April 5, 2007: Chairman of Chinese National People’s Congress Wu Bangguo meets with a visiting U.S. Congress delegation organized by the Aspen Institute.

April 6-9, 2007: Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun visits Sudan as a special envoy of the Chinese government.

April 7, 2007: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing talks to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice over the phone on China-U.S. relations and other issues of mutual concern.

April 7, 2007: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman repudiates criticism of China’s human rights situation in the U.S. Department of State’s Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2006 as “groundless and slanderous.”

April 9, 2007: Chinese Depute Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo talks to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte over the phone and exchanges views on Darfur.

April 9, 2007: Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei receives a delegation from the U.S. House Armed Services Committee led by Chairman Soloman Ortiz.

April 9, 2007: The U.S. files WTO cases against China over deficiencies in China’s intellectual property rights laws and market access barriers to copyright-based industries. China expresses strong regret and dissatisfaction over the U.S. decision, saying it will “seriously damage” bilateral cooperation and harm business ties.

April 11, 2007: Ambassador Andrew Natsios, President Bush’s special envoy to Sudan, tells the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that China is increasingly cooperating with the U.S. to help end the violence in Sudan’s Darfur region.

April 12-20, 2007: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Assistant Administrator Granta Nakayama visits China and signs a letter of intent to facilitate cooperation in improving the quality of farm chemicals with the Ministry of Agriculture. He also meets officials from the State Environmental Protection Administration and General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

April 13, 2007: Visiting U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters says in Beijing that the U.S. expects to reach an open skies agreement with China.

April 13-15, 2007: Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill travels to Beijing to discuss issues related to the Six-Party Talks with Chinese and North Korean counterparts. North Korea misses April 14 deadline for closing its Yongbyon nuclear reactor.

April 15, 2007: During a visit to Guam, Adm. Timothy Keating says tensions over Taiwan are a factor in the U.S. military build-up on Guam, but adds that Washington is working hard to ensure hostilities do not erupt in the Taiwan Strait.

April 16, 2007: A daylong meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Economic Committee is held.

April 16, 2007: Chinese Assistant FM He receives a delegation led by GOP Rep. Michael Conaway.

April 17, 2007: U.S. Defense Department delegation led by General Counsel William Haynes visits Beijing and meets PLA officials including Director of the General Political Department Li Jinai.

April 18, 2007: President Hu Jintao sends a telegram to U.S. President Bush to express China’s condolences over the shooting at Virginia Tech.

April 23, 2007: China gives U. S. Food and Drug Administration permission to enter China to investigate whether Chinese suppliers exported contaminated pet food ingredients to the U.S.

April 24, 2007: Adm. Timothy Keating testifies before Senate Armed Services Committee.

April 24, 2007: Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi says that China will “fight to the end” against the U.S. complaint to the WTO over intellectual property rights.

April 25, 2007: Chinese Assistant FM He receives visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Daniel Sullivan. The two sides exchange opinions on China-U.S. trade relations and the China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue.

April 25, 2007: Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong announces that Tai Shan, the giant panda cub, will stay at the Washington Zoo for two more years as an envoy of goodwill from the Chinese people and as a symbol of friendly cooperation between China and the U.S.

April 26, 2007: Data from the Council of Graduate Schools shows that applications from Chinese students for admission to U.S. graduate schools have risen 17 percent. China is the second leading country of origin for international students in U.S. graduate schools with 62,582 students.

April 27, 2007: China names Yang Jiechi, former ambassador to the U.S., foreign minister.

April 27, 2007: American Chamber of Commerce releases White Paper saying that an attempt by the U.S. Congress to force China to revalue its currency by imposing punitive tariffs on Chinese exports would be counterproductive and do nothing to redress the trade imbalance.

April 27, 2007: Five Americans are expelled from China after staging an illegal “Free Tibet” demonstration at Mount Everest base camp.

April 28, 2007: Chinese Vice FM Dai Bingguo and the Deputy Secretary Negroponte discuss the Darfur issue and the Six-Party Talks by phone.

May 1, 2007: Deputy Secretary Negroponte tells the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that “the United States is seeking real partnership with ‘a prosperous China’ that is stable, respectful of its citizens’ rights and at peace with its neighbors.”

May 2, 2007: Representatives from China, the United States, Britain, France, Russia and Germany meet in Paris to discuss the Iran nuclear issue.

May 4, 2007: Chinese FM Yang Jiechi and Secretary Rice meet on the sidelines of the meeting in Egypt to launch the International Compact for Iraq.

May 8, 2007: The Chinese Foreign Ministry expresses “strong dissatisfaction” and “firm opposition” to a report produced by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on the religious situation in China.

May 9, 2007: Presidents Hu and Bush talk over phone about the upcoming China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue, climate change, and the DPRK nuclear issue.

May 9, 2007: Chinese trade delegation led by Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong signs 27 contracts in California to buy $4.3 billion worth of technology products.

May 9, 2007: A 19-member delegation from the U.S. National Defense University Capstone Program, headed by Gen. William Nyland (ret.), arrives in China for a five-day visit, during which they traveled to Beijing, Chongqing, and Nanchang.

May 10, 2007: U.S. court finds Chi Mak, a Chinese-born engineer, guilty of conspiring to export sensitive defense technology to China.

May 10, 2007: More than 100 U.S. congressmen sign a robustly worded letter calling on President Hu to take immediate action to stop bloodshed in Darfur, Sudan.

May 10-14, 2007: Adm. Timothy Keating visits China for the first time since becoming head of Pacific Command. At the invitation of Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, Keating meets Zhang Qinsheng, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA and Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in Beijing. Keating also visits military institutions and bases in Nanjing.

May 11, 2007: The Chinese Ministry of Labor and Social Security releases a report that predicts around 3.5 million workers will become unemployed and at least 10 million farmers will be affected if the yuan were to appreciate another 5 to 10 percent.

May 14, 2007: Hollywood director Steven Spielberg sends a letter to President Hu calling on China to pressure Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers.

May 15-20, 2007: The PLA Navy frigate Xiangfan joins the Western Pacific Naval Symposium joint exercise in Singapore together with 14 warships from 12 countries including the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and India.

May 16, 2007: A Chinese trade delegation led by Vice Minister of Commerce Ma signs agreements with U.S. companies at the Chicago Board of Trade to buy 5.76 million tons of soybeans worth $2.07 billion.

May 17-18, 2007: Chinese Assistant FM Li Hui meets Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher in Washington to discuss Central Asian issues under the senior dialogue framework.

May 18, 2007: Members of the Senate Finance Committee send a letter to China’s Vice Premier Wu Yi urging resolution of key trade and economic issues at the Strategic Economic Dialogue.

May 19, 2007: The Chinese government announces that it has invested $3 billion with the Blackstone Group, a U.S.-based private equity firm.

May 21-22, 2007: A U.S. labor union delegation visits China to meet Chinese officials from the All China Federation of Trade Unions ending a long boycott on dealing with China’s state-controlled labor federation. The group is also received by Jia Qinglin, Chairman of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

May 21, 2007: China and the U.S., together with Russia, Japan and France, agree to a joint statement on nuclear nonproliferation cooperation at the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) meeting in Washington, DC.

May 22-24, 2007: Second U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue held in Washington. It concludes with agreements on financial services, aviation, and energy cooperation.

May 22-25, 2007: U.S. Navy destroyer Stethem (DDG-63) makes a ship visit to Qingdao and holds a joint exercise with the PLA Navy destroyer Qingdao.

May 23, 2007: U.S. FDA announces that it will begin testing samples of all toothpaste imported from China after the discovery that some Chinese manufacturers used a poisonous ingredient in toothpaste sold in Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Australia. China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine calls the warning “unscientific, irresponsible and contradictory.”

May 24, 2007: President Bush receives Vice Premier Wu Yi in the White House after the second Strategic Economic Dialogue. Wu also meets Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, members of the House Financial Services Committee, and other members of the Congress.

May 25, 2007: Pentagon releases annual report to Congress on China’s military power. Chinese Foreign Ministry expresses “strong dissatisfaction and resolute objection.”

May 30, 2007: U.S. Commerce Department announces additional preliminary duties of up to 99.65 percent on imports of glossy paper from China, on top of smaller duties imposed earlier.

May 30, 2007: The Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party signs a memorandum of understanding on personnel training with General Electric. The deal includes a plan for GE to train selected Chinese business executives from 2008-2010.

May 30-31, 2007: Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill visits Beijing and discusses the Six-Party Talks and the Sino-U.S. relations with counterpart Vice FM Wu Dawei and Assistant FM He Yafei.

June 1, 2007: U.S. Department of State issues a statement on the 18^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre calling for “the Chinese government to move forward with a reexamination of Tiananmen, to release all Tiananmen era prisoners, and to cease harassment of the families of victims of Tiananmen.”

June 2, 2007: Zhang Qinsheng, deputy chief of the PLA General Staff, attends Sixth Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

June 5-8, 2007: Chinese and U.S. negotiators hold first round of WTO talks on copyright issues in Geneva.

June 5, 2007: President Bush meets with Chinese Muslim dissident Rebiya Kadeer in Prague. China condemns the action as “a blatant interference in China’s internal affairs.”

June 6-9, 2007: Chinese National People’s Congress delegation led by Vice Chairman Sheng Huaren visits Washington and attends the 4th meeting of the parliamentary exchange between the United States and China. The delegation is received by Vice President Dick Cheney.

June 8, 2007: Presidents Bush and Hu meet on the sideline of the G-8 Summit in Heiligendamm, Germany.

June 8, 2007: Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine announces that certain health supplements and raisins imported from the U.S. have failed to meet Chinese safety standards and have been returned or destroyed.

June 12, 2007: U.S. State Department releases its 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report. China stays in the Tier 2 Watch List for the third year and is criticized for its policies on North Korean refugees.

June 13-18, 2007: Commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security W. Ralph Basham, visits Hong Kong and Beijing. In Beijing, he signs a memorandum of cooperation with China’s Custom’s Minister Wu Xinsheng on counterfeiting products and meets officials from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

June 14, 2007: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “China’s Energy Consumption and Opportunities for U.S.-China Cooperation to Address the Effects of China’s Energy Use.”

June 14-15, 2007: The sixth meeting of Joint Liaison Group between China and the U.S. on law enforcement cooperation is held in Beijing. The meeting addresses law-enforcement issues concerning the fight against corruption, cyber crime, fugitive matters, human smuggling, intellectual property, mutual legal assistance, and repatriation.

June 15, 2007: U.S. Commerce Department tightens regulations on aircraft engines, high-performance computers, and other technology exports to China of that have possible military uses. Some 31 products are added to a list that requires special export licenses.

June 18, 2007: Assistant Secretary Hill visits Beijing and meets Vice FM Wu Dawei to discuss the Six-Party Talks.

June 18, 2007: Two Major League Baseball teams, the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners, sign four Chinese baseball players.

June 18, 2007: A petition is filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission requesting the imposition of a combination of U.S. countervailing and dumping duties on Chinese off-the-road tires.

June 19, 2007: U.S. Deputy Secretary of Treasury Robert Kimmitt visits Beijing and meets Gov. Zhou Xiaochuan of the People’s Bank of China, and other officials on bilateral investment issues.

June 20-21, 2007: The fourth round of the Senior Dialogue is held in Washington D.C. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte and Chinese Vice Minister Dai Bingguo hold talks on a broad range of bilateral and international issues.

June 25, 2007: The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration orders Foreign Tire Sales Inc., a tire importer, to recall as many as 450,000 tires that it bought from a Chinese manufacturer and sold to U.S. distributors. The Chinese tire maker, the Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company, rejects U.S. charge of defects.

June 26, 2007: China arranges meeting between a U.S. delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Eric John and a Myanmar delegation led by Information Minister Kyaw San and Foreign Minister Nyan Win in Beijing. They discuss human rights issues including the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi.

June 28, 2007: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announces it will block imports of farm-raised catfish, basa, shrimp, dace, and eel from China unless they are proven free of illegal antibiotics and chemicals.

June 28, 2007: Minister Li Changjiang of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine meets U.S. Ambassador to China Clark Randt Jr. in Beijing. Randt presents a letter on U.S. beef exports to China written by U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns.

June 29, 2007: Minister Li Changjiang of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine holds a telephone conference with U.S. FDA officials on its import controls on fish products from China.

July 2, 2007: A U.S. House China Working Group delegation visits China. In Beijing, the delegation is received by Sheng Huaren, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s NPC. The delegation also visits Qinghai, Gansu, and Shanghai.

July 4, 2007: The U.S. automaker Chrysler and Chinese car company Chery sign a deal to launch a low-cost production facility in China.

July 5, 2007: Chinese Foreign Ministry lodges a representation to the U.S. over Taiwan Vice President Annette Lu’s transit stopover in the U.S. en route to Latin American.

July 9, 2007: Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and Chinese Minister of Civil Aviation Yang Yuanyuan sign an aviation agreement in Seattle. It allows both countries to expand direct flights between the U.S. and China and move forward with assessments of airline proposals to operate the new routes.

July 10, 2007: China executes the former head of the Food and Drug Administration Zheng Xiaoyu for taking bribes to approve untested medicine.

July 12, 2007: Don Mahley, deputy assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, testifies to U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission saying that “China is failing to do all it should to stop militarily significant supplies from reaching Iran, even though it voted for UN sanctions aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.”

July 13, 2007: General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) announces suspension of imports of chicken and pork products from several U.S. firms, including Tyson Foods and Cargill for food safety reasons.

July 18-20, 2007: First Session of the Sixth Round of Six-Party Talks is held in Beijing after a four month recess.

July 20, 2007: Li Changjiang, minister of the AQSIQ, announces that China and the United States will hold a vice-ministerial-level talk on food safety in August.

July 23-28, 2007: Commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces Gen. Paul Hester visits China.

July 24, 2007: The U.S. firm Westinghouse Electric signs a deal with the Chinese state company Nuclear Technology to build four nuclear power plants in China.

July 24, 2007: The FBI says that a joint effort with the Chinese authorities led to the arrest of 25 people and the seizing of more than $500 million worth of counterfeit Microsoft and Symantec software that was being made in China.

July 26, 2007: Senate Finance Committee votes favorably on a bill under the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2007 to require the Treasury Department to take firm action against the Chinese currency. Treasury issues statement saying it does not support this proposed approach.

July 26, 2007: Foreign Ministry spokesman denies U.S. military accusation that Chinese weapons exported to Iran have been transferred to Iraqi militias.

July 29-Aug. 1, 2007: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson visits China to discuss the agenda for the next round of the U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue. In Beijing, he is received by President Hu Jintao and Vice Premier Wu Yi and meets a number of Chinese ministers.

Aug. 1, 2007: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets with Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte at the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting in Manila.

Aug. 1, 2007: Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab announce that the 18th U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) will be held the week of Dec. 10 in Beijing.
Aug. 2, 2007: A senior delegation from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Food and Drug Administration visits Beijing and meets senior officials from the AQSIQ, the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, and the Certification and Accreditation Administration. The two sides discuss food and drug safety issues and agree to hold regular consultative meetings.

Aug. 8, 2007: China starts one-year countdown to 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Aug. 13, 2007: Congressmen Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and John Shadegg (R-AZ) visit China at the invitation of National People’s Congress (NPC). In Beijing, they meet Sheng Huaren, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of NPC, and Chinese FM Yang Jiechi.

Aug. 13, 2007: The U.S. requests the WTO to establish a dispute settlement panel on addressing China’s legal regime for protecting and enforcing copyrights and trademarks.

Aug. 14, 2007: U.S. company Mattel recalls more than 9 million toys made in China after finding that the paint used may contain lead.

Aug. 15, 2007: A delegation led by James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, visits Beijing and discusses climate change and environmental protection issues with Chinese officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission.
Aug. 16-21, 2007:, VADM Charles Wurster, commander of the Pacific Area and Defense Force West of U.S. Coast Guard, visits Shanghai aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell. It is the first international stop for the crew as the U.S. Coast Guard representative to attend the North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF).

Aug. 17, 2007: China appoints Vice Premier Wu Yi to head a Cabinet-level panel to oversee product quality and food safety.
Aug. 17, 2007: The Information Office of China’s State Council releases a white paper titled “China’s Food Quality and Safety.”

Aug. 17-22, 2007: Chief of U.S. Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen visits China. In Beijing, he meets PLA Navy Commander Wu Shengli, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong, Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan, PLA Chief of the General Staff Liang Guanglie and FM Yang Jiechi.

Aug. 20-24, 2007: U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz makes a port call in Hong Kong.

Aug. 22, 2007: AQSIQ announces that U.S. soybean exports to China have “numerous quality problems.”

Aug. 27, 2007: U.S. House Armed Services Committee delegation headed by Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) visits China. The delegation meets NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo and Vice FM Zhang Yesui. The delegation also visits the headquarters of the PLA Second Artillery and is received by the Commander, Gen. Jing Zhiyuan.

Aug. 27, 2007: Deputy Secretary Negroponte says that Taiwan’s effort to hold a referendum on joining the UN under the name of Taiwan is “a step toward a declaration of independence of Taiwan, toward an alteration of the status quo.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao says China appreciates the U.S. opposition to the referendum scheme by Taiwan authorities to seek UN membership the next day.

Aug. 27, 2007: A U.S. House U.S.-China Working Group delegation headed by Congressmen Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) visits Beijing and has meetings with NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo, NPC Vice Chairman Sheng Huaren, Assistant FM He Yafei and Minister of the AQSIQ Li Changjiang.
Aug. 28, 2007: Communist Party of China announces the 17^th Party Congress will open Oct. 15.

Sept. 3, 2007: The Financial Times reports that the PLA launched a cyber attack on the U.S. Defense Department in June. Several days later a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman issues a denial.

Sept. 3, 2007: China’s special envoy on Darfur, Liu Guijin, visits Washington D.C. and meets Deputy Secretary Negroponte, U.S. special envoy to Darfur Andrew Natsios, and U.S. lawmakers.

Sept. 4, 2007: U.S. toy company Mattel issues another recall announcement.

Sept. 6, 2007: Presidents Bush and Hu meet at the APEC Summit in Sydney and discuss bilateral relations, Taiwan, the quality of Chinese products, climate change, Iran, North Korea and other issues.

Sept. 11, 2007: Deputy Assistant Secretary Tom Christensen delivers a speech at the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council’s Defense Industry conference entitled “A Strong and Moderate Taiwan.”

Sept. 11-12, 2007: Chinese delegation headed by AQSIQ Vice Minister Wei Chuanzhong visits Washington to attend the third U.S.-China food safety meeting and the second U.S.-China meeting on the safety of consumer products with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. A joint declaration is released on consumer product safety.

Sept. 12, 2007: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and China’s National Reform and Development Commission sign a Memorandum of Cooperation in Washington to strengthen cooperation and communication in the area of motor vehicle safety and to improve enforcement standards.

Sept. 13, 2007: Minister of Taiwan Affairs Office Chen Yunlin travels to Washington D.C. to discuss Taiwan’s effort to hold a referendum on joining the UN under the name of Taiwan.

Sept. 14, 2007: China files its first WTO case against the U.S., opposing antidumping duties on Chinese paper imports.

Sept. 14, 2007: The U.S. Department of State releases International Religious Freedom Report 2007. China’s Foreign Ministry criticizes the report’s section on China.

Sept. 16, 2007: The Chinese Foreign Ministry issues a statement protesting the sale of U.S. weapons to Taiwan following U.S. Defense Department’s notification of a possible sale of P3 anti-submarine warfare planes and SM-2 air defense missiles.

Sept. 17, 2007: Quarantine officials in Guangdong, China reject an 18.4 ton shipment of frozen pork kidneys from the U.S.

Sept. 17, 2007: Karen Harbert, assistant secretary for policy and international affairs of the Department of Energy, and Chen Deming, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission sign a memorandum of understanding in San Francisco to cooperate on increasing energy efficiency in China’s industrial sector.

Sept. 19, 2007: The National Basketball Association (NBA) announces the formation of a Chinese subsidiary, NBA China.

Sept. 20, 2007: Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan meets Sam Zamrik, president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and encourages cooperation on drawing up and revising nuclear power standards.

Sept. 21, 2007: UN General Assembly approves General Committee’s recommendation to exclude the issue of Taiwan’s participation in the UN from its agenda.

Sept. 21, 2007: Chinese delegation headed by Assistant FM Zhai Jun attends the Second High-level Consultative Meeting on Darfur in New York.

Sept. 21, 2007: David McCormick, U.S. under secretary of Treasury for international affairs, travels to Beijing to attend a deputy-ministerial meeting under the U.S.-China Joint Economic Committee.

Sept. 21, 2007: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls cribs made in China marketed by the Pennsylvania company, Simplicity, Inc., of Reading.

Sept. 21, 2007: Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel’s executive vice president for
worldwide operations, travels to Beijing and meets Li Changjiang, minister of the AQSIQ, and officials from the Ministry of Commerce. Mattel apologizes and takes responsibility for magnet-related recalls saying that they “were due to emerging issues concerning design and this has nothing to do with whether the toys were manufactured in China.”

Sept. 23, 2007: Secretary of State Rice meets FM Yang on the sidelines of the 62nd UN General Assembly session in New York.

Sept. 27, 2007: President Bush receives FM Yang in the Oval Office. Yang also meets Treasury Secretary Paulson and attends the opening ceremony of the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change.

Sept. 27-28, 2007: Xie Zhenhua, deputy minister of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) attends the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change in Washington as a representative of Chinese President Hu.

Sept. 27-30, 2007: Second Session of the Sixth Round of the Six Party Talks is held in Beijing. Delegates agree to a joint statement that requires North Korea to report and disable three nuclear facilities by Dec. 31, 2007.

Sept. 28, 2107: Acting Assistant Secretary of State Thornton testifies at a hearing on evaluating sanctions enforcement on North Korea held by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Oct. 2, 2007: The Entry-exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau of Rongcheng City, Shandong Province, rejects 47 tons of bacteria-infected sardines manufactured in the U.S.

Oct. 4, 2007: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls more than 630,000 Chinese-made toys, key chains, and other products due to violation of lead paint standard.

Oct. 10, 2007: The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China releases its 2007 Annual Report on human rights and rule of law in China. China voices “strong dissatisfaction” against the report.

Oct. 11, 2007: China’s Health Minister Chen Zhu is elected as a foreign associate of the U. S. Institute of Medicine (IOM).

Oct. 12, 2007: Food ad Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach visits China and meets Minister of Health Zhu Chen, Commissioner of State Food and Drug Administration Shao Mingli, and Vice Minister of AQSIQ Wei Chuanzhong.
Oct. 12, 2007: The Department of Commerce starts an anti-dumping probe into Chinese magnetic rubber.

Oct. 15-22, 2007: The 17^th Party Congress of Chinese Communist Party is held in Beijing. It ends with amendment of the CCP constitution and announcement of new Central Committee and Standing Committee members.

Oct. 17, 2007: The Dalai Lama receives the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington and is received by President Bush for a private meeting in the White House residence. FM Yang Jiechi summons U.S. Ambassador Clark Randt in Beijing to formally protest.

Oct. 24, 2007: China launches its first lunar orbiter Chang’e I.

Oct. 24, 2007: Chinese and U.S. tourism officials open first dialogue meeting in North Carolina to explore ways of increasing cooperation on travel-related matters.

Oct. 24, 2007: China blocks a U.S. request to establish at a WTO expert panel to investigate Chinese imports of films, DVDs, music and other published products.

Oct. 31, 2007: Vice FM Wu Dawei meets Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill who is attending meetings with North Korean negotiator Kim Gye-gwan in Beijing.

Nov. 4-6, 2007: Secretary of Defense Gates visits China under the invitation of Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan. In Beijing, Secretary Gates meets President Hu Jintao, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Gen. Guo Boxiong and Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo.

Nov. 06, 2007: China and the U.S. celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Shanghai Communiqué.

Nov. 08, 2007: FM Dai Bingguo and Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte have a telephone discussion on U.S.-China relations and international issues of mutual concerns.

Nov. 13, 2007: Department of Defense announces plan to sell three sets of Patriot II anti-missile equipment upgrade systems to Taiwan. China voices its strong opposition.

Nov. 13, 2007: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases its 2007 Report to the U.S. Congress.

Nov. 17, 2007: Alexander Karsner, assistant secretary of energy efficiency and renewable energy, visits Beijing and meets Zhang Guobao, deputy minister of the National Development and Reform Commission. China and the U.S. draft a biofuel agreement on sharing knowledge and technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Nov. 21, 2007: China refuses the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier and accompanying ships entry to the port of Hong Kong for a Thanksgiving holiday visit, and later reverses its decision on humanitarian grounds.

Nov. 26-28, 2007: FM Yang Jiechi attends the U.S.-sponsored international Middle East Conference in Annapolis, Maryland. In Washington, Yang Jiechi is received by President Bush at the White House, and has meetings with Secretary of State Rice and Treasury Secretary Paulson.

Nov. 29, 2007: U.S. Trade Representative Schwab announces that China agreed to eliminate WTO-illegal tax breaks that encouraged Chinese companies to export. The Chinese also agreed to scrap tax and tariff penalties that had penalized U.S. and other foreign countries trying to sell their goods in China.

Dec. 3, 2007: A PLA delegation headed by Deputy Chief of Staff for foreign affairs Ma Xiaotian attends Ninth China-U.S. Defense Consultation Talks in Washington. The U.S. side is chaired by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman.

Dec. 4, 2007: Secretary of State Rice and FM Yang Jiechi have a telephone discussion on the Iran nuclear issue.

Dec.4-5, 2007: Former President Jimmy Carter visits Beijing, and is received by Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo Xi Jinping.

Dec. 5, 2007: Assistant Secretary of State Hill visits Beijing and discusses issues related to the Six-Party Talks with Chinese officials.

Dec. 6, 2007: Presidents Bush and Hu have a telephone discussion regarding bilateral relations, Taiwan, Iran, and North Korea.

Dec. 6, 2007: Vice FM Wu Dawei receives Assistant Secretary Hill in Beijing after Hill’s visit to Pyongyang.

Dec. 8, 2007: A memorandum from the Department of Homeland Security says a cyber attack reported by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory may have originated in China.

Dec. 11, 2007: The 18th Sino-U.S. JCCT session is held in Beijing. The session is co-chaired by U.S. Trade Representative Schwab and Commerce Secretary Gutierrez on the U.S. side and by Vice Premier Wu Yi on the Chinese side.

Dec. 12-13, 2007: The Third U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue led by Secretary of Treasury Henry Paulson and Vice Premier Wu Yi are held in Beijing.

Dec. 19, 2007: In its semiannual report to Congress, the Treasury Department states that China is not manipulating its currency to gain unfair trade advantage. However, the report said the Chinese yuan remains severely undervalued against the U.S. dollar.

Dec. 27, 2007: The RMB reaches a new high against the dollar: 7.31 RMB/dollar.

Jan. 12, 2008: Taiwan’s opposition KMT party wins a landslide victory in the parliamentary polls, winning 81 seats in the legislature, while the DPP wins 27 seats.

Jan. 13-16, 2008: Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, visits China.

Jan. 16-20, 2008: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte visits China for the fifth round of the Senior Dialogue, which is held in Guiyang with his counterpart Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo.

Jan. 21, 2008: The World Bank appoints a Chinese economist as its chief economist.

Jan. 23, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the sidelines of the six-nation foreign ministers’ meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue in Berlin.

Jan. 28, 2008: China approves a request for the U.S. Seventh Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge to make port visit in Hong Kong, allowing its 700 sailors to remain a few days in Hong Kong.

Jan. 28, 2008: Adm. Keating says at a forum hosted by Asia Society that Beijing is developing weapons systems that exceed what the U.S. sees as necessary for self-defense.

Jan. 30-31, 2008: FBI Director Robert Mueller makes a three-day visit to Beijing and is briefed by the police, paramilitary, and counterintelligence agencies in charge of security for the August Olympic games.

Feb. 5, 2008: Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell presents the annual threat assessment to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, with China occupying a prominent portion of his statement.

Feb. 8, 2008: The Department of Defense provides disaster relief materials to China that includes 6,000 winter coats, 1,657 blankets and 87,552 military food ration packs, valued at $820,000, to help alleviate the suffering of people in southern, central and eastern China from heavy snow.

Feb. 11, 2008: The FBI arrests alleged spies for the Chinese government, including a Pentagon official who helped Beijing obtain secret information about U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan and U.S. military programs.

Feb. 12, 2008: Russia and China propose a new international treaty to ban the deployment or use of weapons in outer space, and the use or threat of force against satellites or other craft.

Feb. 13, 2008: U.S. film director Steven Spielberg withdraws as artistic adviser for the 2008 Olympics, accusing China of not doing enough to pressure Sudan to end the “continuing human suffering” in the troubled western Darfur region.

Feb. 13, 2008: Thomas Fingar, deputy director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, warns that military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait is one of the most worrying potential threats facing the U.S. at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

Feb. 18, 2008: Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao expresses concern about a U.S. plan to destroy a malfunctioning satellite and calls for the U.S. to fulfill its international obligations in earnest.

Feb. 19, 2008: Assistant Foreign Minister He Yafei holds talks with Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill to exchange views on the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues, Myanmar, and anti-proliferation.

Feb. 20, 2008: The Chinese Ministry of Public Security says that China will send the fifth contingent of peacekeeping police to Kosovo in early March.

Feb. 21, 2008: Nine retired senior military officials from the U.S. and China, led by former Vice Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Bill Owens and former Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Xiong Guangkai respectively, meet on the southern island of Hainan to discuss ways to reduce tensions between the two countries.

Feb. 25, 2008: The 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China kicks off its second plenary session to discuss the restructuring of government departments and candidates for state leaders.

Feb. 26, 2008: Secretary of State Rice visits Beijing as part of a tour of Northeast Asia.

Feb. 26, 2008: Representatives of China, U.S., Russia, U.K., France, and Germany meet in Washington to discuss the Iranian nuclear problem. China’s representative says that China supports negotiations as a means to resolve the problem.

Feb. 27, 2008: In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Michael Maples says China has deployed more than 1,000 ballistic missiles against Taiwan and has developed more powerful missiles with the range to cover the entire continental U.S. and its allies in the region.

Feb. 28, 2008: President Bush says that he will attend the Beijing Olympics in August as a sports fan, but vows not to be “shy” about pushing China on human rights as well as Darfur and Myanmar.

Feb. 28-March 1, 2008: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia David Sedney holds Defense Policy Consultative Talks in Shanghai with counterpart Gen. Qian Lihua.

March 3, 2008: The Pentagon releases its annual report on China’s military as mandated by Congress.

March 3, 2008: The Bush Administration delivers a report to Congress entitled “the 2008 Trade Policy Agenda,” which states that China has overtaken Japan to become the third largest export market for the U.S.

March 4, 2008: China says it plans to increase military spending by 17.6 percent this year, to 417.8 billion RMB, or $59 billion.

March 4, 2008: The National People’s Congress (NPC) opens in Beijing. The main agendas are controlling inflation, the Olympic games, and a governmental reorganization.

March 5, 2008: Two House subcommittees hold a hearing to explore the economic and security implications of “sovereign wealth funds,” including the activities of the China Investment Corporation, with assets of $200 billion.

March 7, 2008: Washington seeks permission from Beijing for the USS Kitty Hawk Battle Group to visit Hong Kong in mid-April.

March 7, 2008: President Hu Jintao meets former President George H.W. Bush in Beijing.

March 10, 2008: Tibetan protests begin in conjunction with the anniversary of the 1959 rebellion against Chinese rule.

March 11, 2008: Department of State releases its annual report on human rights. Unlike previous years, China is not listed as among the top 10 most systematic human rights violators, but is described as an authoritarian regime that denies its people basic human rights and freedoms, tortures prisoners, and restricts the media.

March 13, 2008: China releases its annual report on human rights in the U.S., which calls the U.S. record “tattered and shocking,” and criticizes the U.S. for its high crime rates, large prison population, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

March 18, 2008: The U.S. Security and Economic Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s Expanding Global Influence: Foreign Policy Goals, Practices, and Tools.”

March 19, 2008: Secretary Rice telephones Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and urges restraint on the part of the Chinese government in its response to Tibetan protestors, and encouraging Beijing to talk with the Dalai Lama.

March 21, 2008: Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab in Beijing and pledges China’s constructive role as a bridge in the Doha round of negotiations on world trade.

March 22, 2008: Taiwan holds a presidential election. KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou wins with 58.45 percent of the vote against 41.55 percent for DPP candidate Hsieh Chang-ting.

March 25, 2008: U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne announces that in March 2005 the U.S. accidentally shipped four nose cone fuses for intercontinental ballistic missiles to Taiwan instead of the helicopter batteries that Taiwan ordered.

March 26, 2008: China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang voices concern about the mistaken U.S. shipment of fuses to Taiwan. Qin demands that the U.S. conduct an investigation and provide “truthful and detailed information to the Chinese side and eradicate the negative impact and evil consequences hence incurred.”

March 26, 2008: China allows the first group of foreign journalists to visit Lhasa since the violence began in Tibet.

March 26, 2008: President Bush calls President Hu Jintao to discuss the opportunities created by the Taiwan elections, the situation in Tibet, Burma, and North Korea.

March 28, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Rice talk by phone, discussing bilateral ties and the Six-Party Talks.

April 1, 2008: The Olympic Torch relay begins its four-month journey around the world.

April 1-2, 2008: U.S. Marine Corps Commander Gen. James Conway visits the South China Sea Fleet in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province.

April 2-3, 2008: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson visits China in preparation for the Strategic Economic Dialogue in June. Paulson meets Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Premier Wen Jiabao, and President Hu Jintao.

April 4, 2008: The USS Nimitz arrives in Hong Kong, the first aircraft carrier to make a port call in Chinese territory since the USS Kitty Hawk incident in November of 2007.

April 8, 2008: The Navy destroyer USS Lassen, with crew of 382, arrives in Shanghai for a four- day port call.

April 8, 2008: The White House reaffirms Bush’s attendance at the Beijing Olympics in response to calls within the U.S. to boycott the event.

April 9, 2008: The Olympic torch arrives at its only U.S. destination, San Francisco, and is met by hundreds of peaceful protesters.

April 10, 2008: The International Monetary Fund calculates that China’s quarterly trade surplus declined for the first time in three years. The yuan rises past seven yuan to the dollar for the first time after the semi-float.

April 10, 2008: Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie holds a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The call marks the establishment of a hotline between the heads of the two defense ministries.

April 11, 2008: The Chinese Foreign Ministry calls the U.S. House of Representatives resolution concerning Tibet “a rude interference into China’s internal affairs” that “seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”

April 14, 2008: Sally Collins, U.S. Forest Service associate chief, visits the Chinese State Forestry Administration and praises the joint Forest Health Pilot Project that helps preserve China’s forest resources with the help of the U.S.

April 15, 2008: The Food and Drug Administration announces that it will open an office in China in May to more aggressively monitor and regulate products exported to the U.S.

April 16, 2008: A study released by the University of California shows that China surpassed the U.S. as the largest emitter of greenhouse gas in 2006.

April 16, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hold a telephone conversation on bilateral relations.

April 16, 2008: The political directors from Foreign Ministries of China, the U.S., Germany, Russia, Britain, France, and directors of the European Council on Foreign Relations meet in Shanghai to discuss a plan for restarting talks on the Iranian nuclear issue.

April 21, 2008: U.S. officials express concern over the alleged toxicity of the drug Herapin manufactured in China.

April 21, 2008: Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky meets the Dalai Lama in Michigan.

April 21-22, 2008: The U.S. and China initiate talks on nuclear policy and strategy. China sends a delegation to the Pentagon that includes military researchers from the PLA Academy of Military Sciences and Second Artillery officers.

April 22, 2008: Chinese officials criticize the meeting between Undersecretary Dobriansky and the Dalai Lama.

April 22. 2008: Adm. Wu Shengli, a member of the Central Military Commission and commander of the PLA Navy, holds a phone conversation with U.S. Marine Corps commander Gen. James Conway on the newly established defense hotline.

April 24, 2008: The Department of State urges China to halt arms shipments to Zimbabwe.

April 24, 2008: A report released by the Ministry of Information Industry says that China now has more internet users than the U.S.

April 25, 2008: The U.S. welcomes an announcement by the Chinese government that it will meet with the private representatives of the Dalai Lama.

April 26, 2008: The U.S. Trade Representative’s office releases a report naming China and Russia as the top offenders of international copyright laws.

April 28, 2008: The USS Kitty Hawk makes a final port call in Hong Kong before its planned decommissioning later this year.

April 30, 2008: The FDA suggests during a House subcommittee hearing that Heparin exported from China may have been contaminated deliberately.

May 1, 2008: 54 U.S. Congressmen write to President Hu Jintao asking China to stop repatriating North Korean refugees.

May 6, 2008: The Chinese Foreign Ministry objects to a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom that criticized China’s lack of religious freedom.

May 8, 2008: U.S. Commerce Department announces it will impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese paper used to print receipts. It also requests that China adopt international technological standards.

May 8, 2008: In an interview with Voice of America, USPACOM Commander Adm. Timothy Keating urges China to relinquish “high-end military options” such as the submarine base in Hainan in favor of cooperation with the U.S.

May 10, 2008: The Steering Committee of the United States-China Collaborative Program on Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases holds its annual meeting.

May 11, 2008: Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte meets Politburo Standing Committee member Xi Jinping, PLA Deputy Chief of the General Staff Ma Xiaotian, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and other MFA officials during a one-day visit to Beijing to discuss North Korea and the possibility of establishing a Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism.

May 12, 2008: Adm. Keating says Chinese submarine base in Hainan is worrisome for the U.S.

May 12-19, 2008: Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt visits China to discuss export product safety, contagious diseases, and preparations for the Olympics.

May 12, 2008: A massive earthquake strikes Wenchuan country in Sichuan Province.

May 13, 2008: President Bush extends his condolences to the victims of the Sichuan earthquake to President Hu Jintao during a phone call.

May 14, 2008: The U.S. pledges initial aid of $500,000 in response to the Sichuan earthquake.

May 14-15, 2008: Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez travels to Beijing to hold high-level bilateral trade talks.

May 15, 2008: Deputy Secretary Negroponte calls China’s military build-up “unnecessary and counterproductive” during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

May 16, 2008: The State Department announces that the U.S. provided satellite imagery to China to help with earthquake relief.

May 17, 2008: Secretary of State Rice has a phone conversation with Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi about the Sichuan earthquake.

May 18, 2008: Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA, and Adm. Keating speak on the phone about quake relief strategies.

May 18, 2008: U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo planes deliver relief supplies to Chengdu.

May 19, 2008: The Senate passes a resolution extending condolences to quake victims in China.

May 20, 2008: President Bush and his wife Laura visit the Chinese Embassy to express condolences to the Sichuan Quake victims.

May 20, 2008: House of Representatives passes resolution supporting relief efforts in Sichuan.

May 20, 2008: Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Horne of the U.S. Strategic Command speaks to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission about China’s cyber and space threat. Patricia McNerney, principal deputy assistant secretary, international security and nonproliferation, delivers a statement on China’s nonproliferation practices.

May 22, 2008: U.S. aid valued at $815,000 arrives in Chengdu.

May 24, 2008: President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev voice objections to U.S. plans to establish missile defense systems in Eastern Europe.

May 24-28, 2008: For the first time since 2002, China and the U.S. hold a session of the human rights dialogue.

May 27, 2008: Representatives from China and the U.S. meet in Beijing with Six-Party Talks counterparts to restart negotiations.

May 28, 2008: A Chinese woman pleads guilty on a spying case involving former analyst Gregg Bergersen stealing arms export secrets from the Department of Defense.

May 31, 2008: Secretary Gates and Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Lt. Gen. Ma Xiaotian speak at separate plenary sessions of the 2008 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

June 2, 2008: China criticizes the Department of State’s recent assessment of its democracy and human rights record as “unreasonable” and claims it overlooks China’s achievements.

June 4, 2008: In a congressional hearing on China’s relations with Africa, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Thomas Christensen urges China to allow Taiwan a “full role” in international organizations.

June 4, 2008: Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security John Rood visits Beijing to hold the U.S.-China Security Talks with Assistant Minister He Yafei.

June 5, 2008: Defense Minister Liang Guanglie meets U.S. Foreign Policy Council delegation in Beijing. Liang thanks the U.S. for aid following the earthquake and declares it a sign of “friendship” between China and U.S. militaries.

June 5, 2008: The Department of Commerce signs an agreement with China to allow greater numbers of Chinese travelers to the U.S. commencing mid-June.

June 6, 2008: President Bush, Secretary Rice, Secretary Paulson, China’s Ambassador to the U.S. Zhou Wenzhong, and 30 leaders from the U.S. business community and the nongovernmental sector attend an American Red Cross meeting to discuss China earthquake relief efforts.

June 9, 2008: China’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Sun Zhenyu urges the U.S. to reduce farm subsidies to end the deadlock at the Doha Round trade negotiations. The ambassador also says that U.S. protectionism may threaten the multilateral trading system.

June 11, 2008: U.S. Rep. Christopher H. Smith accuses Chinese hackers of accessing Congress computers in search of information on Chinese dissidents. An alleged victim, Rep. Frank R. Wolf said that an FBI inquiry confirmed the cyber intrusions.

June 11, 2008: Secretary Paulson praises the positive economic relationship between China and the U.S. in a speech at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington D.C.

June 16, 2008: Greg Schulte, U.S. ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, arrives in Beijing for talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

June 17, 2008: Chinese and U.S. companies announce business deals valued at $14 billion, ahead of the upcoming Strategic Economic Dialogue. This includes $6 billion of U.S. and $8 billion of Chinese investments and purchases.

June 17, 2008: The fourth round of the U.S.–China SED commences in Annapolis, Maryland. The meeting is co-chaired by Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Secretary Paulson.

June 17, 2008: U.S. delays banking licenses for two Chinese banks over concerns that their largest shareholder is controlled by China’s sovereign wealth fund.

June 17, 2008: The first group of 250 Chinese tourists arrives in the U.S. under the auspices of a memorandum to facilitate travel from China to the U.S.

June 18, 2008: The first China-U.S. food safety testing facility begins operation in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. The center will adhere to standards acceptable to both the U.S. FDA and the Chinese authorities for subsidiary agricultural products.

June 19, 2008: President Bush meets Vice Premier Wang Qishan in the White House and commends the outcome of the fourth SED.

June 19, 2008: Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets with prominent senators and representatives in Washington D.C. to discuss the U.S.–China bilateral relationship.

June 19, 2008: Aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan makes port call in Hong Kong; its third in two years.

June 19, 2008: Speaking to U.S. business and financial leaders in New York, Vice Premier Wang Qishan praises “constructive” and “cooperative” ties with the U.S. if differences can be resolved through dialogue.

June 19, 2008: The U.S. lifts sanctions on the China Great Wall Industry Corporation in acknowledgement of the company’s cooperation. The sanctions were imposed on the commercial space launch provider due to engagement in proliferation activities.

June 20, 2008: The U.S. International Trade Commission passes a ruling that Chinese competition is hurting domestic steel pipe makers. The decision will lead to tariffs of more than 100 percent on imports to compensate for subsidies received by the Chinese competitors.

June 24, 2008: Allegations are made that the U.S. Ambassador to Albania assisted in the illegal transfer of Chinese-made ammunition to Afghan security forces. The ammunition, purchased by a Pentagon contractor, was disguised as originating from a U.S. company.

June 29-30, 2008: Secretary of State Rice tours the earthquake-struck regions of Sichuan and has meetings in Beijing.

July 1, 2008: U.S. Representatives Chris Smith and Frank Wolf allege that the Chinese government prevented lawyers and human rights activists from meeting with them in China. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao replies that intervention in China’s internal affairs undermines bilateral relations.

July 2, 2008: China’s Ministry of Commerce expresses dissatisfaction with U.S. Department of Commerce’s ruling that production of laminated woven sacks received significant government subsidies.

July 2, 2008: Premier Wen Jiabao meets USAID Administrator and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Henrietta Fore and Johnson & Johnson CEO William Weldon in Beijing.

July 9, 2008: President Hu Jintao meets with President George W. Bush in Japan and discusses bilateral ties, the Six-Party Talks, and Taiwan.

July 9, 2008: The U.S. International Trade Commission unanimously votes in favor of antidumping duties on more than $450 million of steel nail imports from China.

July 10, 2008: The State Department announces that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be attending the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.

July 11, 2008: the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency charges more than 1,000 cargo containers of clothing made in China that were illegally exported under the names of other countries (valued over $80 million) to Chinese import quotas.

July 11, 2008: Speaking at a luncheon hosted by American Chamber of Commerce and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macao James Cunningham says, “Hong Kong today is not only thriving but full of promise.”

July 11, 2008: A Virginia court sentences a former Pentagon analyst to almost five years in prison for passing U.S. military information to a Chinese spy.

July 15, 2008: Air China announces that it will purchase 45 Boeing aircraft for $6.3 billion.

July 15, 2008: U.S. Pacific Command Commander Adm. Timothy Keating hosts Lt. Gen. Zhang Qinsheng, commander of China’s Guangzhou Military Region, at PACOM headquarters where Zhang observes the initial staging of the 9-nation biennial RIMPAC military exercises. They agree to conduct two bilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster response exercises.

July 17, 2008: U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab calls on China to “step up and play a leadership role” in the upcoming Doha Round of the World Trade Organization Talks.

July 18, 2008: The U.S. accuses China of dumping laminated woven sacks on the U.S. and places countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders on imports of the product from China.

July 18, 2008: A joint Chinese and U.S. investigation does not find the substance in a Chinese-produced blood thinner that was tied to several deaths in the U.S.

July 18, 2008: A WTO dispute panel confirms the judgment that China has violated fair trade rules by discriminating against imported auto parts, ruling in favor of the U.S. EU, and Canada.

July 28, 3008: The Chinese Ambassador to the WTO in Geneva Sun Zhenyu urges the U.S. to demonstrate flexibility to avoid failure of the Doha Round of talks.

July 28, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets Secretary Rice in Washington DC.

July 29, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang meets President Bush at the White House and presides at the opening of the new Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.

July 30, 2008: The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passes a resolution calling on China to stop its human rights violations immediately and to fulfill its promise to grant media freedom during the Olympic Games.

Aug. 1, 2008: President Hu Jintao writes a letter to U.S. high schools thanking them for their support in the aftermath of the May earthquake in Sichuan.

Aug. 4, 2008: State Department spokesperson Gonzales Gallegos condemns attacks in China’s Xinjiang region that killed 16 policemen.

Aug. 5, 2008: The U.S. Federal Reserve allows the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to open its first U.S. branch in New York.

Aug. 7, 2008: President Bush delivers a speech on U.S. Asia policy at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok.

Aug. 8, 2008: President and Laura Bush attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Aug. 8, 2008: President George W. Bush and former President George H.W. Bush open the new U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

Aug. 8, 2008: A U.S. District court sentences a Taiwan-born U.S. national to 15 years in prison for passing U.S. military secrets to China through an unnamed Chinese agent.

Aug. 8, 2008: The U.S. National Counterintelligence Executive warns travelers to the Beijing Olympics and elsewhere to expect cyberspying and other breaches of cyber security.

Aug. 9, 2008: A U.S. tourist is stabbed to death in Beijing. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei visits the victim’s wife, who was injured, in the hospital.

Aug. 10, 2008: President Bush meets with President Hu Jintao and Vice President Xi Jinping and attends a church service in Beijing.

Aug. 11, 2008: Bill Gates meets with Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong in Beijing and agrees to stronger cooperation between Microsoft and China’s science and education sectors.

Aug. 13, 2008: Katharine Fredriksen, the acting assistant secretary for the Office of Policy and International Affairs at the Department of Energy, testifies before a Congressional hearing that energy cooperation with China will bolster bilateral relations.

Aug. 15, 2008: New U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macao Joseph R. Donovan Jr. assumes his post.

Aug. 18, 2008: Chinese authorities in Kunming detain four members of a U.S. Christian group who were carrying 300 bibles.

Aug. 19, 2008: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says that he welcomes Chinese efforts at currency appreciation and calls for greater Chinese investment in the U.S.

Aug. 19, 2008: The White House says that Secretary Rice will not attend the closing ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics because of the Russia-Georgia conflict.

Aug. 20, 2008: A U.S. firm pleads guilty in Washington to transferring information on unmanned aerial weapons system to a Chinese national.

Aug. 23, 2008: Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao leads the U.S. delegation to the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. She also meets Premier Wen Jiabao and delivers a speech at Jiaotong University in Shanghai.

Aug. 24, 2008: Following calls by U.S. Ambassador to China Clark Randt for their release, eight U.S. citizens who were sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention for their involvement in pro-Tibet protests, are deported.

Aug. 25, 2008: White House spokesman Tony Fratto expresses disappointment that China “did not take the full opportunity that was offered to them while the world was watching during the Olympics” to be more open and allow more freedom of speech and religion.

Aug. 29, 2008: For the first time the CCP Central Committee sends two observers to attend the U.S. Democratic Party Convention.

Sept. 3, 2008: A retired professor of electrical engineering at the University of Tennesse is convicted of violating U.S. arms export controls and passing sensitive data to a Chinese national.

Sept. 3, 2008: President Hu Jintao sends a message of sympathy to President Bush over losses caused by Hurricane Gustav.

Sept. 3, 2008: On a trade mission to China, Assistant Commerce Secretary David Bohigian says that China’s environmental protection and renewable energy markets offers major opportunities for U.S. businesses.

Sept. 4, 2008: Chinese regulators begin the first high-profile test of Beijing’s anti-monopoly law in Coca Cola’s $2.4 billion takeover bid of China’s Huiyuan Juice Group, the largest foreign takeover of a Chinese company, if approved.

Sept. 5, 2008: Beijing announces that it will offer cash assistance totalling $500,000 to the U.S., Cuba, and Jamaica for Hurricane Gustav relief efforts. The Red Cross Society of China also announces cash aid to the three affected countries.

Sept. 8, 2008: Vice President Xi Jinping meets the U.S. presidential delegation to the Beijing Paralympics led by Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake.

Sept. 15, 2008: The U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) convenes at the Richard Nixon presidential library in California.

Sept. 15, 2008: China files an appeal at the World Trade Organization, challenging the ruling in favor of the U.S., European Union and Canada in a dispute over car parts.

Sept. 15, 2008: Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama in a publication of the American Chamber of Commerce in China call for closer U.S.-China cooperation on trade, the environment, and nuclear proliferation.

Sept. 16, 2008: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues a public warning on tainted baby formula from China after a nationwide scandal in China.

Sept. 19, 2008: Beijing files complaints under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism over U.S. anti-dumping and countervailing measures imposed on Chinese-made steel pipes, tires, and laminated woven sacks.

Sept. 19, 2008: The State Department releases the International Religious Freedom Report 2008, which charges that China’s repression of religious freedom has intensified over the past year.

Sept. 19, 2008: The weeklong EU-U.S.-China Initiative on Consumer Product Safety Compliance begins in Beijing.

Sept. 20, 2008: The Department of Homeland Security releases a report indicating that there are 290,000 unauthorized Chinese immigrants residing in the U.S. as of January 2007, an estimated 49 percent increase since 2000.

Sept. 20-22, 2008: Chen Zhili, vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, has meetings with Sen. Daniel Inouye and Rep. Joseph Crowley in Washington and attends the White House Conference on Global Literacy in New York.

Sept. 21, 2008: President Hu and President Bush discuss bilateral relations, North Korea, and the financial crisis in the U.S. by phone.

Sept. 22, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang and Secretary Rice meet on the sidelines of the 63^rd session of the UN General Assembly.

Sept. 22-24, 2008: Premier Wen Jiabao delivers a speech at the National Committee for U.S.-China Relations and attends a UN meeting on the Millennium Development Goals and the 63^rd UN General Assembly.

Sept. 23, 2008: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu rejects U.S. claims on China’s religious policy by the State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report 2008, saying it “meddled in China’s internal affairs.”

Sept. 24, 2008: Richard Raymond, head of the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services, says that China’s widening contaminated milk scandal may delay the approval of Chinese meat exports to the U.S.

Sept. 25, 2008: Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao urges the U.S. “not to support Tibet independence and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs” after U.S. leaders talk with the Dalai Lama and meet his representative in the U.S.

Sept. 26, 2008: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announces that some instant coffee and tea drinks containing China-made nondairy creamer have been recalled for fear of contamination, the first U.S. recall in response to the poisoned milk scandal.

Sept. 28, 2008: Premier Wen Jiabao tells CNN that “if anything goes wrong in the U.S. financial sector, we are anxious about the safety and security of Chinese capital,” adding that world leaders “should join hands and meet the crisis together.”

Sept. 28, 2008: At the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China Banking Regulatory Commission Chairman Liu Mingkang calls U.S. lending standards before the credit crisis “ridiculous” and says that the world can learn from China’s more cautious system.

Oct. 4, 2008: Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesman Hu Changming expresses China’s firm objection to a U.S. decision to sell $6.5 billion in arms to Taiwan.

Oct. 4, 2008: U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill briefs Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei in Beijing on the outcome of U.S.-North Korea talks in Pyongyang.

Oct. 4, 2008: China’s Central Bank expresses support on its website for Washington’s $700 billion bailout package and calls for greater cooperation on financial stabilization.

Oct. 6, 2008: U.S. Defense Department spokesman says China has canceled a series of military and diplomatic exchanges with the U.S. to protest the planned U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

Oct. 7, 2008: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang condemns the proposed U.S. arms sales package to Taiwan.

Oct. 7, 2008: Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang says China hopes the U.S. will soon repatriate the 17 suspected Chinese terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay.

Oct. 8, 2008: Alan Hegburg, a deputy assistant secretary with the U.S. Energy Department, tells the press that the U.S. would welcome Chinese investments in its oil and gas sector.

Oct. 8, 2008: U.S. District Judge Ricardo Urbina orders the Bush Administration to free 17 Chinese from Guantanamo Bay by Oct. 10.

Oct. 9, 2008: A U.S. trade official says the U.S. has won a landmark WTO case against China’s copyright and trademark protection regime, contradicting other trade sources’ claims that China won the bulk of the ruling.

Oct. 9, 2008: U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel formally requests the U.S. International Trade Commission to collect trade data on Chinese clothing imports.

Oct. 9, 2008: The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) arrives in Hong Kong for a scheduled four-day port visit.

Oct. 10, 2008: China Merchants Bank’s New York branch opens for business, becoming the first Chinese bank branch to open in the U.S. in 17 years.

Oct. 11, 2008: At the 18^th meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee in Washington, Deputy Governor of the People’s Bank of China Yi Gang calls for international cooperation to restore global financial stability.

Oct. 13, 2008: Defense Minister Liang Guanglie tells visiting U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel that Washington must drop its proposed arms sales to Taiwan, saying the plan “has undoubtedly damaged relations between the two countries and two armed forces seriously.”

Oct. 15, 2008: Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer visits China to discuss African issues as part of the U.S.-China Senior Dialogue and delivers a speech at Peking University on bilateral cooperation on Africa.

Oct. 21, 2008: President Hu holds telephone talks with President Bush on international cooperation in dealing with the global financial turmoil.

Oct. 21, 2008: Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang urges the U.S. to repatriate suspected Chinese terrorists being held at Guantanamo Bay, stressing that “no double standards should be adopted” on terrorism.

Oct. 21, 2008: Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, meets a U.S. Congress delegation in Beijing.

Oct. 22, 2008: Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson at the annual gala of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations in New York urges the next U.S. president to strengthen bilateral ties given China’s leading role in the world economy.

Oct. 23, 2008: Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Center for Disease Control tells reporters in Beijing that the U.S. is expanding a training program for Chinese health officials to promote transparency during disease outbreaks.

Oct. 23, 2008: State Department spokesman Robert Wood condemns the “brutal beating” of the two sons of detained Beijing priest Zhang Mingxuan.

Oct. 25, 2008: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu calls U.S. remarks on the intimidation of a Beijing pastor “groundless” and “irresponsible,” telling the U.S. “to pay more attention to its own human rights problems.”

Oct. 27, 2008: China and the U.S. sign a “Strategic Cooperation Memorandum on Copyrights,” setting a framework for bilateral cooperation on intellectual property rights.

Oct. 28, 2008: Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Tim Stratford visits Beijing and cautions China against adopting protectionist policies that run counter to WTO rules.

Oct. 28, 2008: U.S. Justice Department reports that a multiagency initiative to combat illegal exports of restricted military and dual-use technology from the U.S. has resulted in criminal charges against more than 145 defendants in the past fiscal year, with roughly 43 percent of these cases involving munitions or other restricted technology bound for Iran or China.

Oct. 29, 2008: Sen. Obama in a letter vows to use “all diplomatic means” to stop China from gaining a trade advantage, if elected president.

Nov. 5, 2008: President Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao congratulate Barack Obama on his election as U.S. president.

Nov. 7, 2008: Chinese and U.S. representatives express differences of opinion over copyright protection at the 7^th Annual Ambassador’s IPR Roundtable in Beijing.

Nov. 8, 2008: President Hu and President-elect Obama have a telephone conversation on bilateral and international issues.

Nov. 13, 2008: The Chinese mission to the WTO says China has reached “mutually satisfactory solutions” with the EU, the U.S., and Canada on the regulation of financial information services.

Nov. 13, 2008: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says all Chinese products containing milk will be held at the U.S. border pending the results of safety tests under a new FDA order.

Nov. 15, 2008: President Hu attends the G20 summit in Washington.

Nov. 16-17, 2008: Director of the PLA’s foreign affairs office, Maj. Gen. Qian Lihua, tells the Financial Times that normal U.S.-China military exchanges can resume only if “the US change its ways, cancel its plans to sell weapons to Taiwan and stop its exchanges with the Taiwanese military.” He also states that the world should not be surprised if China builds an aircraft carrier but insists that Beijing would use such a vessel only for offshore defense.

Nov. 17, 2008: The Institute of Electrical Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy agree to cooperate on solar energy technology.

Nov. 17, 2008: Chinese, U.S., and EU leaders meet in Brussels for their first trilateral summit on product safety.

Nov. 17-18, 2008: The U.S.-China Green Energy Council holds its first U.S.-China Green Energy Conference in Beijing.

Nov. 18, 2008: The Congressional-Executive Commission on China releases its 2008 Annual Report on human rights and the rule of law in China.

Nov. 18, 2008: Chinese Health Minister Chen Zhu and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt attend the U.S.-China workshop on food safety in Beijing.

Nov. 18, 2008: Approximately 160 representatives from the Chinese armed forces including retired generals and U.S. veterans attend the China-U.S. Veterans Peace Forum in Beijing.

Nov. 19, 2008: The U.S. FDA opens its first overseas office in Beijing while China also prepares to open food and drug inspection offices in the U.S.

Nov. 20, 2008: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases its 2008 Annual Report to Congress, highlighting Chinese cyber attacks, authoritarian rule, and trade violations.

Nov. 20, 2008: The U.S. opens its sixth Consulate in Wuhan, Hubei in central China.

Nov. 21, 2008: Presidents Hu and Bush meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Lima, Peru to discuss bilateral issues and the global financial crisis.

Nov. 22, 2008: The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex arrives in Hong Kong for a scheduled port visit.

Nov. 24, 2008: A U.S. federal appeals court hears legal arguments in the case of 17 ethnic Chinese detained at Guantanamo Bay.

Dec. 2, 2008: Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson tells reporters in Washington that he hopes China will allow its currency to rise against the U.S. dollar and will build on its recent stimulus package in the wake of slumping global demand for Chinese exports.

Dec. 2, 2008: At the invitation of former President Bill Clinton, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi attends and addresses the 2008 Clinton Global Initiative Asia Meeting held in Hong Kong.

Dec. 4-5, 2008: Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson co-chair the 5^th SED in Beijing.

Dec. 5, 2008: President Hu Jintao meets the U.S. delegation to the SED, saying he hopes the U.S. and China can develop a stronger system for high-level bilateral dialogue.

Dec. 5, 2008: Minister of Commerce Chen Deming tells the American Chamber of Commerce in China that the U.S and China should strengthen mutual cooperation in all fields to meet the challenges brought about by the global financial crisis.

Dec. 8, 2008: Assistant Secretary of State for International Organizational Affairs Brian Hook meets Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi and Director-General Wu Hailong of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences to discuss U.S.-China cooperation in the UN on UN reforms, Darfur, the Iranian nuclear issue, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Dec. 8, 2008: The Federal Reserve approves an application by China Construction Bank, China’s second-largest bank, to open its first branch in New York City.

Dec. 8-11, 2008: The Heads of Delegation Meeting of the Six-Party Talks is held in Beijing and is chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei.

Dec. 8, 2008: Defense Minister Liang Guanglie urges the U.S. to cancel arms sales to Taiwan in a meeting with former U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers in Beijing.

Dec. 11, 2008: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets chief negotiators of the Six-Party Talks, emphasizing the importance of the talks in resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear problem.

Dec. 11, 2008: State Councilor Dai Bingguo speaks at the Brookings Institute, and says the U.S. and China should be partners rather than rivals while strengthening dialogue and cooperation.

Dec. 12, 2008: Vice Foreign Minister Li Hui and Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue hold consultations with Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Richard Boucher in Beijing to discuss South and Central Asian affairs.

Dec. 15, 2008: State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte co-chair the 6^th Senior Dialogue between the U.S. and China, agreeing that high-level dialogue and cooperation must be maintained and that the U.S. will continue to adhere to its one China policy.

Dec. 15, 2008: State Department deputy spokesman welcomes the establishment of direct transportation links across the Taiwan Strait, calling it a “very positive” step for the improvement of cross-Strait relations.

Dec. 18, 2008: Adm. Timothy Keating, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, says that the U.S. would welcome Beijing’s assistance in fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden, adding that the move could help rekindle stalled military-to-military relations between the U.S. and China.

Dec. 19, 2008: The U.S. and Mexico jointly file a complaint against China before the WTO for unfairly using subsidies to boost exports.

Dec. 19, 2008: Chen Xiaogong, assistant chief of the PLA General Staff, meets Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense David Sedney for talks on suspended U.S.-China military ties.

Dec. 22, 2008: U.S. blocks the creation of a WTO panel after China demands an investigation of U.S. taxes on certain goods imported from China, including steel pipes and tires. It is the first time Beijing has ever sought a WTO panel in a trade dispute.

Jan. 4, 2009: Chinese President Hu Jintao speaks by telephone with President George W. Bush about bilateral relations and major international issues of common concern.

Jan. 7, 2009: To mark the 30^th anniversary of US-China diplomatic relations, ping-pong diplomacy is commemorated by a “Friendship Ping Pong Rematch” in Beijing.

Jan. 7, 2009: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte, who comes to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-U.S. diplomatic relations.

Jan. 8, 2009: Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, meets with Secretary Negroponte and urges the U.S. to take actions to repair military ties seriously damaged by U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

Jan. 12, 2009: President Hu meets former President Jimmy Carter as the two nations mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The U.S. delegation to the Beijing celebrations includes key figures in forging relations such as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, National Security Advisors Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski, and former U.S. ambassadors.

Jan. 13, 2009: A Chinese-born businessman William Tsu Cha-Wai is arrested in California on charges of illegally exporting sensitive technology for military radar systems to China.

Jan. 13, 2009: The U.S. Commerce Department announces a U.S.-China trade agreement that will allow U.S. officials to conduct inspections of facilities of pre-approved Chinese companies, paving the way for those companies to receive U.S. exports of dual-use technology.

Jan. 13, 2009: China joins the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB), the most important regional development institution in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Jan. 16, 2009: The American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham-China) announces three goals to strengthen Sino-U.S. economic ties to be met by 2039. John Watkins, chairman of AmCham-China, says the goals each set at $1 trillion a year are: U.S. exports to China, sales of U.S. companies in China, and investment of Chinese companies in the U.S.

Jan. 18, 2009: China and the U.S. sign a memorandum of understanding restricting the U.S. import of archeological items originating in China.

Jan. 20, 2009: The World Trade Organization (WTO) establishes an expert panel to investigate the legitimacy of U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese exports.

Jan. 20, 2009: At a press conference in Beijing marking the release of China’s White Paper on National Defense, Defense Ministry spokesman Hu Changming urges the new U.S. administration to remove barriers to bilateral military relations.

Jan. 21, 2009: An official “full text” Chinese language translation of President Barack Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration speech is published in major state-controlled Chinese news media omits two paragraphs including references to “communism” and “dissidents.”

Jan. 24, 2009: In written comments submitted to the Senate Finance Committee for his confirmation hearings, Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner says that President Obama believes that China is “manipulating” its currency.

Jan. 25, 2009: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hold a telephone conversation on bilateral relations and major international issues of common concern.

Jan. 27, 2009: Zhang Yesui, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, meets Susan Rice, the new U.S. ambassador to the UN, and exchanges views on Sino-U.S. relations and other world and regional issues of common concern.

Jan. 28, 2009: Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduce a resolution to Congress that calls on China to honor its international human rights commitments, commends the Chinese citizens who have signed the recently issued Charter 08 petition, and urges the new administration to maintain a strong human rights dialogue with China.

Jan. 29, 2009: At the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao blames the U.S.-led financial system for the world’s deepening economic slump.

Jan. 30, 2009: President Hu has a telephone conversation with President Obama. The two leaders agree to meet in conjunction with the Group of 20 (G20) summit in London.

Feb. 3, 2009: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu expresses opposition to the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on two Chinese companies that allegedly violate U.S. anti-proliferation laws. According to the U.S. Federal Register, the two Chinese companies, Dalian Sunny Industries and Bellamax, allegedly engaged in activities that breach the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Administration Act of 1979.

Feb. 6, 2009: The Chinese General Administration of Customs announces that China-U.S. bilateral trade expanded 10.5 percent last year to $ 333.74 billion, the smallest increase since China joined the World Trade Organization seven years ago.

Feb. 13, 2009: Secretary Clinton delivers her first major policy speech as secretary of state on U.S. relations with Asia to the Asia Society in New York.

Feb. 17, 2009: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds its first public hearing for the 2009 reporting cycle on “China’s Role in the Origins of and Response to the Global Recession.”

Feb. 21-22, 2009: Secretary Clinton visits China, her last stop on a four-nation tour.

Feb. 25, 2009: China lodges protest to the U.S. in response to the introduction of a resolution by 17 members of Congress marking the 30^th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.

Feb. 26, 2009: State Department releases its annual human rights report, which harshly criticizes China for human rights abuses last year.

Feb. 26, 2009: Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu refutes the U.S. human rights report and urges the U.S. to stop interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries through such reports.

Feb. 27-28, 2009: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense David Sedney holds annual Defense Policy Coordination Talks in Beijing with Maj. Gen. Qian Lihua, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Defense.

March 3, 2009: U.S. special representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Stephen Bosworth arrives in Beijing.

March 4, 2009: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “China’s Military and Security Activities Abroad.”

March 9, 2009: Pentagon releases a statement that Chinese ships harassed a U.S. surveillance vessel in international waters, using measures described as illegal, unprofessional and dangerous. In turn, China accuses the U.S. of conducting illegal surveying in its Exclusive Economic Zone.

March 9-13, 2009: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visits the U.S. as a guest of Secretary Clinton.

March 10, 2009: The State Department issues a statement marking the 50^th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising that respects China’s territorial integrity, but expresses concerns about the human rights situation in Tibetan areas.

March 11, 2009: Congress passes H. Res. 226 by a vote of 422-1 calling on China to cease its repression of the Tibetan people and to lift the harsh policies imposed on Tibetans who have been wrongfully detained and abused for expressing political views.

March 13, 2009: At the close of the National People’s Congress, Premier Wen Jiabo demands that the Obama administration “guarantee the safety” of its $1 trillion in U.S. bonds.

March 20, 2009: Zhou Xiaochuan, head of the People’s Bank of China, proposes the creation a new international reserve currency in an essay published on the central bank’s website.

March 20, 2009: Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and a visiting delegation of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), headed by Li Zhaoxing, chairman of the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee, agree to expand bilateral parliamentary exchanges.

March 24, 2009: The House of Representatives votes unanimously to adopt a resolution recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act.

March 24, 2009: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “China’s Industrial Policy and its Pillar Industries.”

March 25, 2009: The Pentagon releases its annual report on Chinese military power.

April 1, 2009: Presidents Obama and Hu meet on the margins of the G20 summit in London.

April 1, 2009: President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama meet in London on the margins of the G20 financial summit.

April 2, 2009: Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in London after the closing of the G20 financial summit.

April 5, 2009: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi talks by phone to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to discuss North Korea’s missile launch.

April 7, 2009: The U.S. Treasury bans the Chinese firm LIMMT Economic and Trade Company, Ltd. and six Iranian companies from doing business in the U.S. on the grounds they were suspected of collaborating on a scheme to transfer nuclear technology from China to Iran. The Treasury also ordered their assets to be frozen.

April 8, 2009: Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo meets Sen. John McCain in Beijing.

April 9, 2009: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman denies Chinese cyber-spies are hacking into America’s electrical grid.

April 9, 2009: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says that China opposes U.S. sanctions on a Chinese company that allegedly supported Iran’s nuclear programs.

April 11, 2009: Chinese State Councilor and Politburo member Liu Yandong leaves Beijing for an official visit to the United States. She meets Education Secretary Anne Duncan and signs a Joint Statement on Exchange and Cooperation in Higher Education and a joint bilateral work plan. Liu also meets Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

April 15-16, 2009: U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke visits China.

April 15, 2009: In its semi-annual report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, the U.S. Treasury Department says that China is not manipulating its currency to increase its exports.

April 18, 2009: Premier Wen Jiabao meets former President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan Province.

April 19, 2009: U.S. missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald arrives in Qingdao to attend an international fleet review on April 23 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

April 21, 2009: U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead meets his counterpart Adm. Wu Shengli and Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in Qingdao.

April 27, 2009: A White Paper on the State of American Business released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China calls for the U.S. government to carry out a review and revision of “antiquated export control regulations.”

April 27, 2009: Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Zhong Shan summons Deputy Chief of Mission Dan Piccuta to protest the filing of two U.S. trade cases against China.

April 27, 2009: Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming meets U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke in Washington DC for an in-depth exchange of views on the further development of Sino-U.S. economic and trade relations.

April 28, 2009: Chinese and U.S. firms, including China Mobile, Lenovo, Amway, Cisco, Dell, Emerson, EMC, Ford, Freescale and Hewlett-Packard, sign 32 trade and investment contracts worth some $10.6 billion at the end of the China-U.S. Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum.

April 29, 2009: The U.S. Department of Commerce launches anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into specific types of Chinese steel pipes used in oil and gas drilling.

May 1, 2009: The U.S. surveillance ship USNS Victorious is involved in a confrontation with Chinese fishing boats in the Yellow Sea. The Pentagon claims the ship was engaged in routine operations in international waters but China insists that the activity was illegal.

May 1, 2009: Secretary Clinton voices concerns about gains made in Latin America by Iran and China, including strong economic and political connections with many of the region’s leaders.

May 4, 2009: Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, says that China’s buildup of sea and air military power appears aimed at the United States.

May 6, 2009: President Hu and President Obama discuss bilateral relations, North Korea, South Asia, and the H1N1 flu epidemic during a telephone conversation.

May 14, 2009: Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei and Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg hold political consultations in Washington DC on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern.

May 15, 2009: U.S. lawmakers from the U.S.-China Working Group unveil four bills to “invest in America’s economic future” that are aimed at fostering closer relations with China on matters like trade, climate change, energy, and to boost Chinese language teaching in the U.S.

May 16, 2009: President Obama nominates Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to be the new U.S. ambassador to China.

May 19, 2009: Foreign Ministry spokesman protests the “Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 and 2011 (H.R.2410)” introduced by U.S. Congressman Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, saying that it meddles in China’s domestic issues of Taiwan, Tibet, and Hong Kong.

May 23, 2009: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi departs for Beijing, leading a delegation composed of four Democrats and one Republican, all members of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

May 23, 2009: Scott Gration, the US president’s newly appointed special envoy on Sudan, begins a visit to China and other countries.

May 27, 2009: President Hu meets House Speaker Pelosi in Beijing.

May 30, 2009: Lt Gen. Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA, meets Secretary Gates on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

May 31-June 2, 2009: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner visits China to prepare for the first round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in July. He meets President Hu.

June 2, 2009: General Motors agrees to sell its Hummer brand to Sichuan Tengzhong – a heavy industrial machinery company based in Chengdu, China – as part of its financial restructuring program. The deal is reportedly worth over $500 million.

June 3, 2009: Anne-Marie Slaughter, director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Department travels to Beijing for consultations with MFA counterpart Le Yucheng and also meets Deputy Minister of Commerce Fu Ziying.

June 3, 2009: Presidents Hu and Obama hold a telephone conversation. They both commit to strengthening bilateral ties and discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

June 4, 2009: On the 20^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Secretary Clinton calls on China to “reflect upon the meaning of the events that preceded that day,” and “provide a public accounting of those killed, detained or missing, both to learn and to heal.”

June 5, 2009: Deputy Secretary Steinberg meets Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, State Counselor Dai Binguo, and Vice Foreign Ministers Wu Dawei and He Yafei, on a trip to discuss policy toward North Korea in the aftermath of its nuclear test.

June 7, 2009: Todd Stern, U.S. special envoy for climate change, arrives in Beijing for talks with his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua. Stern is joined by joined by White House Science Adviser John Holdren and Assistant Energy Secretary David Sandalow.

June 9, 2009: PRC state media publicizes a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology regulation requiring “Green Dam-Youth Escort” Internet-filtering software to be “pre-installed” on all personal computers sold in China as of July 1.

June 9, 2009: China’s National People’s Congress and the U.S. House of Representatives wrap up their 10^th meeting in Washington DC under a parliamentary exchange mechanism.

June 10, 2009: The U.S. releases four of the 17 Uighur prisoners being held in Guantanamo Bay to Bermuda and strikes a deal with Palau to resettle more of the Chinese Muslims. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman demands that the Uighurs be returned to China.

June 11, 2009: A Chinese submarine collides with an underwater sonar array being towed by the destroyer USS John S. McCain off the coast of the Philippines. A U.S. military official calls the collision an “inadvertent encounter.”

June 11, 2009: The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearings on the implications of China’s naval modernization for the United States.

June 12, 2009: Special Envoy for Climate Change Stern says his recent trip to Beijing to discuss U.S.-China climate change issues was “productive” but did not achieve any “breakthroughs.”

June 19, 2009: The Chinese government disables some search engine functions on the Chinese-language website of Google, saying it was linking too often to pornographic and vulgar content.

June 22-23, 2009: Minister Wang Yi, head of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, visits Washington DC for consultations with U.S. officials about Taiwan.

June 23-24, 2009: Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy and Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Lt. Gen. Ma Xiaotian hold the Defense Consultative Talks in Beijing.

June 23, 2009: The U.S. and European Union file a petition with the WTO accusing China of unfair trade practices, saying it is restricting exports of raw materials to give Chinese manufacturers a competitive advantage.

June 25, 2009: The U.S. lodges a formal complaint with the Chinese government over its plan to require all computers sold in China to have web-filtering software, called “Green Dam-Youth Escort,” preinstalled by July 1, 2009.

June 26, 2009: Kurt M. Campbell is confirmed as United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

June 29, 2009: Sichuan Tengzhong says its plan to buy General Motors Corp.’s Hummer unit is “still being examined,” saying regulatory and governmental approval have not been secured.

June 29, 2009: In its annual report on financial stability, the People’s Bank of China reiterates its call for the creation of a new international currency that could replace currencies such as the dollar in countries’ official reserves.

June 30, 2009: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announces China will delay mandatory installation of the controversial “Green Dam-Youth Escort” filtering software on all computers sold in China.

June 30, 2009: Ambassador Philip Goldberg heads an interagency delegation to Beijing and other countries for talks on implementing UN sanctions against North Korea.

July 1, 2009: Thousands in Hong Kong participate in a pro-democracy march on the twelfth anniversary of China’s rule demanding more autonomy in their government.

July 2-3, 2009: Ambassador Philip Goldberg, the U.S. coordinator for implementing UNSC Resolution 1874 leads an interagency delegation to Beijing to discuss its implementation with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Central Bank, and Customs.

July 5, 2009: 197 people die and over 1,700 are injured as Uighur rioters clash with police and Han Chinese in Urumqi, Xinjiang after days of rising tensions.

July 6, 2009: Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Dawei meets U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue and the recent riots in Xinjiang, among other issues. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drops by during the meeting.

July 8, 2009: Chinese President Hu Jintao cuts short his stay at the G8 summit in Italy and returns to China to deal with the aftermath of deadly riots in Urumqi, Xinjiang.

July 9, 2009: In place of President Hu, Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo meets President Obama on the sidelines of the G8 summit to discuss climate change, global economic stability, terrorism, and the DPRK denuclearization issue.

July 14-17, 2009: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Energy Secretary Steven Chu visit Beijing to meet Chinese officials, including Premier Wen Jiabao, to discuss renewable energy industry protectionism, and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

July 15, 2009: The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations holds a hearing entitled “Maritime Disputes and Sovereignty Issues in East Asia,” during which Sen. James Webb reaffirms U.S. recognition of Japanese claims over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang responds angrily to the claim, saying that China holds indisputable sovereignty over the islands.

July 16, 2009: A U.S. federal judge convicts Chinese-born Dongfan ”Greg” Chung of stealing trade secrets critical to the U.S. space program.

July 16-18, 2009: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell travels to Tokyo, Seoul, and Beijing for consultations.

July 20, 2009: A photo exhibition opens in Hong Kong to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations.

July 22, 2009: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meet during the 42^nd ASEAN Forum in Phuket, Thailand.

July 23, 2009: Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to China, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman testifies before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

July 27-28, 2009: The first meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue convenes in Washington. China’s delegation is composed of 150 members, led by Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo. The U.S. delegation is headed by Secretary of State Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

July 28, 2009: U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern and Chinese Vice Chairman Xie Zhenhua sign the U.S-China Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Cooperation in Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment.

Aug. 2, 2009: Chinese security officials detain 319 people, most of them Uighurs, suspected of taking part in the July 5 riots in Xinjiang Province, bringing the estimated total number of people detained following the riots to over 2,000.

Aug. 5, 2009: The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announces it will hold a public hearing on a proposal to impose duties on tire imports from China

Aug. 7, 2009: The Senate confirms Utah Gov. Huntsman as U.S. Ambassador to China.

Aug. 12, 2009: A WTO panel rules that China violated international free trade rules by limiting imports of books and movies.

Aug. 17, 2009: China announces it will formally appeal the WTO ruling against its restrictions on imported films, books and audio-visual products.

Aug. 20, 2009: China’s Ministry of Defense launches a website to increase transparency.

Aug. 20, 2009: Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. George Casey meets Chen Bingde, member of the Central Military Commission and chief of general staff of the PLA.

Aug. 22, 2009: U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman arrives in Beijing.

Aug. 25, 2009: President Hu Jintao concludes a four-day visit to Xinjiang.

Aug. 26-27, 2009: A special session of the U.S.-China Military Maritime Consultative Agreement talks are held in Beijing.

Sept. 3, 2009: U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth arrives in Beijing, the first stop of a three-nation tour, to discuss issues related to denuclearization of North Korea. He meets Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Sept. 4, 2009: At least 5 people are killed and 14 wounded in Xinjiang as a result of protests by ethnic Han demanding a government clampdown on Uighurs for failing to prevent what they believe to be needle-stabbing attacks against Han Chinese.

Sept. 5, 2009: The top Communist official in Urumqi, Li Zhi, is dismissed from his post.

Sept. 8, 2009: Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo visits Arizona and signs a memorandum of understanding with First Solar Inc. to build a 2,000-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant in the Inner Mongolian desert.

Sept. 9-10, 2009: Wu Bangguo meets President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Washington.

Sept. 11, 2009: President Obama announces plans to impose a 35 percent tariff on automobile and light-truck tires imported from China.

Sept. 14, 2009: White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett, accompanied by State Department Undersecretary Maria Otero, the designated new Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, visits Daramasala and meets the Dalai Lama.

Sept. 14, 2009: China files a formal request with the WTO for consultations with the U.S. to settle the dispute over tariffs on Chinese tire imports.

Sept. 15, 2009: Coca-Cola Inc. announces that a second manager working for the company’s Shanghai bottling plant was detained by police on suspicion of accepting bribes.

Sept. 15, 2009: U.S. National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair releases the 2009 U.S. National Intelligence Strategy, which groups China with Iran, North Korea and a resurgent Russia as nations with the ability to “challenge U.S. interests in traditional and emerging ways.”

Sept. 15-18, 2009: The fourth plenary session of CCP’s 17th Central Committee is held. The session focuses managing threats to the party’s political standing, including the recent riots in Xinjiang and corruption among cadres.

Sept. 16, 2009: Chinese security forces reportedly uncover a bomb-making operation in Aksu, about 430 miles southwest of Urumqi, Xinjiang, arresting six suspects.

Sept. 16, 2009: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman urges the U.S. “to discard its Cold War mindset and prejudice, correct the mistakes in the NIS [2009 National Intelligence Strategy] report and stop publishing wrong opinions about China which may mislead the American people and undermine the mutual trust between China and the United States.”

Sept. 16, 2009: Treasury International Capital releases figures showing that China increased its investments in U.S. Treasury bonds by $15.26 billion dollars in July 2009.

Sept. 17, 2009: China sentences four people to 8-15 years in jail for carrying out attacks with syringes in the Urumqi, Xinjiang.

Sept. 21, 2009: Hu Jintao arrives in the U.S. to attend the UN Summit on Climate Change, the 64th annual UN General Assembly Debate, the UN Security Council’s nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament summit, and the G20 summit.

Sept. 22, 2009: Presidents Obama and Hu meet on the sidelines of the UN Summit on Climate Change in New York, where both deliver a speech.

Sept. 22, 2009 China appeals a WTO ruling regarding its regulation of the import of books and audio/visual materials. The ruling was made in April 2007 after the U.S. filed claims stating that China was not allowing US imports sufficient access to Chinese markets.

Sept. 24, 2009: Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg gives a speech at the Center for a New American Security titled “The Administration’s Vision of the U.S.-China Relationship.”

Sept. 24-25, 2009: Presidents Obama and Hu Jintao join other leaders from the G20 in Pittsburgh to coordinate positions on global economic recovery, financial regulatory reform, and world trade issues.

Sept. 25, 2009 Ford Motor Corporation announces that it will build a new factory in China to produce Ford Focuses for sale in China.

Sept. 27, 2009 The fourth Sino-U.S. Energy Policy Dialogue opens in Qingdao, China.

Sept. 29, 2009: Deputy Secretary Steinberg meets Chinese officials in Beijing.

Jan. 6, 2010: The US Department of Defense announces the award of a $968 million contract to Lockheed Martin for the sale of 253 PAC-3 missiles and related hardware to Taiwan.

Jan. 8, 2010: A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman denounces the US decision to sell advanced air defense missiles to Taiwan.

Jan. 11, 2010: The World Trade Organization announces that it will investigate import tariffs levied by the US on Chinese tires in September 2009.

Jan. 12, 2010: Google threatens to end all operations in China after discovering that its “corporate infrastructure” had been hacked by a sophisticated attack originating within China.

Jan. 12, 2010: Xinhua reports that China’s military successfully tested mid-course missile interception technology on domestic territory.

Jan. 14, 2010: Commander of US Pacific Command Adm. Robert Willard and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Wallace Gregson testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Chinese cyber and space technology modernization.

Jan. 21, 2010: The US Commerce Department announces an investigation into charges that Chinese companies are selling oil well drill pipe in the US at unfairly low prices.

Jan. 22, 2010: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls on Beijing to end internet censorship, leading China’s Foreign Ministry to declare that US criticism could hurt bilateral relations.

Jan. 22, 2010: A Taiwanese military plane carrying humanitarian aid to Haiti is allowed to refuel in the US.

Jan. 27, 2010: En route to Honduras, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou stops in San Francisco, discussing US-Taiwan relations via telephone with members of the US Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Jan. 29, 2010: The Obama administration notifies Congress of its intent to sell $6.4 billion in weapons to Taiwan, including Patriot and Harpoon missiles, Blackhawk helicopters, and mine-sweeper ships.

Jan. 29, 2010: In a speech in France, Secretary Clinton warns that China will be under pressure from the US and other Western nations to cooperate on UN sanctions of Iran.

Jan. 30, 2010: In response to US arms sales to Taiwan, China announces a suspension of military and security exchanges, and threatens to levy sanctions on US companies selling weapons to Taiwan.

Feb. 2, 2010: The US Senate unanimously votes to condemn China for cyber attacks on Google.

Feb. 3, 2010: President Barack Obama tells Democratic senators that he will “get much tougher” on China regarding the valuation of its currency and its trade policies.

Feb. 3, 2010: China’s Foreign Ministry warns that a meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama would hurt ties between the US and China.

Feb. 5, 2010: China’s Commerce Ministry announces that it will levy heavy anti-dumping duties on imports of US chicken parts, one of the few highly profitable US exports to China.

Feb. 17, 2010: A US aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, makes a port call in Hong Kong.

Feb. 18. 2010: US computer security experts, including representatives from the National Security Agency, link alleged Chinese hacking of Google and other US companies to two prominent Chinese universities, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Lanxiang Vocational School.

Feb. 18, 2010: President Obama meets the Dalai Lama in the map room at the White House.

Feb. 19, 2010: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu says President Obama’s meeting the Dalai Lama “amounted to serious interference in Chinese domestic affairs, and has seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and seriously damaged China-US relations.”

Feb. 19, 2010: The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing in Washington on the implications and repercussions of US debt to China.

Feb. 23, 2010: US Department of Defense officials confirm that China has postponed several military exchanges with the US in response to announced weapons sales to Taiwan, including a planned trip to the US by China’s Chief of the PLA General Staff Chen Bingde.

Feb. 23, 2010: US Commerce Department announces duties of 11-13 percent on Chinese steel imports intended to offset subsidies provided to the industry by the Chinese government.

Feb. 25, 2010: Huang Xueping, spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Defense, condemns the US for accusing China of hacking and for selling arms to Taiwan, warning the US to “speak and act cautiously.”

March 1-3 2010: Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg travels to Beijing, accompanied by the National Security Council’s Senior Director for Asian Affairs Jeffrey Bader to discuss Taiwan, North Korea, Iran, and other issues of importance in bilateral relations.

March 3, 2010: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell discusses US-China relations before the House Committee of Foreign Affairs.

March 3, 2010: US Trade Representative Mark Kirk testifies before the US Senate Finance Committee that the administration is developing a “holistic” plan for trade relations with China and that the next Strategic and Economic Dialogue with China would occur in May.

March 9, 2010: Yi Gang, head of China’s State Administration of Foreign Exchange, says that China is committed to purchasing US Treasury bonds.

March 9, 2010: US Trade Representative Mark Kirk tells an audience in Washington that the US is considering filing a WTO complaint against China for internet censorship rules.

March 11, 2010: Speaking in Washington, President Obama calls on China to adopt a “market-oriented exchange rate” for its currency.

March 11, 2010: The US State Department issues its annual report on human rights, which is sharply critical of Chinese human rights practices.

March 12, 2010: In response to President Obama’s comments a day earlier, Su Ning, vice governor of the People’s Bank of China, accuses the US of politicizing currency values.

March 12, 2010: In response to the State Department report on human rights, China’s State Council issues a report criticizing US gun policies, homelessness, and racial discrimination.

March 14, 2010: At a press conference in Beijing following the close of the annual session of the National People’s Congress, Premier Wen Jiabao says the US is practicing protectionism by depreciating the value of the dollar.

March 15, 2010: A bipartisan group of 130 US lawmakers sends a letter to Obama administration officials urging the White House to take immediate action to address China’s “currency manipulation.”

March 15, 2010: Zhang Yesui, formerly the head of China’s mission at the United Nations, replaces Zhou Wenzhong as China’s ambassador to the United States.

March 16, 2010: The US House of Representatives votes 412–1 for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

March 18, 2010: Speaking in Beijing, Ambassador Jon Huntsman urges China to cooperate with the international community on major issues, notably Iran.

March 18, 2010: Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Shear and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Michael Schiffer testify before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission on the future of US-Taiwan relations.

March 21, 2010: Minister of Commerce Chen Deming warns that if the US launches a “trade war” with China, “the American people and US companies will be hurt even more [than China].”

March 21, 2010: US Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice-President Myron Brilliant says that China can no longer count on the US business community to prevent the US government from taking actions against China over its exchange rate.

March 22, 2010: Google announces that it will relocate its Chinese internet search engine from mainland China to Hong Kong to avoid Chinese censorship restrictions.

March 22-23, 2010: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai, transiting through Washington, meets National Security Advisor James Jones, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, and members of the National Security Council.

March 23, 2010: Commander of US Pacific Command Adm. Robert Willard testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on Chinese military modernization.

March 23, 2010: US Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announce plans for legislation aimed at pressuring China to strengthen its currency.

March 24, 2010: Chinese Deputy Commerce Minister Zhong Shan visits US Treasury and Commerce officials and members of Congress in Washington to discuss currency valuation.

March 25, 2010: The USS Blue Ridge makes a port call in Hong Kong for a five-day recreational and cultural exchange mission.

March 30, 2010: President Obama meets new Chinese Ambassador to the US Zhang Yesui at the White House, telling Zhang that “our two countries should build a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship for the 21st century.”

March 30, 2010: Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg tells a press briefing in Washington that the US seeks to develop positive, pragmatic and cooperative relations with China and adheres to the one China policy pursued by previous US administrations.

March 31, 2010: US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice announces that China has begun cooperating with the UN Security Council to negotiate a fourth round of sanctions against Iran.

March 31, 2010: Former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Williamson visit China to lead the first high-level dialogue between the Chinese Communist Party and the Republican and Democratic parties.

April 1, 2010: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang says Hu Jintao will attend the April 12-13 nuclear security summit in Washington on his way to Brazil, Venezuela, and Chile.

April 1, 2010: Presidents Obama and Hu hold a one-hour telephone conversation to discuss China-US cooperation on Iran sanctions, nuclear nonproliferation, currency issues, and international economic growth.

April 3, 2010: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner delays an April 15 report that was expected to declare China a “currency manipulator,” saying that Chinese exchange rate policies will be discussed at the May Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) and at upcoming G20 meetings.

April 6, 2010: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu says China does not manipulate its currency and that the “exchange rate is not the main reason behind the US-China trade deficit.”

April 6, 2010: US releases its Nuclear Posture Review, noting the “lack of transparency” surrounding China’s nuclear program “raises questions about China’s future strategic intentions.”

April 6, 2010: While traveling in India, Secretary Geithner tells an Indian media outlet that it is “China’s choice” whether to revalue its currency.

April 6, 2010: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a phone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to discuss bilateral ties.

April 8, 2010: Secretary Geithner makes a previously unscheduled trip to China, where he meets Vice Premier Wang Qishan in Beijing and discusses Chinese exchange rate policies.

April 8, 2010: The United Nations Security Council begins negotiations on sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program.

April 9, 2010: Undersecretary of State Robert Hormats speaks at Beijing’s China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations on ways to handle disputes in the bilateral relationship.

April 12, 2010: Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao meet on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, discussing currency issues and Iran sanctions.

April 13, 2010: Deputy US Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis visits Beijing to discuss Chinese intellectual property rights and currency valuation issues.

April 19, 2010: House U. ffWays and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin says that “the US will act” if China does not take steps to appreciate its currency by the June meeting of the G20.

April 22, 2010: The US Commerce Department announces that it has set preliminary antidumping duties on imports of certain seamless pipe from China.

April 29, 2010: Secretary Clinton has a phone conversation with State Councilor Dai Bingguo to discuss the nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea.

May 3, 2010: In Beijing, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake and Vice Foreign Minister Wang Guangya hold a “sub-dialogue” on South Asia in which Chinese officials request US support for Chinese civilian nuclear development in Pakistan.

May 5, 2010: The five permanent UN Security Council members, including the US and China, support making the Middle East a nuclear weapon free zone.

May 11, 2010: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell meets senior Chinese officials in Beijing.

May 12, 2010: A US jury convicts a Chinese national named Chi Tong Kuok of illegally smuggling sensitive communications equipment to China.

May 13, 2010: Secretary Clinton and State Councilor Dai Bingguo hold a phone conversation to discuss Kim Jong-il’s trip to China and the investigation into the sinking of the South Korean naval vessel, the Cheonan.

May 13-14, 2010: The US and China hold a human rights dialogue in Washington. The US delegation is led by Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Mike Posner and the Chinese delegation headed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for International Organizations Chen Xu.

May 16, 2010: US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke arrives in Hong Kong to start a 10-day trade mission to China focused on clean energy cooperation.

May 24-25, 2010: The US and China hold second annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Beijing.

May 25, 2010: Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, meets Commander of US Pacific Command Adm. Robert Willard on the margins of the S&ED in Beijing.

May 31, 2010: Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), meet a visiting delegation of US senators led by Dianne Feinstein, chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

June 1, 2010: The US Commerce Department places antidumping duties and countervailing duties on Chinese steel gratings. Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming urges foreign countries to stand against protectionism for the purpose of global economic recovery.

June 5, 2010: Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Ma Xiaotian attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, but unlike prior years, they do not hold a bilateral meeting.

June 8, 2010: The US Commerce Department sets preliminary countervailing duties of 15.72 percent on imports of drill pipe from China. In 2009, imports of drill pipe from China were valued at an estimated $119.2 million.

June 9, 2010: Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announces a Senate vote is planned in two weeks that will place pressure on China to appreciate its currency.

June 9, 2010: Twelve of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, including China and the US, vote to apply sanctions against Iran.

June 9, 2010: Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says he is “genuinely concerned” about the motives behind China’s military modernization, citing “heavy investments” in sea and air capabilities and its rejection of military contacts with the US.

June 10, 2010: Secretary Geithner testifies on China before the Senate Finance Committee.

June 14, 2010: The US Department of Agriculture bans the Organic Crop Improvement Association, a leading inspector of organic products, from operating in China because of a conflict of interest that compromises the certainty of the organic quality.

June 16, 2010: During a hearing on trade and industrial issues, Representative Sander Levin (D-MI)urges China to raise the value of its currency before the US pursues action against it.

June 16, 2010: Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) tells Secretary of Defense Gates at a hearing that US arms sales to Taiwan are a “substantial irritant” in relations between the US and the PRC.

June 16, 2010: President Obama writes a letter to G20 partners calling for measures to address financial reform, including market determined exchange rates.

June 19, 2010: The People’s Bank of China states that it will proceed further with reform of the RMB exchange rate and increase its flexibility.

June 22, 2010: China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Qin Gang expresses serious concern over reports that a US aircraft carrier may participate in exercises with South Korea.

June 23, 2010: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing titled, “Finding Common Ground with a Rising China” addressing a variety of US-China issues.

June 23, 2010: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), says that despite China’s announcement that it will allow greater flexibility in the exchange rate, “not enough is being done. So we are going to move our bill.”

June 26, 2010: The G20 Summit drops a commitment to complete the Doha Rounds of talks this year but renews a pledge to come to agreement. China’s Ambassador to the WTO Sun Zhenyu accuses the US of stalling progress on this matter.

June 26, 2010: Presidents Obama and Hu meet on the sidelines in Toronto to discuss bilateral ties and other major issues of mutual concern.

June 27, 2010: Secretary Geithner and his Chinese counterpart Vice Premier Wang Qishan meet in Toronto to discuss strengthening the economic links in place between the two countries.

June 29, 2010: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman denies that a planned PLA live ammunition exercise in the East China Sea scheduled to begin on June 30 is a response to a joint exercise between the US and South Korean navies in the Yellow Sea.

July 1, 2010: Deputy Chief of Staff of the PLA Ma says that China welcomes Defense Secretary Gates to visit China “at a time that is convenient for both sides.”

July 1, 2010: According to Xinhua, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Gen. Ma Xiaotian says China would welcome a visit by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, “at a time that is convenient for both sides.”

July 2, 2010: GM announces that for the first time it sold more cars in China than the US.

July 5, 2010: A Chinese court finds geologist Xue Feng, a naturalized US citizen, guilty of stealing state secrets and sentences him to eight years in prison.

July 6, 2010: China denounces US unilateral sanctions imposed against Iran, saying that additional measures should not be taken outside of the UN Security Council.

July 8, 2010: After a three-month delay, US Treasury Department issues its report on currency.

July 8, 2010: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang says China firmly opposes any foreign warships or planes entering the Yellow Sea as well as adjacent waters that engage in activities that would negatively affect Chinese security and interests.

July 8, 2010: UN Security Council issues a presidential statement condemning the March 26 attack on the South Korean ship, the Cheonan, but does not blame North Korea for the sinking.

July 9, 2010: Reuters reports that China’s exports in June increased 43.9 percent from June 2009, which was above expectations of a 38 percent rise.

July 15, 2010: Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang states, “We firmly oppose any foreign military vessel or plane conducting activities in the Yellow Sea and China’s coastal waters undermining China’s security interests. Under the current circumstances, we hope relevant parties exercise calmness and restraint and refrain from activities that would escalate tension in the region.”

July 17-18, 2010: China holds “Warfare 2010,” a military exercise held in the Yellow Sea involving troops from the Jinan Military Region and the staff of the Ministry of Transport.

July 19-20, 2010: The International Energy Association (IEA) says that China surpassed the US last year to become the world’s biggest energy consumer, but the US remains the largest energy consumer per capita. Zhou Xian, China’s National Energy Administration spokesperson, says IEA estimates of China’s consumption are too high.

July 19-20, 2010: Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang attends the Clean Energy Ministerial Forum in Washington and meets Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, White House Science and Technology adviser John Holdren, and other US officials.

July 20, 2010: China’s Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Yao Jian states that Congress’ investigation of China’s planned investment in a steel venture in Mississippi is a protectionist measure.

July 21, 2010: In response to widespread piracy in China, US lawmakers petition President Obama’s chief intellectual property enforcement official Victoria Espinel to press China for greater protection of intellectual property.

July 21, 2010: Testifying to Congress, US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke states that China’s undervalued currency helps to subsidize China’s exports, but he cautions that Congressional action is not the preferable way to get China to act.

July 21, 2010: In response to planned US-ROK exercises, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says that China “firmly oppose(s) foreign warships and military aircraft entering the Yellow Sea and other coastal waters of China to engage in activities affecting China’s security and interests.

July 23, 2010: At the ASEAN Regional Forum in Hanoi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton states, “The United States has a national interest in freedom of navigation, open access to Asia’s maritime commons and respect for international law in the South China Sea.” On the sidelines of the meeting, Clinton meets Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to discuss bilateral issues.

July 23, 2010: During a trip to New Delhi, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen says China is taking a “much more aggressive approach” in its policy toward international waters near its coastline and adds that he has gone from being “curious” to being “concerned” about China’s military buildup and its intentions.

July 25, 2010: In a press release posted on the Foreign Ministry’s website, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi cautions other countries not to “internationalize” South China Sea territorial disputes between China and its neighbors.

July 26, 2010: China’s Commerce Minister Chen Deming writes in a Financial Times op-ed article that China is open to foreign business and “will open wider in the future.”

July 27, 2010: Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg gives remarks on China at the Nixon Center in Washington DC.

July 28, 2010: In its first report on China in four years, the International Monetary Fund labels China’s currency as “undervalued.”

July 29, 2010: Chinese defense officials announce that naval forces conducted drills in the South China Sea on July 26.

July 30, 2010: Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng states that China has “indisputable sovereignty” over islands in the South China Sea and the nearby waters.

Aug. 2, 2010: State Department Special Adviser for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Robert Einhorn calls on China to be more cooperative in enforcing UN sanctions against Iran, saying that “means not backfilling, not taking advantage of the responsible restraint of other countries.”

Aug. 5, 2010: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu states that “China’s trade with Iran is a normal business exchange, which will not harm the interests of other countries and the international community.”

Aug. 6, 2010: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu urges the US and the ROK to respect China’s position and concern more seriously regarding military drills in the Yellow Sea.

Aug. 9, 2010: Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) in Beijing.

Aug. 9, 2010: Jury in Hawaii finds US engineer Noshir Gawadia guilty of selling military secrets to China.

Aug. 10, 2010: Secretary Clinton expresses US condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the mudslide in China.

Aug. 11, 2010: US Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman announces that the US has contributed $50,000 for relief work in the mudslide devastated area in China’s Gansu province.

Aug. 16, 2010: China passes Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy.

Aug. 16, 2010: The Pentagon submits its annual report to Congress assessing Chinese military capabilities.

Aug. 18, 2010: Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng voices China’s firm opposition to the Pentagon’s report stating that the report “ignores objective facts and makes accusations about China’s normal national defense and military building.”

Aug. 18, 2010: Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo Valenzuela visits Beijing for the fourth round of talks on Latin America under the umbrella of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. He states that China’s growing presence in Latin America does not pose a threat to the US.

Aug. 18, 2010: After meeting the head of the Philippine military, US Pacific Command Commander Adm. Robert Willard says that Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea is causing concern in the region and the US will work to maintain security and protect important trade routes.

Aug. 24, 2010: The US announces it will sell “defense services, technical data, and defense articles” for Taiwan’s air defense and radar equipment its Indigenous Defense Fighter jets.

Aug. 25, 2010: Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai arrives in Washington to attend the China-US vice foreign ministerial political consultations.

Aug. 27, 2010: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu says: “China resolutely opposes the United States selling weapons and relevant technical assistance to Taiwan,” and calls on the US to “put an end to arms sales to Taiwan and military ties with Taiwan to avoid causing new harm” to bilateral relations.

Aug. 29, 2010: China announces that the Beihai Fleet of the PLA Navy will conduct live-ammunition exercises from Sept. 1-4, in the sea off the southeast coast of Qingdao city.

Aug. 31, 2010: A preliminary determination by the US Commerce Department’s Import Administration finds that $514 million of aluminum products imported from China in 2009 were unfairly subsidized.

Sept. 1, 2010: China’s Representative to the Six-Party Talks, Wu Dawei, holds talks with US officials in Washington.

Sept. 1, 2010: China’s Ministry of Commerce expresses “serious concern” about US proposal to strengthen trade remedy practices, which it says will undermine order in international trade.

Sept. 6, 2010: National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers and Deputy National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon begin a 3-day visit in Beijing.

Sept. 7, 2010: China calls on Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to assure the international community that the country’s nuclear program is peaceful in nature.

Sept. 9, 2010: Commerce Department reports that the US trade deficit with China dropped slightly to $25.9 billion, but remained the largest of all US trading partners.

Sept. 10, 2010: The United Steelworkers union accuses China of using unfair trade practices to create jobs in its clean energy technology sector and get a permanent edge on US manufacturers.

Sept. 11, 2010: Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg delivers a speech on the US and China at an International Institute for Strategic Studies meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

Sept. 13, 2010: Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, at a World Economic Forum meeting in Tianjin, China, states that China’s trade surplus is “not intentional.”

Sept. 13, 2010: In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says China is doing “very, very little” to allow the yuan to appreciate.

Sept. 15, 2010: Commerce Ministry spokesman Yao Jian refutes assertions by members of the US congress that the undervalued yuan is responsible for China’s trade surplus with the US.

Sept. 16, 2010: Treasury Secretary Geithner testifies before the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and House Ways and Means Committees on China’s currency policies and the US-China economic relationship.

Sept. 16, 2010: Stephen Bosworth, US special envoy for North Korea, visits China to discuss how to resume the six-party negotiations on the denuclearization on the Korean peninsula.

Sept. 20, 2010: Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, commander of the US Navy 7^th Fleet Amphibious Force, says China is making moves threatening the ability of ships of other countries to move freely in the South China Sea.

Sept. 23, 2010: President Obama meets Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and presses for China to immediately revalue its currency.

Sept. 24, 2010: US House Ways and Means Committee approves legislation that would allow companies to petition for duties on Chinese imports to compensate for an undervalued currency.

Sept. 26, 2010: The Ministry of Commerce announces China will impose import duties on US chicken products it says are being unfairly dumped on the Chinese market.

Sept. 27-28, 2010: Michael Schiffer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, visits Beijing in an effort to lay the groundwork for renewed US-China military exchanges.

Sept. 28-30, 2010: Department of State Special Adviser on Nonproliferation and Arms Control Robert Einhorn visits China.

Oct. 8, 2010: President Barack Obama issues a statement welcoming the Nobel Committee’s decision to award the Nobel Peace prize to Liu Xiaobo.

Oct. 9, 2010: Zhou Xiaochuan, the governor of China’s Central Bank, meets Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on the margins of the G20 meeting in Washington.

Oct. 11, 2010: On the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus 8 (ADMM+) in Hanoi, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates meets Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and accepts an invitation to visit China in early 2011.

Oct. 13, 2010: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan converses by telephone with Gary Locke, co-chair of the China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) and US Commerce Secretary, and Ron Kirk, US trade representative.

Oct. 14, 2010: After meeting former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan calls for efforts from both sides to safeguard China-US relations.

Oct. 14-15, 2010: A Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) meeting is held at US Pacific Command in Hawaii.

Oct. 15, 2010: The US Trade Representative agrees to investigate a complaint by the United Steelworkers union against China.

Oct 16-20, 2010: Charles Bolden, head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), visits China seeking cooperative opportunities between the nations’ space programs.

Oct. 18, 2010: Fifth Plenary Session of the 17^th Communist Party of China Central Committee announces promotion of Xi Jinping to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Oct. 20, 2010: The People’s Bank of China raises benchmark one-year lending rate by 25 basis points to 5.56 percent and the one-year deposit rate by the same margin to 2.5 percent respectively, the first time in almost three years that China has raised interest rates.

Oct. 21, 2010: Attorney General Eric Holder visits China to discuss cooperation on intellectual property rights violations, terrorism, transnational crime, and to promote the rule of law through the US-China Legal Experts Dialogue.

Oct. 22, 2010: US Envoy on Climate Change Todd Stern and Xie Zhenhua, his Chinese counterpart, meet in Beijing but fail to reach any binding agreements.

Oct. 23, 2010: During a tour of several US cities, Wang Yi, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, meets briefly with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other US officials.

Oct. 23, 2010: Speaking about the South China Sea at the Xiangshan security forum in Beijing, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian says, “We believe the situation in the region is stable and all the passing ships and planes have a sufficient amount of freedom and security.”

Oct. 25, 2010: Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell reiterates that the USS George Washington will operate in the Yellow Sea again and that joint US-ROK naval exercises were “absolutely and categorically … not scaled back in order to placate Beijing.”

Oct. 28, 2010: Secretary of State Clinton delivers a speech in Honolulu in which she says the US is not seeking to contain China and denies that US and Chinese interests are at odds.

Oct. 30, 2010: On Hainan Island, Secretary Clinton meets Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo.

Oct. 30, 2010: Secretary Clinton meets Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the margins of the East Asia Summit and receives reassurances on the Chinese government’s policy on the export of rare earth minerals.

Nov. 1, 2010: In Phnom Penh, Secretary Clinton calls on Cambodia to maintain a more independent foreign policy and not be overly dependent on any one country.

Nov. 2, 2010: China’s Marine Corps holds a major naval exercise in the South China Sea. The live-fire exercises, codenamed Jiaolong 2010, include more than 1,800 troops and over 100 ships, submarines, and aircraft.

Nov. 2, 2010: China turns down Secretary Clinton’s reported offer to mediate talks between China and Japan over disputed islands in the East China Sea. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu calls Clinton’s proposal “wishful thinking.”

Nov. 4, 2010: Sen. Jim Webb, chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Foreign Relations Committee, issues a statement criticizing China’s “military aggression toward Japan, Vietnam, and other nations over territorial disputes in regional waters.”

Nov. 5, 2010: Cui Tiankai, vice foreign minister, says the US proposal for setting caps on nations’ current account is a return “to the days of a planned economy.”

Nov. 11, 2010: President Obama meets President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Nov. 17, 2010: Energy Secretary Steven Chu visits China to attend a meeting related to the Sino-US clean energy research center and meets Vice Premier Li Keqiang and State Councilor Liu Yandong.

Nov. 18, 2010: The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission 2010 report claims China Telecom, the state-owned telecommunications operator, “hijacked” 15 percent of the world’s internet traffic, including sensitive encrypted data from the US Senate, the Department of Defense and NASA, in April 2010.

Nov. 18, 2010: On a visit to Washington, State Council Information Office Director Wang Chen meets Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in public diplomacy and cultural exchanges.

Nov. 23, 2010: Special Envoy of the Chinese Government for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei meets US Special Envoy on North Korea Stephen Bosworth in Beijing.

Nov. 24, 2010: State Department spokesman Phil Crowley says that China is pivotal to moving North Korea in a fundamentally different direction.

Nov. 24, 2010: Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says that China is “absolutely critical” in dealing with North Korea, saying “It’s very important for China to lead.”

Nov. 24, 2010: In a phone conversation with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, President Obama says that China should take a more resolute stance on North Korea.

Nov. 25, 2010: State Department issues the Annual Report on International Religious Freedom in which China is listed among “countries of special concern.”

Nov. 26, 2010: Secretary Clinton talks over the phone with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Nov. 26, 2010: The US announces upcoming joint military drills with South Korea in the Yellow Sea that include an aircraft carrier battle group, stating that the exercises are not aimed at China, but are intended to deter North Korean aggression.

Nov. 26, 2010: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman declares that China opposes any military acts in its exclusive economic zone without permission.

Nov. 28, 2010: State Councilor Dai Bingguo calls Secretary Clinton to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Nov. 28, 2010: Chinese Envoy Wu Dawei calls for an emergency meeting in Beijing of delegates to the Six-Party Talks.

Dec. 2, 2010: Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, meets Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg. Wang is visiting Washington to attend the Second China-US High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue.

Dec. 6, 2010: President Obama phones President Hu to warn that China’s muted response to Korean Peninsula tensions is emboldening North Korean provocations, reiterating a June assertion that China was practicing “willful blindness” to DPRK transgressions.

Dec. 6, 2010: 30 US senators send a letter to Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan calling for the yuan to “appreciate meaningfully” before President Hu’s trip to Washington.

Dec. 8, 2010: US House of Representatives approves a resolution congratulating Liu Xiaobo for winning the Nobel Peace Prize and calls on China to release him.

Dec. 10, 2010: Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy meets Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Gen. Ma Xiaotian at the 11^th round of US-China Defense Consultative Talks in Washington.

Dec. 13, 2010: A World Trade Organization ruling upholds US duties on Chinese tires put in place last year.

Dec. 14, 2010: Vice Premier Wang Qishan arrives in Washington leading a Chinese delegation to the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT).

Dec. 15, 2010: Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg arrives in Beijing, leading a high-level US delegation for discussions on Korean Peninsula issues.

Dec. 19, 2010: China, the US, and other members of the UN Security Council meet to discuss tensions and events on the Korean Peninsula but fail to agree on a joint statement condemning North Korea’s actions.

Dec. 22, 2010: The Obama administration accuses China of illegally subsidizing the production of wind power equipment and calls for discussions at the WTO, the first step in a trade case sought by US steelworkers.

Dec. 28, 2010: PACOM Commander Adm. Robert Willard says that he believes the Chinese anti-ship ballistic missile program has achieved “initial operational capability.”

Jan. 3-7, 2011: Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth travels to the South Korea, China, and Japan; he holds talks in Beijing on Jan. 5.

Jan. 3-7, 2011: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visits the US to make final preparations for President Hu Jintao’s visit.

Jan. 4, 2011: National Security Advisor Tom Donilon meets Foreign Minister Yang in the White House to discuss US-China relations and preparations for President Hu’s upcoming visit. President Obama joins the meeting.

Jan. 7, 2011: US Treasury Undersecretary Lael Brainard meets Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and other officials in Beijing.

Jan. 9-11, 2011: Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell visits Beijing for consultations in preparation for President Hu’s visit to the US.

Jan. 9-12, 2011: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates visits China to advance military-to-military ties between the two countries.

Jan. 13, 2011: Commerce Secretary Gary Locke speaks to the US-China Business Council, where he discusses how leveling the playing field for US businesses in the Chinese market will help spur global innovation and create jobs in the US.

Jan. 14, 2011: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers an address at the State Department that presents the US broad vision of US-China relations in the 21^st century.

Jan. 18-21, 2011: President Hu Jintao makes a state visit to the US.

Jan. 24, 2011: China places anti-dumping measures on the imports of caprolactam, a widely used synthetic polymer, from the EU and US.

Jan. 26, 2011: In his State of the Union Address, President Obama mentions Chinese competition as a challenge to the US, in areas such as education, technology, and infrastructure.

Jan. 27, 2011: The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “China’s Active Defense Strategy and its Regional Impacts.”

Jan. 28, 2011: A US delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg visits China to discuss the Korean Peninsula.

Jan. 31, 2011: US Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman announces that he will resign.

Feb. 5, 2011: Treasury Department releases a report that says China’s currency is substantially undervalued and its progress on currency reform is insufficient, although the report does not name China a “currency manipulator.”

Feb.7, 2011: US International Trade Commission (USITC) determines that Chinese imports of drill pipe and drill collar threaten US industry, and that the Commerce Department will impose anti-dumping duties on their import from China.

Feb. 8, 2011: During a visit to Brazil, Treasury Secretary Geithner urges Brazil to put pressure on China to allow the yuan to appreciate.

Feb. 9, 2011: US National Military Strategy 2011 is published. It calls for a deeper military-to-military relationship with China, but notes that the Joint Chiefs of Staff will continue to monitor China’s military development and its assertiveness in East Asia.

Feb. 11, 2011: A group of US congressmen, including Representative Sander Levin (D – MI) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), introduce legislation, in both houses of Congress, to press China to allow its currency appreciate.

Feb. 13-16, 2011: A large US business delegation, led by the executive chairman of Morgan Stanley John Mack, visits China and meets the heads of Chinese companies and Vice Premier Wang Qishan.

Feb. 17, 2011: China warns against US meddling in other countries’ affairs in response to Secretary of State Clinton’s announcement of an initiative to help dissidents around the world to circumvent government internet controls.

Feb. 18, 2011: In spite of US protests, a Chinese court rejects the appeal of American geologist Xue Feng, who was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of spying in 2009 after obtaining commercial information about Chinese oil wells for a US company.

Feb. 21, 2011: During a visit to Hong Kong by the USS Blue Ridge, Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, the commander of the US Seventh Fleet, says that US does not consider China a “direct threat” and welcomes the expansion of China’s blue water navy.

Feb. 24, 2011: US Ambassador to China Huntsman appears at a small protest rally in Beijing supporting a “Jasmine Revolution” in China, provoking protests from Chinese bloggers.

Feb 25, 2011: In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Commerce Secretary Locke says that the US is “making progress” in eliminating trade barriers to Chinese companies but says China should do more to let its currency appreciate.

Feb. 26, 2011: The US and China sign an agreement to establish the China-US Governors Forum, which will enable cooperation between governors and provincial leaders.

March 2, 2011: In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary Clinton says that the US is falling behind China in the Pacific region and that China has increased its influence over many small Pacific nations.

March 4, 2011: China announces an increase of 12.7 percent in its military spending in 2011 bringing it to 601 billion yuan ($91.5 billion).

March 5, 2011: The Fourth Session of the 11^th National People’s Congress opens in Beijing.

March 7, 2011: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi urges the US to stop arms sales to Taiwan and take concrete steps to promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.

March 9, 2011: President Obama nominates Commerce Secretary Locke as the next US ambassador to China.

March 11, 2011: In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says China has invested substantially in cyber warfare and intelligence gathering.

March 21, 2011: Google claims that China’s government is imposing a “blockade” on Google which interferes with its Gmail service.

March 31, 2011: China releases its biannual defense white paper.

April 5, 2011: The US, France, the UK, and Germany express concern over the arrest of Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

April 8, 2011: State Department releases its annual report on human rights, which harshly criticizes human rights in China and Secretary Clinton expresses concern that Chinese intellectuals and human rights activists are “arbitrarily detained.”

April 10, 2011: China’s State Council issues a report entitled “Human Rights Record of the United States in 2010.”

April 10, 2011: Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong visits the US and chairs the second round of high-level meetings between the US and China on cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

April 11, 2011: At the 7^th US-China Defense Policy Consultative Talks in Beijing, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Schiffer and Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of Defense Qian Lihua exchange views on bilateral and regional military issues.

April 15, 2011: State Department spokesman Mark Toner criticizes China for its use of force in the standoff between Chinese police and Tibetan monks in Sichuan Province and blames China for violating the international standards of human rights and religious freedom.

April 19, 2011: US-China Initiative on City-Level Economic Cooperation starts in Seattle. It aims to promote economic cooperation between US and Chinese cities and help realize the pledges for greater economic cooperation made during President Hu’s visit to the US.

April 20-26, 2011: A delegation of 10 senators, led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, visits China to discuss a wide range of issues such as clean energy, economic relations and human rights; the delegation meets Vice-President Xi Jinping, Vice Premier Wang Qishan, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and the head of China’s legislature, Wu Bangguo.

April 27-28, 2011: Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner heads an interagency delegation to Beijing for a round of the recurring US-China Human Rights Dialogue with his counterpart Chen Xu, director general of International Organizations and Conferences.

April 30, 2011: President Hu extends condolences to President Obama over the deaths caused by a devastating tornado that struck southern parts of the US on April 26-27.

May 3, 2011: US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner delivers a speech at the US-China Business Council, ahead of the third round of China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

May 4, 2011: In a speech at the Asia Society, US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke warns that China is backtracking on promises to make its economy friendlier to foreign companies, pointing to recent proposals to review and restrict investments in its economy.

May 9-10, 2011: US and Chinese officials meet for the third annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington, DC. The two sides hold the first strategic security dialogue.

May 11, 2011: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “The Implications of China’s Military and Civil Space Programs,” with testimony from top scholars.

May 15, 2011: The nuclear-attack submarine USS Hampton (SSN 767) arrives in Hong Kong for a port visit, the first visit to Hong Kong by a US submarine in more than three years.

May 15-22, 2011: Gen. Chen Bingde visits the US, the first visit by a Chinese Chief of the PLA General Staff in seven years.

May 22-25, 2011: The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson makes a port call in Hong Kong shortly after disposing of the body of Osama Bin Laden.

May 24, 2011: The State Department announces sanctions on four Chinese firms or individuals over trade links with Iran, Syria, and North Korea in technology that may be used in weapons of mass destruction or missiles.

May 24-25, 2011: The second round of US-China discussions on law of the sea and polar issues is held in Washington, DC.

May 26, 2011: Forty-five senators send a letter to President Obama urging the sale of 66 F16C/D fighter aircraft to Taiwan.

May 27, 2011: US House of Representatives votes to bar Chinese defense firms from receiving Pentagon contracts. The amendment excludes companies owned by or affiliated to the Chinese government from US defense contracts; it is passed as part of a larger defense budget bill.

May 29, 2011: US Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander Vice Adm. Manson Brown visits China.

June 2, 2011: Google Inc. says Chinese hackers targeted the email accounts of senior US officials and hundreds of other prominent people in a phishing scam.

June 2, 2011: Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping meets Vice President Joe Biden in Rome on the sidelines of a celebration marking the 150^th anniversary of Italy’s unification.

June 3, 2011: Defense Secretary Robert Gates meets Chinese counterpart Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in Singapore on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.

June 4, 2011: US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg meets with Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

June 6, 2011: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell visits Beijing for talks on bilateral and regional issues with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and Special Representative for Korean Peninsular Affairs Wu Dawei.

June 10-11, 2011: On a visit to Africa, Secretary of State Clinton urges scrutiny of China’s large investments and business interests in Africa and warns that China’s influence in Africa could foster a “new colonialism” on the continent.

June 15, 2011: The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s Five-Year Plan, Indigenous Innovation and Technology Transfers, and Outsourcing.

June 15, 2011: China refuses to allow three US investigators from the Senate Armed Services Committee to enter mainland China from Hong Kong to investigate reports of Chinese-made counterfeit electronic parts being used in US weapons systems.

June 16, 2011: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei urges US lawmakers not to damage relations between the two countries by seeking “excuses to start trade protection,” ahead of reported moves to reintroduce legislation aimed at forcing an appreciation in the yuan.

June 22, 2011: Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai urges the US to let South China Sea dispute claimants resolve the issue themselves, saying US involvement may worsen the situation.

June 25, 2011: US officials led by Kurt Campbell meet Chinese counterparts led by Cui Tiankai in Hawaii for the first US-China Asia Pacific consultations to discuss issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

June 27, 2011: The US Senate unanimously approves a resolution deploring the use of force by China in the South China Sea and calling for a peaceful, multilateral resolution to maritime territorial disputes in Southeast Asia.

June 28-July 8, 2011: The US and the Philippines conduct joint naval exercises in the South China Sea near Palawan focusing on interdiction, information sharing, combined operations, patrol operations and gunnery, and anti-piracy and anti-smuggling.

June 28, 2011: Xi Jinping meets former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Beijing during a commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Kissinger’s first “secret” visit to China.

June 30, 2011: Chinese Ministry of Finance announces the repeal of a government procurement policy that favors Chinese producers of computers and other technology that the US complains violates free trade.

July 5, 2011: The World Trade Organization rules that China’s restrictions on exports of nine industrial raw materials violate international trade rules in response to a complaint brought by the US, the European Union, and Mexico.

July 5-16, 2011: The Dalai Lama visits Washington to confer a Buddhist teaching ritual and meet US officials, including President Obama, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero, and members of Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

July 9, 2011: The US, Japanese, and Australian navies hold a joint maritime drill in the South China Sea off the coast of Brunei.

July 9, 2011: Ships from both China and the US attend a fleet review during the conclusion of the Brunei International Defense Exposition 2011 (BRIDEX).

July 9-13, 2011: US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen visits China, the first visit of its kind in four years.

July 13, 2011: ConocoPhillips suspends production at two platforms in northeast China’s Bohai Bay after China’s State Oceanic Administration orders the halt due to slow progress in containing a five-week oil leak.

July 15-21, 2011: The US and Vietnam conduct joint military drills in the South China Sea.

July 15, 2011: A gathering of Chinese provincial leaders and over 30 US governors attend the first ever China-US Governors Forum to discuss trade, investment, energy, environment, education and youth cooperation. Presidents Hu and Obama send congratulatory messages.

July 16, 2011: China Central Television 7 (CCTV-7) runs a segment that appears to show dated computer screenshots of a PLA institute conducting a rudimentary cyber-attack against a US-based Falun Gong website.

July 18, 2011: US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen introduces a bill urging the EU and its member states to keep an arms embargo against China in response to moves by some European nations to lift the embargo.

July 19, 2011: In a letter to State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Sen. John McCain and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry say naval clashes between China and its neighbors in the South China Sea have raised tensions in the region and could jeopardize US interests.

July 22, 2011: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Bali ahead of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

July 23-29, 2011: Department of Commerce General Counsel Cameron Kerry and a group of officials from the Department of State, Department of Justice, and the Securities and Exchange Commission visit Beijing to discuss anti-corruption and commercial rule of law issues.

July 25, 2011: Secretary of State Clinton visits Hong Kong where she meets Chief Executive Donald Tsang and members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, and delivers a speech at the American Chamber of Commerce.

July 25, 2011: Secretary Clinton visits Shenzhen where she meets State Councilor Dai Bingguo to discuss bilateral issues such as US debt negotiations, North Korea, and the recent ARF.

July 26, 2011: The sixth meeting of the China-US Anticorruption Working Group of the Joint Liaison Group (JLG ACWG) is held in Beijing.

July 27, 2011: US Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joe Leibowitz visits Beijing and signs a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in anti-trust and anti-monopoly investigations.

July 27-30, 2011: Wang Yi, chairman of China’s Taiwan Affairs Office visits Washington and meets US officials to discuss cross-strait relations, and US and Chinese policies toward Taiwan, including US arms sales. Secretary of State Clinton joins part of the meeting with Deputy Secretary Bill Burns.

July 28-30, 2011: PLA Deputy Chief of General Staff Zhang Qinsheng and Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, commander of US Army Pacific attend the seventh Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference and the thirty fifth Pacific Armies Management Seminar in Singapore.

Aug. 1, 2011: Gary Locke is sworn in as the new ambassador to China, the first US ambassador of Chinese descent.

Aug. 1, 2011: A total of 181 members of the US House of Representatives sign a letter urging President Obama to approve the sale of F-16 C/D jet fighters to Taiwan.

Aug. 10-14, 2011: China’s aircraft carrier Varyag undergoes its first sea trials.

Aug. 12, 2011: The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group docks in Hong Kong for a four-day visit.

Aug. 17, 2011: The Chinese Ministry of Defense refutes reports that Pakistan allowed Chinese intelligence officials to photograph and take samples of the US Blackhawk helicopter that crashed during the raid on Osama bin Laden.

Aug. 17-21, 2011: Vice President Joe Biden visits China where he meets Vice President Xi Jinping and President Hu Jintao.

Aug. 18, 2011: Officials halt a basketball match in Beijing between Shanghai’s Bayi Rockets and Georgetown University after a brawl erupts.

Aug. 24, 2011: The Pentagon releases the Annual Report to Congress Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2011, which concludes that China’s modernization is “paying visible dividends.”

Aug. 24-28, 2011: US Coast Guard attends the World Maritime Rescue Congress in Shanghai.

Sept. 9, 2011: Global Times article warns that the US sale of F-16s to Taiwan would be viewed as damaging to Chinese core interests.

Sept. 20, 2011: US Trade Representative Ron Kirk announces that the US has filed a case with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against China’s imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties against the import of US chicken broiler products.

Sept. 21, 2011: Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang meets a delegation headed by US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu in Beijing and exchanges views on China-US energy cooperation.

Sept. 21, 2011: The US Senate unanimously passes a resolution in support of Taiwan’s observer status in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to enable it to play a part in maintaining global air transport security.

Sept. 21, 2011: The US administration announces a new arms package worth $5.8 billion to Taiwan, which includes the upgrading of 144 F-16A/B fighter jets.

Sept. 22, 2011: Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng says the latest US arms sale have created severe obstacles to normal military-to-military exchanges between the two countries.

Sept. 26, 2011: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the 66th Session of UN General Assembly in New York.

Sept. 30, 2011: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets Lael Brainard, the US Treasury undersecretary for international affairs.

Oct. 4, 2011: US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell and Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Affairs Peter Levoy give testimony on “Why Taiwan Matters, Part II” before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Oct. 5, 2011: Secretary of State Clinton says China and Russia are on the wrong side of history after vetoing a UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria for its brutal crackdown on pro-reform protesters.

Oct. 6, 2011: President Barack Obama criticizes China’s currency manipulation, but also says he wants to avoid passing laws that are symbolic but will not be upheld by the WTO.

Oct. 6, 2011: US Trade Representative Ron Kirk says the US has notified the WTO of nearly 200 Chinese subsidy programs, claiming many of them may violate free trade rules.

Oct. 11, 2011: China and the US hold their second consultation on Asia-Pacific issues in Beijing, co-chaired by Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and Assistant Secretary Campbell.

Oct. 11, 2011: The US Senate votes 63-35 in favor of legislation aimed primarily at China that tightens guidelines used to determine when a country is unfairly manipulating its currency.

Oct. 12, 2011: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson criticizes the Senate bill as protectionist and a serious violation of WTO rules, adding that “it won’t solve America’s own economic and employment problems.”

Oct. 13, 2011: The Congressional-Executive Commission on China releases its annual report on human rights and rule of law developments in China. It says that Chinese officials ignored the law or used the law as a tool to repress human rights, stifle dissent, and unfairly subsidize Chinese industry.

Oct. 13, 2011: Commerce Department reports that the US trade deficit with China hit a record high for a single month of $29 billion in August and is running 9 percent above last year’s level, when the deficit hit a record $273 billion.

Oct. 14, 2011: US Treasury Department announces that it is delaying release of its biannual currency report, postponing a decision on whether China is manipulating its currency.

Oct. 14, 2011: In a speech to the New York Economic Club, Secretary Clinton says China is deliberately holding down the value of its currency to boost exports and has the largest trading surplus in world history to the detriment of the US and other major economies.

Oct. 19, 2011: Seven US solar panels manufacturers file a trade case with the US Commerce Department against the Chinese solar industry, accusing it of using billions of dollars in government subsidies to help gain sales in the US market.

Oct. 24, 2011: At a news conference in Bali, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta praises China for its mild response to the US arms sale to Taiwan.

Oct. 27, 2011: State Councilor Dai Bingguo meets Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in Beijing.

Nov. 3, 2011: Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive presents a report to Congress that calls China the world’s “most active and persistent perpetrators of economic espionage.”

Nov. 7, 2011: Chinese MFA and Ministry of Commerce criticize the agenda for the APEC meeting, specifically proposals on environmental policy and the TPP.

Nov. 10, 2011: US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun co-chair fifth round of US-China Sub-Dialogue on Africa in Beijing.

Nov. 11, 2011: State Councilor Dai Bingguo meets Secretary Clinton and National Security Adviser Tom Donilon in Honolulu on the margins of the APEC meeting.

Nov. 12, 2011: Presidents Hu and President Obama meet on the margins of the APEC meeting.

Nov. 17, 2011: US House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign Affairs votes unanimously in support of the Taiwan Policy Act of 2011 “to strengthen and clarify the commercial, cultural, and other relations between the people of the U.S. and Taiwan,” and the Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act, “to provide Taiwan with critically needed multirole fighter aircraft.”

Nov. 19, 2011: President Obama and Premier Wen Jiabao hold an unscheduled meeting on the sidelines of the EAS in Bali.

Nov. 20-21, 2011: US Commerce Secretary John Bryson and US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, together with Vice Premier Wang Qishan, co-chair the 22nd Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Chengdu, China.

Nov. 21, 2011: Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Chao and US counterpart Bryson sign the Sino-US Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cooperation Framework Agreement at the JCCT.

Nov. 23, 2011: US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman visits Beijing and meets Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Nov. 25, 2011: China’s Ministry of Commerce announces an investigation into US government policy and subsidy support for renewable energy.

Dec. 7, 2011: Undersecretary of Defense Michele Flournoy meets Gen. Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the People’s Liberation Army General Staff for the 12th Defense Consultative Talks.

Dec. 7, 2011: The US and China announce implementation of the Megaport Initiative to monitor for “nuclear and other radioactive materials in cargo containers” at Shanghai’s Yangshan Port.

Dec. 8, 2011: The fourth high-level dialogue between the Communist Party of China and the Democratic and Republican parties of the US is held in Washington.

Dec. 10, 2011: Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, meets US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns to further promote bilateral ties.

Dec. 12-13, 2011: Derek Mitchell, US special representative and policy coordinator for Burma, visits China to discuss US policy toward Burma and Secretary Clinton’s visit to that country.

Dec. 15, 2011: US Special Representative for North Korea Glyn Davies visits Beijing and meets Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

Dec. 16, 2011: Vice Foreign Minister visits Washington and meets Secretary Clinton and Undersecretary Wendy Sherman.

Dec. 19, 2011: A federal circuit court rules that the US cannot impose “countervailing duties” or emergency anti-subsidy tariffs, on imports from countries such as China that are designated as “non-market economies.”

Dec. 20, 2011: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi speaks by phone with Secretary Clinton regarding North Korea’s leadership succession.

Dec. 27-29, 2011: The USS Carl Vinson visits Hong Kong, marking the fourth port call to Hong Kong by a US carrier strike group this year.

Dec. 27, 2011: US Treasury Department declines to brand China a manipulator of its exchange rate, but says the yuan is undervalued and vows to press for greater exchange-rate flexibility.

Dec. 30, 2011: State Councilor Dai Bingguo and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon hold a telephone conversation on US-China relations.

Jan. 4, 2012: As part of a trip to China, South Korea, and Japan, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell visits Beijing for talks on bilateral and regional issues with Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai.

Jan. 5, 2012: President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta release a new strategic guidance document entitled Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21^st Century Defense, which cites China, together with Iran, as pursuing asymmetric means to counter US power projection capabilities.

Jan. 10-11, 2012: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner visits Beijing and meets Premier Wen Jiabao, Vice President Xi Jinping, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and other high-ranking officials to discuss economic cooperation and economic sanctions on Iranian oil.

Jan. 12, 2012: US imposes sanctions on China’s state-run Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp. for selling refined oil to Iran.

Jan. 16, 2012: Prior to his visit to the US, Xi Jinping gives a speech in Beijing stating that the US and China should cooperate more to prevent a major disruption in relations.

Jan. 19, 2012: President Barack Obama issues an executive order to simplify the tourist visa process for Chinese citizens.

Jan. 19, 2012: US Department of Commerce announces an anti-dumping investigation focusing on Chinese wind tower parts.

Jan. 24, 2012: In the State of the Union speech, President Obama announces the creation of a new trade enforcement group to stop unfair trade practices in countries such as China.

Jan. 24, 2012: State Department issues a statement expressing concern over increased violence in Tibet, and calls on China to show restraint and reopen dialogue with Tibetans.

Jan. 26, 2012: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s pursuit of natural resources and the implications for the US.

Jan. 27, 2012: At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Secretary Geithner says China’s trade practices are “damaging” to its trading partners.

Jan. 29, 2012: Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi meets US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns in Addis Ababa.

Jan. 30, 2012: World Trade Organization (WTO) rules that China must stop export taxes and quotas on commonly used industrial materials. US, EU, and Mexico filed this case in 2009.

Feb. 4, 2012: China and Russia veto a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Syria calling for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

Feb. 6, 2012: Wang Lijun, vice-mayor and head of the Public Security Bureau of Chongqing, goes to the US consulate in Chengdu and reportedly requests political asylum.

Feb. 7, 2012: Vice Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden talk by phone to discuss bilateral relations prior to Xi’s visit to the US.

Feb. 7, 2012: Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai says in a speech that there is a “trust deficit” between the US and China and he hopes that the Xi Jinping visit will strengthen relations.

Feb. 10, 2012: Commerce Department announces US merchandise trade deficit with China set a new record high in 2011 at $295.5 billion, up from the record high of $273.1 billion in 2010.

Feb. 13, 2012: State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Secretary Clinton discuss the crisis in Syria during a phone call.

Feb. 13-17, 2012: Xi Jinping visits the US with stops in Washington DC, Iowa, and Los Angeles.

Feb. 15, 2012: The US-China Economic & Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “Chinese State-Owned and State-Controlled Enterprises.”

Feb. 16, 2012: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu sign a Plan of Strategic Cooperation on food safety, food security, and sustainable agriculture.

Feb. 17, 2012: White House announces that China will increase its yearly quota of US movies that can be released in China to 34 from 20.

Feb. 23, 2012: Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Liang Guanglie meet US Ambassador to China Gary Locke and call for improved military ties.

Feb. 24, 2012: China’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei meets US Special Representative for DPRK Policy Glyn Davies after the conclusion of talks held in Beijing between the US and North Korea.

Feb. 24, 2012: Secretary of State Clinton deplores Russia and China as “despicable” for opposing UN action aimed at stopping the bloodshed in Syria.

Feb. 28, 2012: President Obama signs an executive order creating the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to “counter unfair trade practices around the world, including by countries like China.”

March 5-14, 2012: China holds its annual meeting of the National People’s Congress.

March 5, 2012: US Senate votes to uphold the ability to put duties on subsidized goods from China and Vietnam.

March 7, 2012: Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi deliver remarks at the US Institute of Peace to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of President Nixon’s trip to China.

March 8, 2012: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases a report that states Chinese cyber warfare capabilities pose a risk to US military forces.

March 12, 2012: Assistant Secretary Campbell and Vice Minister Cui Tiankai hold the third round of Asia-Pacific Consultations in Annapolis, Maryland.

March 13, 2012: President Obama announces that the US, the EU and Japan are filing a formal “request for consultations” with China at the WTO about Chinese restrictions on exports of rare earth metals.

March 15, 2012: Bo Xilai is removed as Chongqing Communist Party chief.

March 16, 2012: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun meets North Korean Ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong and voices “concern and worry” of Pyongyang’s planned satellite launch.

March 19, 2012: US imposes duties on imports of subsidized steel wheels from China.

March 20, 2012: US International Trade Commission (ITC) refuses to revoke the anti-dumping duty order on silicon metal from China.

March 20, 2012: Commerce Department says it will impose tariffs on solar panels from China after concluding that Chinese government provided illegal export subsidies to manufacturers.

March 22, 2012: State Councilor Dai Bingguo has telephone conversation with National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon. They discuss bilateral relations and the Korean peninsula.

March 22, 2012: ITC announces it is launching anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations on stainless steel sinks from China.

March 26, 2012: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “Developments in China’s Cyber and Nuclear Capabilities.”

March 28, 2012: Secretary Clinton and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer welcome a delegation of Chinese women led by Chen Zhili, vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the NPC and President of the All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF), for the Third US-China Women’s Leadership and Exchange Dialogue.

March 28, 2012: The US Senate passes S.Res.356 that “deplores the repressive policies targeting Tibetans” and calls for China to resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama.

April 10, 2012: People’s Daily reports that Bo Xilai has been suspended from the Communist Party’s 25-member Politburo and Central Committee and is under investigation for “serious discipline violations” and that his wife, Gu Kailai, has been arrested as a suspect in the murder of a British businessman.

April 11-14, 2012: Director of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office Wang Yi visits the US and meets Deputy Secretary of State Burns to discuss Taiwan issues.

April 13, 2012: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has a telephone conversation with Secretary Clinton to discuss the crisis in Syria.

April 14, 2012: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has a telephone conversation with Secretary Clinton to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

April 17, 2012: US ITC decides not to impose antidumping or countervailing duties on steel wheels from China.

April 18, 2012: Departments of Defense and State release a report recommending a relaxation of export controls on satellite technology, but adds that restrictions should be maintained on the export to China of some items.

April 19, 2012: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta says that China provided support to North Korea’s missile program. However, State Department spokesman Mark Toner says that the US believes China’s “repeated assurances” that it is complying with UN sanctions.

April 27, 2012: In a letter to Sen. John Cornyn, the White House says the US will give “serious consideration” to selling Taiwan F-16C/D jets, in addition to upgrading the F-16A/B jets.

April 27, 2012: Chen Guangcheng, a blind lawyer under house arrest, enters the US Embassy in Beijing seeking assistance.

April 29, 2012: Assistant Secretary of State Campbell arrives in Beijing to discuss Chen Guangcheng’s case.

May 2, 2012: The second US-China Strategic Security Dialogue, bringing together civilian and military officers to discuss security matters, is held in Beijing.

May 3, 2012: Activist Chen Guangcheng calls into a congressional hearing organized by the Congressional Economic Commission on China (CECC) and says that he fears for the safety of his family and wants to leave China.

May 3-4, 2012: Fourth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) is held in Beijing.

May 4, 2012: The third US-China High Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) is held in Beijing.

May 6-11, 2012: In the first such visit in nine years, Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie travels to the US, visits military installations, and meets US government and military leaders.

May 13, 2012: The USS North Carolina, a nuclear-powered submarine, surfaces in the Philippines near the Scarborough Shoal for replenishment.

May 15, 2012: US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights holds a hearing titled “Chen Guangcheng: His Case, Cause, Family, and Those Who are Helping Him.”

May 17, 2012: US Department of Commerce announces it will impose an antidumping duty of between 31.14 percent and 249.96 percent on China-made solar cells.

May 17-24, 2012: US State Department sends a policy directive to US universities that sponsor Confucius Institutes, requiring Chinese faculty member with improper visas to return to China by June 31 to revise their visa status.

May 18, 2012: Pentagon releases its annual report to Congress on the People’s Liberation Army.

May 18, 2012: US House of Representatives passes the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a recommendation to sell F-16 C/Ds to Taiwan.

May 19, 2012: Chen Guangcheng arrives in the US with his family to study at New York University.

May 19-20, 2012: Five Chinese warships are reportedly deployed near Philippine waters following the visit of the USS North Carolina.

May 22, 2012: US envoy for North Korea Glyn Davies meets Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei and Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying in Beijing.

May 22-23, 2012: Third round of the US-China Dialogue on Law of the Sea and Polar Issues is held in Beijing.

May 24, 2012: US State Department releases its annual country report on human rights practices, including a report on China.

May 25, 2012: China denounces the human rights report and issues its own report on human rights in the United States.

May 25, 2012: US Treasury Department releases its semiannual report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rage Policies in which it says China has not met standards of a currency manipulator.

May 25, 2012: China challenges US countervailing duties on 22 categories of Chinese products and accuses the US of inconsistent application of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

May 30, 2012: US Commerce Department hands down a preliminary decision requiring Chinese manufacturers of towers for wind turbines to pay duties of 13.7 to 26 percent.

May 30, 2012: US International Trade Commission rules that the US may levy antidumping and countervailing duties against imports of high-pressure steel cylinders from China.

June 1, 2012: US House of Representatives Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade holds a hearing titled “Increasing Market Access for U.S. Financial Firms in China: Update on Progress of the Strategic & Economic Dialogue.”

June 3, 2012: On the eve of the 23^rd anniversary of the crackdown on the Tiananmen Square demonstrations, the State Department spokesman recalls the “tragic loss of innocent lives” and encourages the Chinese government to release all those still serving sentences, and to “protect the universal human rights of all its citizens.”

June 4, 2012: Following US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman says that deploying more military forces and strengthening military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region is “inappropriate.”

June 8, 2012: China wins a WTO ruling against US antidumping duties on shipments of diamond saw blades and frozen warm-water shrimp from China.

June 11, 2012: The Obama administration announces that it will exempt seven major importers of Iranian oil from US sanctions, but China is not on the list.

June 11, 2012: China’s Ministry of Public Security announces that US and Chinese police jointly cracked a major transnational arms trafficking case that included 105 guns and over 50,000 bullets.

June 12-14, 2012: Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meeting is held in Hawaii.

June 13, 2012: Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon discuss China-US relations via phone.

June 13, 2012: Officials and representatives of enterprises from China and the US gather in Beijing for a forum on energy efficiency co-hosted by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the US Department of Energy.

June 18, 2012: US House of Representatives passes Resolution 683, which expresses regret for the passage of discriminatory laws against Chinese immigrants to the US, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

June 19, 2012: President Obama and President Hu Jintao meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico.

June 20, 2012: US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement holds a hearing titled “The Chinese Media Reciprocity Act of 2011.”

June 25, 2012: The 5^th US-China Security Dialogue is held in Washington, with discussions on arms control, nonproliferation, disarmament, and other international security issues.

June 27, 2012: One day before the largest-ever Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercises begin in Hawaii, Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and Deputy Chief of the General Staff Ma Xiaotian meet US Pacific Command Commander Adm. Samuel Locklear in Beijing.

June 28, 2012: Obama administration exempts China from economic sanctions because it has significantly reduced imports of Iranian oil.

July 5, 2012: US files a complaint with the WTO against China over antidumping and countervailing duties on US-made cars.

July 9, 2012: US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights holds a hearing titled “Continued Human Rights Attacks on Families in China.”

July 10-14, 2012: USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group makes a Hong Kong port visit.

July 11-12, 2012: Reports that the US Olympic team uniforms for the open ceremony in London are made in China prompt criticism from some members of the US House of Representatives.

July 12, 2012: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings in Phnom Penh.

July 16, 2012: US wins a WTO ruling regarding restrictions on foreign companies processing credit card payments and other electronic transactions in China.

July 18, 2012: Vice Premier Li Keqiang meets a delegation from the US business community which includes Thomas Donohue, chairman of the US Chamber of Commerce, former Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, and former US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.

July 19, 2012: Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives holds a hearing on “Unfair Trading Practices against the US: Intellectual Property Rights Infringement, Property Expropriation, and other Barriers.”

July 19, 2012: China (along with Russia) vetoes a US-backed United Nations Security Council resolution that threatened the Syrian government with sanctions.

July 20, 2012: China announces it will appeal part of a preliminary WTO ruling that favored the US regarding Chinese antidumping duties on US electrical steel products.

July 20, 2012: Article co-authored by Vice Minister Cui Tiankai titled, “China-US Relations in China’s Overall Diplomacy in the New Era,” is posted on Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

July 23-25, 2012: US National Security Adviser Donilon visits China and meets President Hu Jintao and other leaders.

July 23-24, 2012: US-China Human Rights Dialogue is held in Washington.

July 25, 2012: Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives holds a hearing on “Investigating the Chinese Threat, Part Two: Human Rights Abuses, Torture and Disappearances.”

July 27, 2012: US Department of Commerce finds in a preliminary hearing that Chinese manufacturers have been illegally selling steel towers, components for wind turbines, below the cost of production and issues duties of 20.85 to 72.69 percent.

July 27, 2012: China’s Ministry of Commerce opens an antidumping investigation into imports of polysilicon from the US, which is a key material used in the production of solar panels.

July 30, 2012: In its annual report on religious freedom, the US Department of State names China as one of eight “countries of particular concern.”

July 31, 2012: US imposes sanctions on China’s Bank of Kunlun for providing financial resources to Iranian banks.

Aug. 1, 2012: Chen Guangcheng visits Capitol Hill and meets House majority leader John Boehner and minority leader Nancy Pelosi.

Aug. 2, 2012: US Senate unanimously passes Senate Resolution 524 declaring that China’s recent actions in the South China Sea “are contrary to agreed upon principles with regard to resolving disputes and impede a peaceful resolution.”

Aug. 3, 2012: US Department of State releases a statement on the South China Sea that singles out China for criticism.

Aug. 3, 2012: In the UN General Assembly, China votes against a resolution condemning the Syrian government. Resolution passes with 133 votes in favor, 12 opposed, and 31 abstentions.

Aug. 14, 2012: Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun hold the inaugural round of US-China Middle East Dialogue in Beijing.

Aug. 22-28, 2012: PLA delegation led by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Cai Yingting makes an official visit to the US.

Aug. 28, 2012: US Department of State announces that Secretary Clinton will visit Beijing on September 4-5 as one of the stops on a trip that includes the Cook Islands, Indonesia, China, Timor-Leste, Brunei, and Russia.

Aug. 30, 2012: Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng announces that US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will visit China in mid-September.

Sept. 3-15, 2012: US Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs Reta Jo Lewis travels to Beijing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou.

Sept. 4-5, 2012: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visits Beijing and meets Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and President Hu Jintao. Noticeably, Clinton does not meet with Hu Jintao’s presumed successor, Vice President Xi Jinping.

Sept. 5, 2012: Secretary of State Clinton expresses “disappointment” with China and Russia for blocking UN Security Council calls for stronger intervention in Syria.

Sept. 5, 2012: Huawei Technologies announces it is negotiating conditions under which it will testify before the US Congress regarding alleged security threats it poses.

Sept. 6, 2012: Secretary of State Clinton states that the US will not back away from differences with China over Syria and the South China Sea.

Sept. 7, 2012: A Chinese Maritime Safety Administration ship visits Honolulu to conduct a joint search and rescue exercise with the US Coast Guard.

Sept. 10, 2012: During her visit to China, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Jane Holl Lute and Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu agree to launch an annual dialogue mechanism between the two ministries.

Sept. 11, 2012: Director of the US Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske and Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security pledge to enhance US-China cooperation in drug control.

Sept. 12, 2012: China’s Foreign Ministry condemns the attacks on the US Consulate in Libya.

Sept. 12, 2012: In the US House of Representatives, the Committee on Foreign Affairs holds an oversight hearing titled, “Beijing as an Emerging Power in the South China Sea.”

Sept. 17, 2012: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta arrives in Beijing on his first visit to China as Pentagon chief.

Sept. 17, 2012: China files a trade complaint with the WTO to challenge a new US law allowing the Commerce Department to levy countervailing duties on imports from non-market economies which it believes are subsidized.

Sept. 17, 2012: A US guided-missile destroyer and other US Navy assets join with the Chinese frigate Yi Yang to conduct the joint anti-piracy drill in the Gulf of Aden.

Sept. 18, 2012: Secretary of Defense Panetta and Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie announce China’s participation in the US-hosted 2014 Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the world’s largest international maritime exercise.

Sept. 20, 2012: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs regarding “Maritime Territorial Disputes and Sovereignty Issues in Asia.”

Sept. 26-27, 2012: Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs Lael Brainard visits China to discuss US and global economic developments and China’s efforts to strengthen domestic demand-led economic growth.

Sept. 27, 2012: Secretary of State Clinton meets Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of the 67^th session of the UN General Assembly where they discuss disputes in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

Sept. 27-28, 2012: US and Chinese militaries hold an annual meeting under the Sino-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement in the northern port city of Qingdao.

Sept. 29, 2012: President Barack Obama issues an executive order revoking a Chinese firm’s purchase of four wind farms in Oregon citing national security concerns.

Oct. 8, 2012: US Congressional House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issues a report recommending the federal government to block mergers of US firms with Chinese telecoms, Huawei and ZTE.

Oct. 9, 2012: Shen Danyang, spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce, states that China “strongly opposes” the US report regarding Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE.

Oct. 10, 2012: US-China Defense Policy Consultative Talks take place at the Pentagon.

Oct. 10, 2012: As part of a long-standing trade dispute with Beijing, US Commerce Department imposes tariffs on most solar panels imported from China.

Oct. 11, 2012: China’s Ministry of Commerce voices strong dissatisfaction with the US Commerce Department’s decision to impose tariffs on Chinese solar panels.

Oct. 11, 2012: China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman criticizes the annual report issued by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China regarding the human rights situation in China.

Oct. 15, 2012: Shanghai New York University, the first institution of higher education jointly established by China and the United States, is officially founded.

Oct. 16-17, 2012: Deputy Secretary of State William Burns visits China, the fourth senior US official to visit China this year.

Oct. 20, 2012: Delegation of former security officials, led by former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley arrives in China on a semi-official visit after stopping in Tokyo and Seoul.

Oct. 23, 2012: Fourth round of US-China Asia-Pacific Consultations is held in San Francisco, co-chaired by Assistant Secretary Campbell and Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai.

Oct. 25, 2012: Ambassador Terry Kramer, head of the US delegation for the World Conference on Information Telecommunications (WCIT), states at a news conference in Beijing that the report released by the House Intelligence Committee regarding Huawei and ZTE does not represent a “final conclusion” and is not the position of the administrative branch.

Oct. 25, 2012: Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun condemns the joint US-Japanese military exercises in Okinawa. Yang also announces the US and China will hold joint drills on humanitarian rescue operations and disaster relief in Chengdu in November.

Oct. 27-Nov. 5, 2012: A delegation of the US Army military band visits China; they stage joint performances with the PLA military band in Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai.

Nov. 1, 2012: Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei refutes US intelligence agency accusations that Chinese firms hacked into US companies’ computer systems and stole commercial secrets.

Nov. 6, 2012: Barack Obama is re-elected president of the United States.

Nov. 7, 2012: President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao congratulate President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on their re-election, noting the “positive” achievements in relations during the past four years.

Nov. 8, 2012: Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opens the 18^th Party Congress.

Nov. 9, 2012: US International Trade Commission votes in favor of the US Commerce Department’s tariffs and countervailing duties against Chinese solar panel imports.

Nov. 14, 2012: 18^th Party Congress elects the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee.

Nov. 14, 2012: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases its 2012 report.

Nov. 15, 2012: CCP announces the new seven-member Politburo Standing Committee.

Nov. 15, 2012: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman condemns the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s recommendation for an in-depth assessment of Chinese cyber-attacks against the US and characterizes it as “indulging in a Cold War mentality.”

Nov. 15, 2012: President Obama sends a message to President Hu Jintao acknowledging Hu’s contributions to improving US-China relations and stating his continued support for building a cooperative relationship between the US and China.

Nov. 16, 2012: China’s Ministry of Commerce extends an anti-dumping probe on coated white cardboard imported from the US for another six months to May 18, 2013.

Nov. 16, 2012: US International Trade Commission (USITC) votes to continue the Commerce Department’s investigations against imports of hardwood and decorative plywood from China.

Nov. 19, 2012: USITC votes to keep in place anti-dumping duties on Chinese honey despite calls by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to lift them.

Nov. 20, 2012: President Obama meets Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit to discuss regional security, economic, and trade issues.

Nov. 25, 2012: Chinese state media reports that the Chinese Navy successfully landed fighter jets on the Liaoning aircraft carrier.

Nov. 26, 2012: Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei announces that China will make a partial submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on China’s claims to a continental shelf that extends beyond 200 nm in the East China Sea.

Nov. 26, 2012: Chinese Ministry of Commerce announces it is beginning anti-dumping and countervailing investigations into imports of solar grade polysilicon from the US, European Union, and South Korea.

Nov. 27, 2012: US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus meets Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in Beijing to discuss security at sea and Washington’s moves to bolster its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Nov. 28, 2012: US Department of the Treasury releases its Semi-Annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies which does not label China a currency manipulator but instead emphasizes China’s actions to appreciate its currency and move to a more market determined exchange rate.

Nov. 29, 2012: US Senate approves the Webb Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal 2013, which stipulates that Japan has administrative control over the Senkaku Islands and that US obligations under article Five of the US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security apply to the islands.

Nov. 29-30, 2012: A joint China-US humanitarian assistance and disaster relief military exercise is held in Sichuan Province’s capital city, Chengdu.

Dec. 3, 2012: US Securities and Exchange Commission begins administrative proceedings against Chinese affiliates of Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, BDO and KPMG for refusing to release audit work papers.

Dec. 5-12, 2012: Wang Jiarui, minister of the CCP Central Committee’s International Department, visits the US as part of the East-West Institute’s fifth US-China High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue.

Dec. 6, 2012: Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mark Ferguson meets Vice Commander-in Chief of the PLA Navy Vice Adm. Zhang Yongyi at the Pentagon to discuss US-China military-to-military relations.

Dec. 7, 2012: Secretary of State Clinton has a phone conversation with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi about North Korea’s declared intention to launch a satellite.

Dec. 11, 2012: Vice Premier Wang Qishan meets Under Secretary of International Affairs for the US Treasury Lael Brainard and exchanges views on China-US economic relations and the world economic situation.

Dec. 12, 2012: Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff Headquarters Qi Jianguo and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller co-chair the 13^th annual Defense Consultative Talks at the Pentagon.

Dec. 18, 2012: US Commerce Department sets anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese wind turbine towers. China’s Ambassador to the WTO Yi Xiaozhun issues a protest.

Dec. 18-19, 2012: The 23^rd US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade is held in Washington.

Dec. 28, 2012: USITC votes in favor of continuing the US Department of Commerce’s anti-dumping probes on imports of silica bricks and shapes from China.

Jan. 18, 2013: US Department of Commerce announces it is launching a countervailing duties investigation on frozen warm water shrimp from China and six other countries.

Jan. 24, 2013: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announces the creation of the 100,000 Strong Foundation to expand opportunities for US students to learn Chinese and study in China.

Jan. 25, 2013: China imposes 5-year anti-dumping duties on US and EU companies exporting glycol and diethylene glycol to China, arguing the products are harming the Chinese economy.

Jan. 25, 2013: Bipartisan legislation in US Congress introduces the Taiwan Policy Act 2013, which calls for deeper diplomatic relations with Taiwan and allowing Taiwanese leaders to meet US officials from all executive government branches.

Jan. 25, 2013: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies visits Beijing to discuss North Korea on a trip that includes Japan and the Republic of Korea

Jan. 26, 2013: State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Secretary of State Clinton talk on the phone to discuss how the US and China should work to further fulfill their leaders’ consensus and steer bilateral relations back to a more cooperative direction.

Jan. 31, 2013: Vice Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council meets a delegation led by Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Feb. 3-6, 2013: Thomas Countryman, assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation, meets senior Chinese officials in Beijing to discuss bilateral cooperation on nonproliferation issues.

Feb. 5, 2013: Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi talks by phone with newly confirmed Secretary of State John Kerry.

Feb. 8, 2013: US International Trade Commission announces the antidumping order on imports of steam-activated carbon imported from China will remain in effect for at least five years.

Feb. 12, 2013: Foreign Minister Yang and Secretary of State Kerry hold a phone discussion regarding North Korea’s nuclear test.

Feb. 19, 2013: US computer security firm Mandiant releases a report stating Chinese state-sponsored hackers associated with PLA Unit 61398 have accessed information from numerous US government agencies and businesses.

Feb. 20, 2013: Obama administration releases its “Administration Strategy on Mitigating the Theft of US Trade Secrets” in response to economic and cyber espionage attempts against the US from China and other countries.

Feb. 25, 2013: National Security Advisor Tom Donilon meets State Councilor Liu Yandong on the margins of the inauguration ceremonies for President Park in Seoul.

Feb. 27, 2013: Foreign Minister Yang and Secretary of State Kerry talk by phone to exchange views on US-China relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

March 4, 2013: National People’s Congress (NPC) opens and China’s Ministry of Finance announces that the country will boost defense spending 10.7 percent to $119 billion.

March 7, 2013: United Nations Security Council passes Resolution 2094, which includes a new round of sanctions against North Korea to impede development of nuclear and missile programs.

March 11, 2013: National Security Advisor Donilon calls on China to recognize the seriousness of cyber-espionage in a speech at the Asia Society in New York.

March 12, 2013: Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of the General Staff, talks with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey to discuss strengthening military communications, enhancing mutual trust, handling differences properly, and deepening cooperation.

March 14, 2013: President Obama calls President Xi Jinping to congratulate him on his new position and discuss the US-China relationship.

March 18, 2013: State Councilor Yang Jiechi talks by phone with Secretary of State Kerry.

March 18-22, 2013: Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen visits China to discuss implementation of economic sanctions against North Korea.

March 19-20, 2013: Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew visits China and meets President Xi, Premier Li Keqiang, Finance Minister Lou Jiwei, and People’s Bank of China Gov. Zhou Xiaochuan.

March 20, 2013: Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Kerry talks by phone to discuss bilateral ties as well as Korea, climate change, and cybersecurity.

March 24, 2013: Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Joseph Yun meets senior government officials in Beijing.

March 27, 2013: Delegation from the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, headed by Sen. Bob Corker visits China and meets Wang Chen, vice chairman and secretary general of the Standing Committee of the NPC and Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of the PLA.

March 27, 2013: US House of Representatives passes a spending bill that bars US government purchases of information technology systems that are “produced, manufactured, or assembled by one or more entities that are owned, directed, or subsidized by the People’s Republic of China.”

April 1, 2013: US Trade Representative releases its “National Trade Estimate” Report, stating that China impedes imports from US producers of steel, autos, beef, and copyrighted products.

April 3, 2013: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Minister of National Defense Gen. Chang Wanquan talk by telephone.

April 4, 2013: State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Secretary of State Kerry talk by phone on strengthening and enhancing bilateral relations.

April 8-9, 2013: US Department of State and Chinese Ministry of Foreign affairs co-lead the fourth US-China Dialogue on the Law of the Sea and Polar Issues in Alameda, California, hosted by the US Coast Guard.

April 9, 2013: Robert Hormats, undersecretary for economic growth, energy, and the environment, delivers the keynote address at the US-China Internet Industry Forum in Beijing.

April 13-14, 2013: John Kerry makes his first visit to Beijing as secretary of state.

April 15, 2013: President Xi Jinping meets the second US-China Governors’ forum attendees and calls on governors of both countries to promote bilateral relations.

April 15, 2013: Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai presents his credentials to President Obama at the White House.

April 19, 2013: US releases its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 in which it denounces China’s human rights abuses.

April 21, 2013: China releases its report The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2012, criticizing US abuses of human rights around the world.

April 21-25, 2013: Wu Dawei, China’s special representative for Korean Peninsula affairs, visits the US to exchange views on the current situation in Korea.

April 21-25, 2013: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, travels to Beijing to discuss bilateral military relations with Chinese officials.

April 22-25, 2013: Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Suzan Johnson Cook and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Daniel Baer travel to China to promote human rights and religious freedom.

April 24-25, 2013: Deputy Secretary of State William Burns visits Beijing and meets Vice President Li Yuanchao and other senior Chinese officials.

April 25, 2013: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on “China’s Agricultural Policy and US Access to China’s Market.”

April 25, 2013: Acting Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Joseph Yun testifies to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on “Security and Defense: Cooperation and Challenges.”

May 1, 2013: US Trade Representative’s office places China, along with Ukraine, Venezuela, and seven other countries on its Priority Foreign Country list in its 2013 Special 301 Report due to deteriorating intellectual property rights protection and market access.

May 1, 2013: US Department of Commerce issues a preliminary determination on antidumping duties against hardwood plywood manufactured in China and imported to the US, leading to a combined CVD/AD rate of 44.77 percent against Chinese manufacturers.

May 1, 2013: US Commission on International Religious Freedom releases its annual report on religious freedom in China.

May 6, 2013: US Department of Defense releases its 2013 Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China, analyzing the progress, expansion, and modernization of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

May 7, 2013: Houston hosts the third US-China Petroleum Forum and the 2013 China-US Shale Gas Technology Forum on the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference.

May 9, 2013: US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang hold talks by phone to discuss bilateral relations.

May 15, 2013: US Special Representative on North Korea Policy Glyn Davies visits Beijing on a trip that includes Seoul and Tokyo.

May 23, 2013: Fang Fenghui, chief of the PLA General Staff, and Martin Dempsey, US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, hold talks by phone to discuss strengthening coordination and communication between US and Chinese militaries.

May 26-28, 2013: National Security Advisor Tom Donilon visits Beijing to prepare for the upcoming summit between Presidents Obama and Xi Jinping.

May 28, 2013: Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of the General Staff of the PLA, meets Cecil Haney, commander of the US Pacific Fleet in Beijing.

May 28, 2013: Xi Jinping meets Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in Beijing to discuss tourism and trade relations between China and California.

May 30, 2013: USS Shiloh visits the PLA Navy South Sea Fleet base as part of a larger military-to-military exchange between the US and China.

May 31, 2013: State Department releases its annual statement calling for China to fully account for the June 1989 Tiananmen Square Incident and to adhere to universal human rights standards.

June 1, 2013: USPACOM Commander Adm. Samuel Locklear meets PLA Deputy Chief of the General Staff Qi Jianguo in Singapore on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue.

June 5, 2013: The Obama administration announces six-month sanctions waivers to China and eight other countries for reducing their imports of Iranian oil.

June 5, 2013: Secretary of Treasury Lew holds a phone conversation with Vice Premier Wang Yang on US-China economic relations and the upcoming US-China Strategic Dialogue.

June 5-7, 2013: Acting Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller visits Beijing to co-chair the sixth consultation on strategic security and multilateral arms control with Assistant Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu.

June 7-8, 2013: President Xi meets President Obama at the Sunnylands estate in California.

June 8, 2013: State Councilor Yang Jiechi announces that China has accepted an invitation from the US to take part in the 2014 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises.

June 17, 2013: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman calls for the US to explain its NSA surveillance programs after they were revealed by Edward Snowden.

June 18, 2013: US Navy medical team gives a presentation aboard the Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark during the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Relief and Military Medicine Exercise in Brunei.

June 19, 2013: US State Department releases its annual Trafficking in Persons Report, relegating China, along with Russia and Uzbekistan, to the lowest tier, indicating that the US could apply non-trade related sanctions.

June 20, 2013: Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman and Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun hold the second round of US-China Middle East Dialogue in Washington.

June 23, 2013: Former NSA contract worker Edward Snowden leaves Hong Kong for Moscow. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney says the decision by the Hong Kong government “unquestionably has a negative impact on the US-China relationship.”

June26-27, 2013: Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs Lael Brainard visits Beijing for talks and to prepare for the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

June 26-28, 2013: US Ambassador to China Gary Locke makes a three-day visit to Tibet to talk with local officials, marking the first time since September 2010 that China has approved a US Embassy request to visit the region.

June 27, 2013: Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, rejects comparisons between cyber hacking by the US and China, saying that China’s program is aimed at stealing intellectual property.

June 28, 2013: US Department of Justice indicts Sinovel, a Chinese wind turbine company, for stealing trade secrets from a supplier, American Superconductor Corp.

July 1, 2013: Secretary of State Kerry meets Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Brunei.

July 8, 2013: Inaugural US-China cyber security working group is held in Washington in advance of the S&ED. The working group is led by Christopher Painter, State Department coordinator for cyber issues, and Dai Bing, a senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official.

July 9, 2013: Third US-China Strategic Security Dialogue is held in Washington.

July 9, 2013: China Securities Regulatory Commission agrees to share Chinese audit papers with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

July 10-11, 2013: Fifth meeting of the US-China S&ED is held in Washington DC. Secretary of State Kerry and Secretary of the Treasury Lew chair the meeting with counterparts, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice Premier Wang Yang.

July 10, 2013: Under Secretary of State for Economic and Growth, Energy, and the Environment Robert Hormats and Administrator of the Chinese State Forestry Administration Zhao Shucong hold a breakout section on wildlife trafficking and agree on cooperation on combatting the trade during the S&ED.

July 10, 2013: US Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center releases an update to its 2009 Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat Report, indicating that the PLA has the world’s “most active and diverse ballistic missile program.”

July 12, 2013: Daniel Russel begins serving as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. Evan Medeiros is promoted to senior director for East Asia on the National Security Council.

July 12, 2013: State Councilor Yang Jiechi visits Washington and meets Secretary of Defense Hagel and National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

July 17, 2013: US Trade Representative Michael Froman holds China responsible for the breakdown of negotiations on the Information Technology Agreement, which would have amended the 1996 agreement to eliminate tariffs from new millennium technologies.

July 18, 2013: China’s Ministry of Commerce imposes preliminary anti-dumping duties on solar-grade polysilicon from the United States and South Korea.

July 27, 2013: Vice President Biden calls for China to agree to a code of conduct in the South China Sea while visiting Singapore.

July 30-31, 2013: US-China Human Rights Dialogue is held in Kunming, China.

July 30, 2013: US Senate passes a resolution condemning the use of force in territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas in response to rising Chinese aggression.

Aug. 1, 2013: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says that China “strongly” opposes the US Senate resolution on the East and South China Seas, arguing that it blames China and is “sending the wrong message.”

Aug. 1, 2013: Congressman and co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commissions Frank Wolf says in a press release that the annual human rights dialogue between the US and China has “failed to produce meaningful results.”

Aug. 1, 2013: US and Chinese Customs conclude a bilateral, month-long operation against counterfeit electronics in the largest collaboration between the two agencies to date.

Aug. 2, 2013: China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs repeats its opposition to US sanctions on Iran, saying that it “opposes sanctions that will hurt the interests of a third party.” The statement came after the House of Representatives passed the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act.

Aug. 2, 2013: World Trade Organization determines that Chinese tariffs on chicken boiler imports from the US violated its rules.
Aug. 5, 2013: Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong meets a visiting delegation of representatives from the US Congressional Black Caucus to discuss people-to-people relations.

Aug. 12-17, 2013: United States joins China, New Zealand, and Australia in the Phoenix Spirit military disaster relief exercise hosted in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Aug. 15, 2013: US National Nuclear Security Administration announces a cooperative agreement with the General Administration of China Customs to counter the smuggling of nuclear materials by installing radiation scanners at airports, ports, and border checkpoints.

Aug. 16-19, 2013: Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan visits several military installations in the US, ending the visit in Washington where he meets Secretary of Defense Hagel and National Security Advisor Rice.

Aug. 19-21, 2013: Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Sen. Robert Menendez visits China. He also makes stops in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.
Aug. 19, 2013: US and Chinese forces discuss disaster relief and humanitarian aid at the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement Working Group meeting in Hawaii.

Aug. 19-21, 2013: US Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Robert King visits China on a trip that also includes South Korea, and Japan to discuss human rights and humanitarian issues in North Korea with senior officials and civil society groups.

Aug. 23, 2013: State Councilor Yang Jiechi meets visiting US Senators John McCain and Sheldon Whitehouse.

Aug. 24-25, 2013: US and Chinese navies conduct second annual counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden.

Aug. 28, 2013: Secretary of Defense Hagel and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Aug. 30, 2013: Vice Premier Wang Yang holds talks by phone with Treasury Secretary Lew to discuss the global economic and financial situation, the upcoming G20 Summit in St. Petersburg and bilateral trade and economic relations.

Sept. 6, 2013: President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping meet on the margins of the G20 conference in St. Petersburg to discuss cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sept. 6, 2013: Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States approves the $7.1 billion takeover of US pork giant Smithfield Foods by China’s Shuanghui International Holdings.

Sept. 6, 2013: Vice President Li Yuanchao meets a US congressional delegation led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in Beijing.

Sept. 6-9, 2013: Three Chinese ships visit Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for a routine port visit, the first in seven years.

Sept. 6-10, 2013: Adm. Wu Shengli visits the US and meets US Navy Chief of Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert and tours Third Fleet headquarters in San Diego before going to Washington.

Sept. 9, 2013: Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Lt. Gen. Wang Guanzhong and US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Miller co-chair the Defense Consultative Talks in Beijing.

Sept. 9, 2013: US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins and Minister of the Chinese Embassy in Washington Lu Kang hold a ceremony to launch the US leg of the US-China joint training program for 12 young Afghan diplomats.

Sept. 11, 2013: Acting Deputy US Trade Representative Wendy Cutler and Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sanchez co-chair the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trace (JCCT) Mid-Year Review in Beijing.

Sept. 12, 2013: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies meets China’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei in Beijing to discuss North Korea.

Sept. 13-14, 2013: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel visits Beijing and meets Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials.

Sept. 16, 2013: China’s Commerce Ministry announces duties of up to 6.5 percent on the import of US materials used to make solar panels.

Sept. 19-21, 2013: Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Washington and meets Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and Congressional leaders.

Sept. 24-Oct. 1, 2013: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, Gen. Herbert Carlisle, the Pacific Air Forces commander, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody visit Beijing.

Sept. 26, 2013: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei lodges solemn representations to the US in response to the delivery of P-3 anti-submarine aircrafts to Taiwan.

Sept. 26, 2013: Secretary of State Kerry and Foreign Minister Wang meet on the sidelines of the 68^th UN General Assembly in New York.

Sept. 27, 2013: US International Trade Commission lifts punitive duties on shrimp from China.

Oct. 4, 2013: Due to the US government shutdown, President Barack Obama cancels his trip to Asia to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting in Bali, and the East Asian Summit in Brunei, and visit the Philippines and Malaysia.

Oct. 8, 2013: Secretary Kerry meets President Xi on the sidelines of APEC.

Oct. 9, 2013: Secretary Kerry and Premier Li Keqiang meet on margins of East Asia Summit.

Oct. 9-10, 2013: Shao Qiwei, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, leads a delegation of 50 to attend the China-US Tourism Leadership Summit in Chicago.

Oct. 10, 2013: Bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China releases its 2013 Annual Report on human rights and rule of law developments in China. It maintains that China has not made significant progress in expanding civil liberties or restraining the CCP’s power.

Oct. 21, 2013: NASA lifts a ban barring Chinese scientists from attending the Kepler Science Conference at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California.

Oct. 21-22, 2013: US Chamber of Commerce and the China Center for International Economic Exchanges co-host the 5^th US-China CEO and Former Senior Officials Dialogue in Washington.

Oct. 22-25, 2013: Tenth round of Bilateral Investment Treaty talks are held in Washington.

Oct. 25, 2013: World Trade Organization (WTO) upholds a joint claim by the US, Japan, and EU that China’s export duties on rare earth metals violate WTO rules.

Oct. 28-29, 2013: China’s Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei vists Washington and meets US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies and other officials to discuss how to achieve the shared goal of denuclearizing North Korea.

Oct. 28-30, 2013: US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz visits Beijing for the US-China energy policy dialogue.

Oct. 29, 2013: Construction begins on a nuclear security center in Beijing jointly financed by the US and China.

Oct. 29, 2013: US International Trade Commission approves countervailing duties and anti-dumping probes on imports from China and Japan of a chemical used to sanitize water.

Oct. 30, 2013: In its Semi-Annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, the US Treasury Department states that China’s yuan is still “significantly undervalued” and has not strengthened as quickly as necessary.

Nov. 6, 2013: US-China Economic and Security Commission releases a draft report that states that cyber intrusions by China’s PLA Unit 61398 continue apace.

Nov. 7, 2013: Senior PLA officers from the Hong Kong garrison tour the aircraft carrier USS George Washington in the South China Sea.

Nov. 7-8, 2013: Officials gather in Charlottesville, Virginia for the sixth U.S.-China Legal Experts Dialogue. Acting Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Uzra Zeya and Acting Legal Adviser Mary McLeod lead the US delegation; Supreme People’s Court Senior Judge Hu Yunteng leads the Chinese delegation.

Nov. 8-12, 2013: USS George Washington and four escort ships make a port visit in Hong Kong.

Nov. 9-12, 2013: Third Plenary Session of the 18^th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee is held.

Nov. 12-14, 2013: US Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army hold a joint disaster relief exercise in Hawaii.

Nov. 13, 2013: Roberta Jacobson, US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs, leads the US delegation at sixth China-US Sub-Dialogue on Latin America in Beijing.

Nov. 15, 2013: US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew visits Beijing and meets President Xi and Vice Premier Wang Yang to discuss China’s new economic agenda following the Third Plenum.

Nov. 18-22, 2013: Vice Premier Liu Yandong co-chairs the fourth China-US High-level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange with Secretary of State Kerry in Washington.

Nov. 20, 2013: US Ambassador to China Gary Locke announces that he will leave his position early next year to rejoin his family in Seattle.

Nov. 20, 2013: National Security Adviser Susan Rice delivers a speech at Georgetown University.

Nov. 20-22, 2013: US envoy for the Six Party Talks Glyn Davies visits Beijing and meets counterpart Wu Dawei.

Nov. 21, 2013: US Trade Representative Michael Froman suspends Information Technology Agreement negotiations after accusing China of jeopardizing talks on expanding a WTO agreement to eliminate trade tariffs on technology products.

Nov. 23, 2013: China announces the establishment of its East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Nov. 25, 2013: Twelve US Senators urge the US Commerce Department to uphold anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders against Chinese steel to protect US steelmakers.

Nov. 26, 2013: Two unarmed B-52 bombers conduct a routine training mission through China’s announced ADIZ.

Nov. 26, 2013: Vice Premier Wang Yang discusses trade issues by phone with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and US Trade Representative Michael Froman in preparation for the 24^th Session of the China-US JCCT.

Nov. 29, 2013: State Department extends six-month Iran sanctions waivers to China, India, and South Korea after all three countries reduce purchases of Iranian crude oil.

Dec. 3, 2013: China files a complaint under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism over US anti-dumping measures against 13 types of Chinese products.

Dec. 4-5, 2013: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visits Beijing on a tour of Northeast Asia and meets President Xi Jinping and Vice President Li Yuanchao.

Dec. 4-9, 2013: US Department of Commerce hosts the US-China Legal Exchange.

Dec. 5, 2013: Bipartisan group of US senators including Robert Menendez, Marco Rubio, and Bob Corker write a letter to the Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai criticizing the establishment of the East China Sea ADIZ, asking that China not implement it.

Dec. 5, 2013: USS Cowpens, a US guided missile cruiser, narrowly avoids a collision with a Chinese Navy ship maneuvering nearby in the South China Sea.

Dec. 10, 2013: China blocks the entry of 59,100 tons of US corn after it is found to have a strain of genetically modified corn not yet approved by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Dec. 13, 2013: China announces it will stop levying anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on certain types of cars imported from the US when the measures expire on Dec. 15.

Dec. 13, 2013: China suspends imports on shellfish from the West Coast of the US after detecting high levels of arsenic and a toxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.

Dec. 15, 2013: Foreign Minister Wang and Secretary of State Kerry discuss bilateral ties and exchange views on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and the Syria issue over the phone.

Dec. 19-20, 2013: Vice Premier Wang Yang hosts Secretary of Commerce Pritzker, US Trade Representative Froman and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for the JCCT in Beijing.

Dec. 20, 2013: President Obama nominates Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) to be the next ambassador to China.

Dec. 23, 2013: China rejects two batches of US corn byproducts totaling 2,000 tons shipped to Shanghai after they were found to be tainted with a genetically modified strain not approved by China’s Ministry of Agriculture.

Dec. 24, 2013: Office of the US Trade Representative presents its 2013 annual report to Congress on China’s compliance with its WTO obligations. The report says the US has “many concerns” over China’s business practices, despite significant progress.

Dec. 31, 2013: Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers an address “In Commemoration of the 35th Anniversary of the Establishment of China-US Diplomatic Relations.”

Jan. 9, 2014: US Department of State spokesperson says the passing of restrictions by China’s Hainan province on other countries’ fishing activities in disputed portions of the East Sea is a “provocative and potentially dangerous act.”

Jan. 10, 2014: China’s annual trade in goods tops $4 trillion, surpassing the US as the world’s top trader.

Jan. 15, 2014: China’s Ministry of National Defense confirms a report on Jan. 9 about China’s flight-testing a hypersonic missile vehicle capable of traveling up to Mach 10 and says that the test is scientific in nature and not targeted at any country.

Jan. 21-23, 2014: Deputy Secretary of State Williams Burns visits China to participate in an interim round of the US-China Strategic Security Dialogue.

Jan. 22, 2014: Daniel Russel, US assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, accompanies Deputy Secretary Burns to China and co-chairs the fifth US-China Consultations on Asia Pacific with China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang.

Jan. 22, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Secretary of State John Kerry in Montreux, Switzerland. They exchange views on US-China relations, the Iranian nuclear issue, and Syria.

Jan. 22, 2014: At the close of the fifth US-China Asia-Pacific Consultations in Beijing, the US and China release a fact sheet on ongoing and planned practical cooperation in disaster relief, Burma, Afghanistan, food security, health, preventive diplomacy and marine conservation.

Jan. 23, 2014: US Commerce Department opens an investigation into whether China and Taiwan are dumping a certain class of solar cells into the US market at below fair market value.

Jan. 25, 2014: Department of State releases statement expressing deep disappointment after a Chinese court convicts legal scholar and rights advocate Xu Zhiyong, sentencing him to four years in prison.

Jan. 27-28, 2014: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies visits China. He meets Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Korean Peninsular Affairs Wu Dawei.

Jan. 30, 2014: US-China Security and Economic Review Commission holds hearings on China’s military modernization and its implications for the United States.

Jan. 30, 2014: Evan Medeiros, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, gives an interview to Kyodo News and sets out a tougher US position against a potential Chinese ADIZ in the South China Sea.

Jan. 31, 2014: Department of State spokeswoman denounces any Chinese plan to announce an ADIZ in the South China Sea as “a provocative and unilateral act that would raise tensions.”

Feb. 4, 2014: US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves the nomination of Sen. Max Baucus to be the next ambassador to China.

Feb. 5, 2014: In his testimony before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee, Assistant Secretary Russel criticizes China.

Feb. 14, 2014: President Xi Jinping meets Secretary of State Kerry in Beijing. Kerry also meets Premier Li Keqiang, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Feb. 14, 2014: US International Trade Commission (ITC) approves anti-dumping and countervailing investigations on crystalline silicon photovoltaic products from China, paving the way for the Department of Commerce to set preliminary duties in the months ahead.

Feb. 15, 2014: US and Chinese governments issue a joint statement pledging to work together to attenuate the effects of global climate change.

Feb. 21, 2014: President Barack Obama meets with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at the White House, ignoring Chinese urgings to cancel the meeting.

Feb. 21, 2014: Secretary of State Kerry designates Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Sarah Sewall as Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.

Feb. 21, 2014: US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno meets top Chinese generals in Beijing as part of efforts to build trust between the two nations’ militaries.

Feb. 21, 2014: US Department of Commerce announces that it has approved anti-dumping duty and countervailing duty investigations against imports of carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod from China.

Feb. 24-28, 2014: The USS Blue Ridge, command ship of the Seventh Fleet, berths at Shanghai’s Huangpu River for the third time on a five-day visit to the municipality.

Feb. 24, 2014: China’s Foreign Ministry says China will never recognize the US appointment of a special coordinator for Tibetan issues and opposes foreign intervention in its internal affairs.

Feb. 26, 2014: Department of State spokeswoman expresses deep concern that Chinese authorities have decided to formally arrest economics professor Ilham Tohti and calls on China to release him.

Feb. 27, 2014: Department of State releases the 2013 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and highlights setbacks in human rights conditions in China.

Feb. 28, 2014: China’s State Council Information Office publishes its annual report on the United States’ human rights record.

March 4-8, 2014: Twelfth round of China-US Investment Treaty Negotiations is held in Washington.

March 5, 2014: China announces that its 2014 military budget will be raised by 12.2 percent to $132 billion. Department of State spokeswoman says that the US will continue to carefully monitor China’s military developments and encourage China to exhibit greater transparency with respect to its capabilities and intentions.

March 6, 2014: US National Security Adviser Susan Rice speaks by phone to Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi about the Ukraine situation, and the White House releases a statement that China agrees with the US that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine must be respected in its dispute with Russia.

March 9, 2014: President Obama speaks by phone to President Xi regarding the situation in Ukraine.

March 18, 2014: In his first press conference since arriving in Beijing, new US Ambassador to China Max Baucus vows to strengthen business and people-to-people ties as well as raise Chinese respect for human rights norms.

March 20-26, 2014: First Lady Michelle Obama visits China, accompanied by her daughters Malia and Sasha, and mother Marian Robinson, and makes stops in Beijing, Xi’an and Chengdu.

March 24, 2014: President Xi meets President Obama during the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Netherlands.

March 24, 2014: China’s Foreign Ministry demands a clear explanation from the United States over a report that the US National Security Agency infiltrated servers at Huawei’s headquarters.

March 26, 2014: World Trade Organization panel determines that China’s export restrictions on rare earth minerals violate WTO trade rules, ruling in favor of a case filed by Japan, the European Union, and the United States.

March 27-28, 2014: Fifth US-China Dialogue on the Law of the Sea and Polar Issues is held in Qingdao, China.

March 28, 2014: WTO releases a report that backs China’s challenge of countervailing and anti-dumping measures taken by the US against certain products from China. However, it does not support China’s claim that a US measure known as the GPX Act is inconsistent with WTO rules.

March 28, 2014: Senior Director for Asian Affairs of the National Security Council Evan Medeiros criticizes China for willfully mischaracterizing the US position on Taiwan and reaffirms that the US stance remains unchanged.

April 7, 2014: After meeting Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera in Tokyo, Defense Secretary Hagel calls on China to use its “great power” responsibly and respect its neighbors.

April 7, 2014: US House of Representatives passes House Resolution 3470, the Taiwan Relations Act Affirmation and Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014, authorizing the transfer by sale of four Perry-class frigates to Taiwan.

April 8-11, 2014: Defense Secretary Hagel visits China and meets President Xi, Defense Minister Chang Wanquan and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Fan Changlong.

April 14-15, 2014: Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller visits China and takes part in the fifth P5 nuclear non-proliferation conference in Beijing, hosted by the Chinese Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

April 14-17, 2014: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Glyn Davies hosts bilateral meetings with Chinese Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei in New York and Washington.

April 15, 2014: In its semi-annual report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, Department of the Treasury says “China’s currency (RMB) appreciated on a trade-weighted basis in 2013 but not as fast or by as much as is needed.” It does not label China a “currency manipulator.”

April 23, 2014: In response to President Obama’s statement in Tokyo that the US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security covers disputed islands in the East China Sea, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman expresses firm opposition and urges the US to take a responsible attitude and honor its commitment to remain neutral on territorial and sovereignty issues.

April 23-26, 2014: Delegation led by US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor visits China at the invitation of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee and meets Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

April 28, 2014: President Obama says in joint press conference with President Aquino of the Philippines that “our goal [of the defense agreement] is not to counter China; our goal is not to contain China.”

April 29, 2014: US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announces the addition of eight Chinese companies and one Chinese individual to its Entity List for their roles in supplying Iran’s ballistic missile program through the Chinese proliferator Li Fangwei (a.k.a. Karl Lee).

May 1, 2014: US State Department spokeswoman condemns “the horrific and despicable acts of violence against innocent civilians” at the train station in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, saying it appears to be “an act of terrorism.”

May 2, 2014: US Commission on International Religious Freedom releases its 2014 Annual Report, re-designating China as one of the “countries of particular concern.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson says that “reports released by this US Commission over recent years are full of misstatements about China.”

May 4-7, 2014: Wang Jiarui, director of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, visits the US. He holds extensive talks on North Korea with Secretary of State John Kerry on May 7.

May 7, 2014: Department of State expresses deep concerns over reports that human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang and other activists have been detained following their participation in a meeting to peacefully mark the June 4 anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident.

May 12, 2014: In a meeting with the visiting Singaporean foreign minister, Secretary Kerry says that the US is deeply concerned by China’s “aggressive act” of moving an oil rig into an area in the South China Sea also claimed by Vietnam.

May 13, 2014: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds a phone conversation with US Secretary Kerry. Kerry says China’s introduction of an oil rig and numerous government vessels in waters disputed with Vietnam is provocative.

May 13, 2014: US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew meets Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, pressing China to ease exchange rate controls and lower barriers to trade and investment.

May 13-15, 2014: Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, visits the US.

May 19, 2014: US Justice Department indicts five members of the PLA on charges of hacking into computers and stealing valuable trade secrets from American companies. In response, Beijing suspends the cyber working group with the US that was launched in June 2013.

May 22, 2014: White House issues a statement condemning the terrorist attack in Urumqi, calling it “a despicable and outrageous act of violence against innocent civilians.”

May 31, 2014: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel criticizes China’s recent moves in the South China Sea as “unilateral and destabilizing in his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

June 1, 2014: Deputy Chief of Staff of the PLA Gen. Wang Guanzhong delivers a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in which he criticizes Secretary Hagel for “groundless accusations.”

June 4, 2014: Chinese state media asks Beijing to severely punish US IT firms, including Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook, for cyber spying.

June 4, 2014: White House press secretary statement on the 25^th anniversary of the Tiananmen Incident expresses US support of the freedoms that the protestors sought and urges China to guarantee the universal rights.

June 5, 2014: China expresses its strong dissatisfaction with the White House statement marking the 25^thanniversary of the Tiananmen Incident.

June 6, 2014: Pentagon releases its annual report to Congress on developments in China’s military modernization and activities.

June 9, 2014: Thirteenth round of negotiations aimed at reaching a US-China bilateral investment treaty between China and the US begins in Beijing.

June 10, 2014: US cybersecurity company CrowdStrike reports that Shanghai-based unit 61486 of the People’s Liberation Army 12th bureau has been hacking the US space, aerospace, and communications sectors as well as networks of Western government agencies.

June 11, 2014: US and China sign a package of agreements on energy efficiency projects during the fifth US-China Efficiency Forum in Beijing, which opened on June 9, 2014.

June 16, 2014: Four PLA officers are welcomed for a VIP visit to the USS George Washington docked in Hong Kong.

June 23, 2014: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew discuss US-China economic ties by phone.

June 24, 2014: Four PLA ships arrive in Hawaii for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.

June 25, 2014: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel delivers testimony at Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on US-China relations.

July 2, 2014: In advance of the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) and the US-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange, Secretary Kerry and State Councilor Yang Jiechi talk by phone.

July 7, 2014: The World Trade Organization (WTO) rules in its Appellate Body Report that the US has acted inconsistently with WTO rules in regard to its countervailing and anti-dumping measures on certain products from China. China urges the US to respect the ruling.

July 8, 2014: The fourth US-China Strategic and Security Dialogue (SSD) under the framework of the sixth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) begins in Beijing.

July 8, 2014: The US and China sign eight partnership pacts to cut greenhouse gases.

July 8, 2014: Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Fang Fenghui meets visiting commander of US Pacific Command Adm. Samuel Locklear.

July 9-10, 2014: Sixth round of the US-China S&ED is held in Beijing.

July 9, 2014: Deputy Chief of General Staff Wang Guanzhong meets US Undersecretary of Defense Christine Wormuth to discuss US-China military relations in Beijing.

July 10, 2014: The US Senate passes a bipartisan resolution co-sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), and John McCain (R-Ariz.), urging China to refrain from implementing the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea, and all parties to refrain from increasing tensions over disputed territory.

July 14, 2014: President Barack Obama calls President Xi to discuss Iran and North Korea.

July 14, 2014: WTO rules that the US has acted inconsistently with WTO rules in regard to its countervailing measures against certain products from China.

July 15, 2014: First US-China Counterterrorism Dialogue at the vice-minister level is held in Washington, DC. Ambassador Tina Kaidanow, coordinator for counterterrorism leads the US delegation and Cheng Guoping, vice foreign minister, leads the Chinese delegation.

July 15, 2014: US Chief of Naval Operations Jonathan Greenert meets China’s Defense Minister Chang Wanquan and Wu Shengli, China’s navy commander in Beijing.

July 15, 2014: US initiates anti-dumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations against imports of certain passenger vehicles and light truck tires from China.

July 17, 2014: China’s Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng urges the US not to abuse the global trade system by imposing duties on Chinese goods to protect its own economy, following a rebuke to Washington by the WTO.

July 20, 2014: It is revealed that China sent a surveillance vessel to waters off Hawaii to spy on the US-led RIMPAC exercises.

July 23, 2014: China successfully carries out an anti-satellite missile test. Xinhua News Agency reports it as a successful missile interception test within Chinese territory.

July 28, 2014: China’s Commerce Ministry condemns the US for setting new import duties on Chinese solar products after the US placed anti-dumping duties of 165.05 percent on solar panels and cells from China.

July 29, 2014: Chinese regulators open an anti-monopoly investigation into Microsoft Corp., seizing computers and documents from offices in four cities.

Aug. 2, 2014: President Obama says in an interview with the Economist magazine that the West needs to be “pretty firm” with China as Beijing pushes to expand its role in the world.

Aug. 5, 2014: The Blue Ridge, the 7^th Fleet command ship, begins a friendly visit to Qingdao.

Aug. 7, 2014: WTO upholds a ruling that China violated international trade rules with restrictions on the export of rare earths.

Aug. 7, 2014: China News Service announces that China plans to build lighthouses on five islands in the South China Sea.

Aug. 8, 2014: President Obama expresses the view that China has been a “free rider” for 30 years in the Middle East.

Aug. 9, 2014: Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Nay Pyi Taw.

Aug. 10, 2014: Task Group 171, a Chinese flotilla, arrives at San Diego naval base for a five-day visit after participating in RIMPAC maritime military exercise.

Aug. 13, 2014: Secretary Kerry discusses US-China relations and disputes in the South China Sea in a speech entitled “US Vision for Asia-Pacific Engagement,” in Hawaii.

Aug. 16, 2014: Premier Li Keqiang meets Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and a delegation of US Congressmen in Beijing.

Aug. 19, 2014: US Department of Defense claims that a Chinese J-11 fighter jet conducted a dangerous intercept of a US P-8 Poseidon anti-submarine and reconnaissance plane in airspace to the east of China’s Hainan province.

Aug. 19, 2014: Chinese hackers break into databases for US hospital group, Community Health Systems, Inc., and steal the names and social security numbers of 4.5 million patients. The FBI starts investigations into the matter.

Aug. 27-28, 2014: US and China hold a round of talks at the Pentagon on establishing rules of behavior in the air and at sea.

Aug. 28, 2014: Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Yang Yujun tells the US to stop air and naval surveillance near its borders. China claims this ‘close-in’ surveillance harms the broader strategic relationship.

Sept. 2-3, 2014: Taiwan Affairs Office Minister Zhang Zhijun visits Washington DC and meets Deputy Secretary of State William Burns to discuss Taiwan.

Sept. 4-6, 2014: US Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Charles Rivkin visits China and meets Chinese CEOs.

Sept. 9, 2014: Susan Rice makes her first visit to Beijing since becoming national security advisor (NSA). She meets President Xi Jinping, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and Chinese Military Commission Vice Chairman Fan Changlong.

Sept. 16, 2014: US Commerce Department announces it initiated anti-dumping duty and countervailing duty investigations against imports of boltless steel shelving from China.

Sept. 17, 2014: House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific holds hearings on US-China relations.

Sept. 18, 2014: Senate Armed Services Committee announces Chinese hackers associated with the government intruded on US military contractors. China denies this claim.

Sept. 23, 2014: In a meeting on the margins of the UN Climate Summit, President Barack Obama and Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli agree to promote bilateral cooperation on climate change.

Sept. 23, 2014: Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is “deeply disturbed” by the life imprisonment sentence given Uighur scholar Ilham Tohti, and calls for his immediate release.

Sept. 23-26, 2014: Lt. Gen. Huang Guoxian, commander of Nanjing Military Regional Air Force Command, heads a delegation of People’s Liberation Army Air Force officers to Pacific Air Force Headquarters in Hawaii and Elmendorf Airbase in Alaska.

Sept. 26, 2014: Secretary of State Kerry meets Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting.

Sept. 26-29, 2014: Working Groups on Major Military Activities and Rules of Behavior meet in Beijing.

Sept. 28, 2014: Newly appointed Special Representative for North Korea Glyn Davies arrives in Beijing, the first stop of a three-nation tour to discuss policy toward North Korea.

Sept. 30, 2014: Military Maritime Consultative Agreement meeting is held in Beijing.

Sept. 30, 2014: White House issues a statement of support for “the aspirations of the Hong Kong people” as protests continue in Hong Kong calling for greater democracy.

Oct. 1, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits Washington DC and meets Secretary of State Kerry and NSA Rice. President Obama drops by the meeting.

Oct. 7-25, 2014: US, Chinese, and Australian militaries participate in Exercise Kowari 2014 in the Australian outback.

Oct. 8, 2014: Speaking at the Peterson Institute of International Economics in Washington, Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao calls for Congress to move quickly to approve reforms that give China and other emerging economies a greater say in the International Monetary Fund.

Oct. 9, 2014: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chairmen of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, release the commission’s 2014 Annual Report, which says that China’s human rights record has worsened as China tightens restrictions on civil society, religious organization, and free speech.

Oct. 9, 2014: Bipartisan group of nearly two dozen lawmakers urge President Obama to publicly support pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

Oct. 12, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang and Secretary John Kerry talk by phone.

Oct. 15, 2014: FBI issues a warning to US industry that skilled Chinese hackers are trying to steal valuable data from US government agencies and companies.

Oct. 16, 2014: Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the PLA Wang Guanzhong and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Christine Wormuth co-chair the 15^th annual Defense Consultative Talks in the Pentagon.

Oct. 17, 2014: Brig. Gen. David Stilwell (USAF), deputy director for Asia of the Joint Staff (J5), and Maj. Gen. Wang Weiguo, deputy director of the Strategic Planning Department of the General Staff, hold the first Joint Staff Strategy Talks (JSST) in Washington.

Oct. 17-18, 2014: Secretary of State Kerry meets State Councilor Yang Jiechi in Boston, including hosting Yang for dinner at his home.

Oct. 20, 2014: State Councilor Yang meets National Security Advisor (NSA) Susan Rice and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Washington.

Oct. 20, 2014: United States and China begin a co-organized two-week training session for young Afghan diplomats to develop their diplomatic and communication skills.

Oct. 20-23, 2014: China holds the fourth plenary session of the 18^th Central Committee.

Oct. 24, 2014: Vice Premier Wang Yang meets Deputy NSA for International Economics Caroline Atkinson in Beijing to discuss China-US economic relations.

Oct. 28, 2014: Vice Premier Wang Yang meets US Trade Representative Michael Froman in Beijing to exchange views on US-China economic and trade ties.

Oct. 30, 2014: Special Envoy for Six-Party Talks Sydney Seiler visits Beijing to discuss North Korea policy.

Oct. 30-31, 2014: John Podesta, counselor to President Obama, leads a US delegation to the “Heart of Asia” conference in Beijing. He meets Foreign Minister Wang.

Nov. 1, 2014: First joint working group meeting on the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is held in Beijing, co-chaired by Li Yang, deputy director general for the MFA Department of Arms Control, and Vann Van Diepen, principal deputy assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation for Department of State.

Nov. 4, 2014: Secretary of State Kerry delivers a speech on US-China relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.

Nov. 7, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang and Secretary of State Kerry meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministerial Meeting.

Nov. 7, 2014: Vice Premier Wang Yang and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew hold a phone conversation to exchange view on China-US economic relations.

Nov. 10-12, 2014: President Obama visits Beijing to attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting and hold a summit with Xi Jinping.

Nov. 20, 2014: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission publishes its annual report to Congress on US-China relations.

Nov. 20, 2014: Congressional-Executive Commission on China holds a hearing on the future of democracy in Hong Kong.

Nov. 24, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang meets Secretary of State Kerry in Vienna.

Dec. 2, 2014: House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Asia-Pacific holds hearings on “Hong Kong: A Broken Promise?”

Dec. 3, 2014: Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing on the impact of the “Umbrella Movement.” Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Affairs Daniel Russel testifies.

Dec. 3, 2014: House of Representatives passes HR 174, stressing the need for peaceful resolution of maritime territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas.

Dec. 3, 2014: President Obama tells a group of US chief executives that President Xi has consolidated power faster than any Chinese leader in decades, worrying China’s neighbors.

Dec. 3-5, 2014: The 12^th meeting of the US-China Joint Liaison Group on Law Enforcement Cooperation in Beijing.

Dec. 4-5, 2014: US and China hold annual talks on law-enforcement cooperation in Beijing. The agenda includes anti-corruption, asset forfeiture, cybercrime, and intellectual property rights.

Dec. 4, 2014: Senate unanimously passes a bill authorizing the sale of four decommissioned Perry-class frigates to Taiwan.

Dec. 5, 2014: Department of State issues a report on China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea that challenges the legality of China’s nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea.

Dec. 8, 2014: Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin holds a round of Asia-Pacific consultations with Assistant Secretary of State Russel. He separately meets Acting Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman and Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the NSC Medeiros.

Dec. 10, 2014: Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim visits China and meets Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei.

Dec. 11-12, 2014: US and Chinese navies hold third joint antipiracy drill in Gulf of Aden.

Dec. 13, 2014: China conducts a flight test of the DF-21 ICBM with simulated multiple, independently-targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).

Dec. 16-18, 2014: Vice Premier Wang Yang leads a delegation to participate in the 25^th Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade held in Chicago. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and US Trade Representative Michael Froman chair on the US side.

Dec. 18, 2014: President Obama signs legislation that authorizes the sale of up to four Perry-class frigates to Taiwan.

Dec. 21, 2014: Foreign Minister Wang and Secretary of State Kerry hold a phone conversation. to discuss cyberattack on Sony Pictures.

Dec. 24, 2014: In a statement released by Department of State, Secretary Kerry calls for China to release Liu Xiaobo and remove all restrictions on his wife, Liu Xia. He also urges the release of all individuals detained for peacefully expressing their views.

Jan. 5, 2015: Chinese Foreign Ministry protests to the US after the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) hoisted a Republic of China flag during a ceremony held at the Twin Oaks Estate on New Year’s Day in Washington, urging the US to respect the “One China” policy.

Jan. 8, 2015: China bans all imports of all poultry products from the US, citing worries over pathogenic strains of avian influenza found in the Pacific Northwest.

Jan. 12-19, 2015: Chinese and US militaries hold joint humanitarian assistance/disaster relief exercises in Guangzhou and Haikou involving about 150 engineering and medical personnel.

Jan. 15, 2015: Individuals from China’s Ministry of Public Security and Supreme People’s Procuratorate meet with representatives from the US Department of Justice and Department of Treasury to discuss cooperation in the hunt for fugitives and asset recovery, aimed at capturing Chinese fugitives hiding in the US.

Jan. 20, 2015: US advocacy group Human Rights Watch urges China to revise draft legislation aimed at combating terrorism, saying it is “a license to commit human rights abuses.”

Jan. 20, 2015: President Barack Obama says during his State of the Union address that the US and not China must write trade rules for Asia and calls on Congress to give him a freer hand to close trade deals.

Jan. 21, 2015: US International Trade Commission rules US industry is materially injured from imports of photovoltaic products from China, paving the way for punitive duties on the products.

Jan. 21, 2015: At a press conference in Manila following the US-Philippines Bilateral Security Dialogue, US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel says that “bigger nations can’t bully the small” in the South China Sea and that China’s actions are “an ongoing concern.”

Jan. 25-28, 2015: US Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers visits China and meets with Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission Fan Changlong.

Jan. 27-28, 2015: Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman meets senior officials in Beijing to discuss cooperation, including the P5+1 negotiation with Iran.

Jan. 28, 2015: Group of US trade associations submit a letter to the CCP Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs urging dialogue on the growing trend of Chinese government policies requiring the use of “secure and controllable” or Chinese-developed and/or controlled Internet and information communications technology (ICT) products, solutions, and services based on “cybersecurity” justifications.

Jan. 28, 2015: Tao Kaiyuan, vice president of China’s Supreme People’s Court, exchanges views with US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in Washington on enhancing judicial cooperation between the two countries.

Jan. 28, 2015: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds “Hearing on the Foreign Investment Climate in China: Present Challenges and Potential for Reform.”

Jan. 29, 2015: US Special Representative for North Korean Policy Ambassador Sung Kim meets Chinese Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei in Beijing.

Feb. 2, 2015: Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong and US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Rose Gottemoeller co-chair the seventh consultation on strategic security and multilateral arms control in Beijing.

Feb. 2-4, 2015: Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, hosts 29 mid-grade officers from the Chinese navy’s surface, submarine, and aviation units for an exchange visit.

Feb. 5, 2015: The Dalai Lama attends the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. President Obama warmly acknowledges him, but does not meet separately with the Dalai Lama.

Feb. 9-12, 2015: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel meets Vice President Li Yuanchao and other senior officials in Beijing to discuss a range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

Feb. 10, 2015: President Obama and President Xi talk by phone. They discuss how to narrow differences on cyber and reaffirm their commitment to coordinate closely on security challenges.

Feb. 10-12, 2015: Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken visits Beijing and meets senior officials to discuss cooperation on a range of bilateral, regional and global issues.

Feb. 12, 2015: Obama administration files a case at the World Trade Organization (WTO) accusing Beijing of subsidizing services like information technology, product design, and worker training for industries that aim their products at the export market.

Feb. 12, 2015: Assistant to the US President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco delivers a speech in Washington, saying that US cyber “threats come from nations with highly sophisticated cyber programs including China.”

Feb. 16, 2015: Vice Premier Wang Yang holds a phone conversation with Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew to discuss issues including Sino-US economic ties and the global economic situation.

Feb. 17, 2015: US Navy flies a P-8A Poseidon, its most advanced surveillance plane, over disputed areas of the South China Sea.

Feb. 18, 2015: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds “Hearing on China’s Space and Counterspace Programs.”

Feb. 20, 2015: Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance Frank Rose calls for a frank and open dialogue with China on how each nation defines and views strategic stability and each other’s nuclear posture during a speech in Washington.

Feb. 23, 2015: USS Fort Worth practices use of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) with the PLAN frigate Hengshui in the international waters of the South China Sea.

Feb. 25, 2015: US National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi meet in New York City for consultations on US-China cooperation on global issues.

Feb. 26, 2015: In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Worldwide Threat Assessment Hearing, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper discusses threats emanating from China’s persistent cyber economic espionage, military modernization, and maritime behavior.

March 2, 2015: In an interview with Reuters, President Obama sharply criticizes China’s plans for new rules on US tech companies.

March 7, 2015: Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng says negotiations on the text of the China-US Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) are advancing to the stage of exchanging negative lists in which foreign investments are restricted by host countries.

March 12-13, 2015: US and Chinese militaries hold talks at the Pentagon chaired by Assistant Secretary Dave Shear and Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense Guan Youfei in a newly established dialogue mechanism on Asia-Pacific issues.

March 18, 2015: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson says China hopes the US will stop making irresponsible remarks on maritime disputes between China and other countries in response to the US Navy’s “A Cooperative Strategy for 21^st Century Seapower” report.

March 18, 2015: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds “Hearing on Looking West: China and Central Asia.”

March 19, 2015: US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey opens a photo exhibit at the Pentagon highlighting the friendship and cooperation between the US and Chinese servicemen during World War II.

March 19, 2015: Senators John McCain, Jack Reed, Bob Corker and Bob Menendez, write a letter to Secretary of Defense Carter and Secretary of State Kerry voicing concern about China’s maritime strategy and the alarming scope and pace of land reclamation in South China Sea.

March 20, 2015: At a press briefing in Beijing after meetings with senior Chinese officials to discuss strengthening cooperation on climate change, US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern says US-China climate change cooperation is “closer than ever before.”

March 20, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds a telephone conversation with Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss Sino-US relations and the Iranian nuclear issue.

March 23, 2015: USS Blue Ridge, flagship for the US Navy Seventh Fleet, begins a port visit in Hong Kong after finished a six-month maintenance period in Japan.

March 30, 2015: In a meeting with Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing, Treasury Secretary Lew says the US is looking forward to cooperating with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the US welcomes and supports proposals that are helpful to infrastructure construction.

March 31, 2015: US Admiral Harry Harris tells a naval conference in Australia that China is “creating a great wall of sand” through land reclamation in the South China Sea, causing serious concerns about its territorial intentions.

March 31, 2015: In a speech to the Asia Society Northern California, Treasury Secretary Lew cites Chinese policies that he says are fueling US unease, including its managed exchange rates, barriers to foreign technology, poor intellectual property rights protection, cybercrime, and cross-border investment controls which are harmful to global growth.

April 2, 2015: Foreign Ministry spokesperson expresses anger over two US fighter jets making an emergency landing in Taiwan on April 1, saying “China demands that the United States strictly abide by the ‘one-China policy’ and cautiously and appropriately handle this incident.”

April 3, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang and Secretary of State Kerry hold a phone conversation to discuss enhancing their cooperation on the Iranian nuclear negotiations.

April 9, 2015: Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson meets Chinese counterpart Meng Jianzhu in Beijing; they pledge to enhance law-enforcement and security cooperation.

April 9, 2015: President Obama says Washington is concerned that China is using its “sheer size and muscle” to push around smaller nations in the South China Sea.

April 10, 2015: Chief of the General Staff of the PLA Fang Fenghui and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey hold their first-ever video call.

April 13, 2015: The first US presidential trade mission under the Obama administration led by Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker meets Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing.

April 13, 2015: Trade groups, including the American Chamber of Commerce and organizations from Europe and Japan, send a letter to a Chinese leading small group on cybersecurity led by Chinese President Xi Jinping urging China to suspend the implementation of a new rule encouraging banks to buy crucial server and mainframe technology from Chinese companies.

April 15, 2015: Adm. Samuel Locklear, commander, US Pacific Command, and Christine Wormuth, undersecretary of defense for policy, raise concern about Chinese activities in the South China Sea at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

April 16, 2015: Vice Minister of Finance Zhu Guangyao informs Treasury Undersecretary Nathan Sheets of China’s decision to temporarily suspend rules calling for companies that sell computer equipment to Chinese banks to turn over intellectual property and submit source code.

April 18, 2015: Finance Minister Lou Jiwei says in an interview with Xinhua that China welcomes the US and Japan to join the AIIB, and has provided with all relevant information.

April 20-24, 2015: US Seventh Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge makes a port visit to Zhanjiang to build relationships and reinforce positive exchanges with the PLAN’s South Sea Fleet.

April 21, 2015: President Obama notifies Congress that the administration intends to renew a nuclear cooperation agreement with China allowing Beijing to buy more US designed reactors and pursue a facility or the technology to reprocess plutonium from spent fuel.

April 27, 2015: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asks China to drop a ban on imports of US poultry. Vilsack relays that China’s agriculture minister said he would consider the request, but linked the issue to US limits on imports of poultry raised and processed in China.

April 28, 2015: At a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Abe, President Obama says a strong US-Japan alliance should not be seen as a provocation to China. He also accuses China of “flexing its muscles” to advance its maritime claims against Asian neighbors.

April 29, 2015: In a video call with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, China’s navy chief Adm. Wu Shengli says when conditions are ripe the US and other countries are welcome to use the facilities China is building on artificial islands in the South China Sea.

April 30, 2015: Defense Ministry spokesperson voices concern about the new US cyber strategy, saying “We are following the new U.S. cybersecurity strategy and are concerned about it. The report makes groundless accusations about China, and we resolutely oppose it.”

April 30, 2015: In response to the new US-Japan Defense Guidelines, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson warns that “All parties should pay much attention to the impact of a stronger U.S.-Japan military alliance and the effect expansion of their defense cooperation to include the whole world will have on the world peace and regional stability.”

May 6-8, 2015: Delegation of US Democratic and Republican Party leaders and US business leaders meet senior Communist Party of China (CPC) officials and Chinese business leaders for the eighth US-China High-Level Political Party Leaders Dialogue in Beijing.

May 8, 2015: US Department of Defense releases its annual report to Congress entitled Military Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015.

May 10-12, 2015: US Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds hearings on US-China Civil Nuclear Agreement.

May 13, 2015: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearing on China’s Relations with Southeast Asia.

May 13, 2015: US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations holds a hearing on Safeguarding American Interests in the East and South China Seas. Daniel Russel, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs and David Shear, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, provide testimony.

May 14, 2015: Assistant Secretary Russel testifies on Advancing US Economic Engagement in Asia before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee.

May 16-17, 2015: Secretary of State John Kerry travels to Beijing. He meets President Xi Jinping and Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission.

May 19, 2015: US indicts six Chinese citizens on charges of stealing trade secrets.

May 19, 2015: In a Wall Street Journal interview, US Vice Chief of Naval Operations Michelle Howard calls on China to explain its land-reclamation work in the South China Sea and offers to support Southeast Asian countries if they choose to adopt a unified stance against Beijing.

May 20, 2015: Chinese Deputy Premier Wang Yang has a phone conversation with US Secretary of the Treasury Jacob Lew about the preparations for the upcoming S&ED.

May 20, 2015: In a speech at a conference in Jakarta, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that China’s land reclamation in the South China Sea is “eroding regional trust and undermining investor confidence.”

May 20, 2015: US Navy takes a CNN reporter onboard a P8-A Poseidon surveillance aircraft on a flight near several of China’s artificial islands in the South China Sea.

May 21, 2015: US Senators John McCain and Jack Reed send letter to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, urging him to “revoke” China’s invitation to attend RIMPAC 2016 and consider policy options that raise costs on China’s “provocative actions” in the East and South China Seas.

May 26, 2015: China’s Ministry of National Defense releases a white paper on China’s military strategy, that explains the PLA’s “active defense strategy” and emphasizes China’s growing overseas interests and the need for China’s military to protect those interests.

May 26, 2015: David Lipton, International Monetary Fund First deputy managing director, declares that China’s currency is “no longer undervalued,” marking a significant shift after more than a decade of criticism of Beijing’s tight management of the renminbi.

May 29, 2015: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim says at a media briefing in Beijing that China agrees that “pressure” should be a part of its policy on North Korea, and the US believes that China is fully implementing sanctions on North Korea.

May 29, 2015: In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, China’s Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai defends China’s recent expansion of reefs in the Spratly Islands and warns the US against “anti-China” alliances and a “Cold War mentality.”

May 29-31, 2015: 2015 Shangri-La Dialogue is held in Singapore. Secretary of Defense Carter and China’s Deputy Chief of Staff of PLA Adm. Sun Jianguo deliver speeches.

June 4, 2015: Obama administration reveals a breach into the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Interior Department’s computer systems.

June 8-12, 2015: 19^th Round of US-China Bilateral Investment Treaty negotiations are held in Beijing. The two sides exchange negative lists, which outline sectors that are closed to investors.

June 8-14, 2015: Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, travels to the US for an official visit.

June 9, 2015: Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) send a letter to urge International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde to deny China’s effort to have the yuan recognized as a special reserve currency.

June 9, 2015: US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal hosts Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping in Washington for a US-China Sub-Dialogue on Central Asia, one of several regional sub-dialogues under the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) framework.

June 12, 2015: US and China sign the Army-to-Army Dialogue Mechanism (AADM) at the National Defense University in Washington.

June 15, 2015: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on Commercial Cyber Espionage and Barriers to Digital Trade in China.

June 17, 2015: US House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific holds a hearing on China’s Rise: The Strategic Impact of its Economic and Military Growth.

June 19, 2015: At a ceremony for the 10th anniversary of the “Chunhui Cup” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for Overseas Chinese Students in Pittsburgh, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong calls for further exchange between young people in China and the US in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.

June 22, 2015: US Deputy Secretary of State Blinken co-hosts the fifth Strategic Security Dialogue (SSD) with China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

June 23-24, 2015: US Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew co-host seventh US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) in Washington with China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Vice Premier Wang Yang. The sixth Consultation on People-to-People Exchange and the seventh US-China Women’s Leadership Exchange and Dialogue are held concurrently.

June 25, 2015: US Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor releases its annual country reports on human rights, including a report on human rights in China, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Macao in 2014.

June 26, 2015: In its annual rebuttal to US accusations of human rights violations by the US State Department, Beijing issues its own report and accuses the US of being “haunted by spreading guns” and racial discrimination.

June 20-July 1, 2015: PLA troops join Exercise Khaan Quest, a multinational ground forces peacekeeping drill hosted by Mongolia and US Pacific Command.

July 2, 2015: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Kerry meet on the sidelines of the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna.

July 3, 2015: US Interior Secretary Sally Jewell meets Vice Premier Wang Yang in Beijing to discuss efforts to crack down on illegal trading of wildlife and to enhance natural conservation.

July 6-9, 2015: Frank Rose, assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification and compliance, visits Beijing for meetings and external events related to space security, missile defense, arms control, and other bilateral and multilateral security topics.

July 7, 2015: Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague begins a hearing in response to China’s claim that the tribunal has no jurisdiction to hear a legal challenge over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

July 8, 2015: US Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing on South China Sea defense activities.

July 9, 2015: US Department of State releases a statement condemning Thailand’s forced deportation of over 100 ethnic Uighurs to China.

July 12, 2015: Department of State releases a statement expressing concern about China’s new National Security Law being used to commit human rights abuses, and urging China to release all those who have recently been detained for seeking to protect the rights of Chinese citizens.

July 13, 2015: Department of State releases a statement expressing sadness over the death of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist leader who had been a political prisoner since 2002 and died in prison.

July 16, 2015: The US House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing on the US-China Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.

July 17, 2015: Chinese Ministry of Commerce expresses serious concerns over US punitive duties on certain passenger vehicle and light truck tires from China.

July 18, 2015: US Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift joins a seven-hour surveillance flight over the South China Sea on board a P-8A Poseidon aircraft.

July 20, 2015: President Obama speaks to President Xi on the phone to express appreciation for the role China played in reaching a nuclear deal with Iran.

July 21, 2015: Assistant Secretary of State Russel delivers keynote speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Fifth Annual South China Sea Conference in Washington DC.

July 23, 2015: US House Foreign Affairs Committee holds a hearing on America’s security role in the South China Sea.

July 24, 2015: Adm. Harry Harris, commander of US Pacific Command, says China is militarizing its artificial islands in the South China Sea.

July 28, 2015: USS Stethem arrives at a naval base in Qingdao for a three-day official visit.

July 28, 2015: US Special Envoy for Six-Party Talks Sydney Seiler visits Beijing to meet Chinese Deputy Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs Xiao Qian.

Aug. 4, 2015: Tina Kaidanow, coordinator for counterterrorism, and Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping co-chair second China-US Counter-terrorism Consultation.

Aug. 5, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary Kerry meet in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Aug. 11, 2015: Ten US senators write a letter to President Obama urging him to raise concerns about human rights and civil society in his upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping in September.

Aug. 11, 2015: Nineteen US business and technology industry groups write a letter to President Obama asking him to urge Beijing not to use cyber security measures to protect its domestic technology industry in his upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping.

Aug. 12-14, 2015: Zhang Zhijun, Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, meets Deputy Secretary of State Blinken, Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel, and Senior Director at the National Security Council for Asian Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink in Washington.

Aug. 13-14, 2015: Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski and Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of International Organizations and Conferences Director General Li Junhua co-chair the 19^th US-China Human Rights Dialogue in Washington.

Aug. 19, 2015: Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang meets Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, James Zimmerman, to exchange views on US-China economic and trade cooperation.

Aug. 20, 2015: The US Department of Defense releases the Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy as required by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015.

Aug. 20-28, 2015: Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom David Saperstein visits China to discuss religious freedom with government officials, religious leaders, and civil society representatives, visiting Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Hong Kong.

Aug. 21, 2015: Treasury Secretary Lew speaks to Vice Premier Wang Yang via phone to discuss economic ties between the two countries.

Aug. 22, 2015: US Trade Representative Michael Froman meets Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang in Beijing.

Aug. 24-28, 2015: US and China hold the 20th round of investment treaty talks in Beijing and focus on negative lists.

Aug. 25, 2015: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert holds a video teleconference (VTC) with his Chinese counterpart, PLA Navy Commander Adm. Wu Shengli to introduce his replacement as CNO, Adm. John Richardson.

Aug. 27, 2015: Armies from China, Australia and the US begin Exercise Kowari in Darwin, Australia. The exercises will run through Sept. 14.

Aug. 28-29, 2015: National Security Adviser Susan Rice visits Beijing to finalize preparations for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington in September.

Sep. 2, 2015: Five Chinese Navy ships pass through US territorial waters as they transit the Aleutian Islands, coming within 12nm of the coast of Alaska.

Sep. 6–8, 2015: US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel meets Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin to discuss peaceful cooperation in the Asia Pacific region and other issues of importance to the bilateral relationship.

Sep. 8, 2015: US Senior Advisor to President Obama Brian Deese meets Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli in Beijing.They agree to work together more closely to address climate change.

Sep. 8–9, 2015: US Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Frank Rose meets senior officials from China’s MOFA and the Chinese Academy of Military Science to discuss multilateral arms control, strategic stability, and space security.

Sep. 10, 2015: US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets Chinese Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

Sep. 11, 2015: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew hold a phone conversation to exchange views on economic relations and other issues.

Sep. 12, 2015: Concluding four days of meetings on cyber security between senior US and Chinese officials, National Security Advisor Susan Rice has a “frank and open exchange about cyber issues” with Meng Jianzhu, secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party.

Sep. 15, 2015: US Drug Enforcement Agency Officials and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security hold a meeting of the Bilateral Drug Intelligence Working Group to discuss major drug issues facing their countries.

Sep. 15, 2015: US Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern meets China’s Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs Xie Zhenhua in Los Angeles, announcing joint actions in both countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including development of cap-and-trade programs in China.

Sep. 15, 2015: A Chinese fighter jet makes an unsafe intercept of a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance plane.

Sep. 15-16, 2015: US and Chinese leaders from cities in both countries meet for the White House-organized “US-China Climate Leaders Summit” in Los Angeles and sign agreements to help the US and China meet their national greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

Sep. 16, 2015: President Obama brings up the potential for taking “countervailing actions” against China over cyberattacks in remarks at the Business Roundtable in Washington, DC.

Sep. 16, 2015: Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter expresses deep concern about “the pace and scope of land reclamation in the South China Sea” and says China is “out of step” with “international rules and norms” at the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference 2015.

Sep. 17, 2015: The Counter-narcotics Working Group, led by the US Department of Justice and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, share potential avenues for cooperation in combatting “designer drugs” and stress “expanding mutual understanding and cooperation on drug issues.”

Sep. 17, 2015: David Shear, assistant secretary of defense, and Adm. Harry Harris, commander, US Pacific Command, testify before the Senate Committee on Armed Services in a hearing on Maritime Security Strategy in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Sep. 17, 2015: Co-Chairman of the Congressional China Caucus and Chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Congressman Randy Forbes submits a bipartisan letter to President Obama calling for a “firm response” to China’s actions in the South China Sea, garnering 29 signatures.

Sep. 17, 2015: President Xi Jinping meets US delegates attending the seventh China-US business leaders’ and former senior officials’ dialogue in Beijing.

Sep. 17, 2015: US Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs Sheba Crocker lauds US-China cooperation on peacekeeping and on Afghanistan among cooperative efforts at the UN at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, DC.

Sep. 22, 2015: President Xi begins his US visit, speaking at the Third US-China Governors Forum in Seattle, and emphasizing the value of local efforts in improving bilateral ties.

Sep. 23, 2015: Secretary of State John Kerry meets relatives of Chinese dissidents imprisoned in China to signal the Obama administration’s concerns about human rights.

Sep. 23, 2015: At the US-China CEO Roundtable, President Xi appeals to US business leaders to “deepen China-US business cooperation.”

Sep. 23, 2015: Wrapping up the eighth US-China Internet Industry Forum, President Xi meets 29 technology executives, including Apple’s Tim Cook, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg following tours of Boeing and Microsoft.

Sep. 24, 2015: Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Stefan Selig and Deputy USTR Robert Holleyman meet Vice Commerce Minister Zhang Xiangchen in Washington to prepare for the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.

Sep. 24, 2015: President Xi arrives in Washington, DC for a state visit.

Sep. 28, 2015: US and China hold the inaugural meeting of the Civil Space Dialogue in Beijing.

Sep. 29, 2015: Director of National Intelligence James Clapper tells a Senate hearing on cybersecurity that he is not optimistic about the US-China agreement on cybersecurity.

Sep. 30, 2015: Deputy Chief of General Staff of the PLA Adm. Sun Jianguo meets US Pacific Command Commander Adm. Harris in Hawaii at the 2015 Chiefs of Defense Conference.

Oct. 5, 2015: Announcing the completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, President Obama says “we can’t let countries like China write the rules of the global economy.”

Oct. 8, 2015: Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits China and meets State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Chief of General Staff of the PLA Fang Fenghui in Beijing.

Oct. 12, 2015: Chinese PLAN vessel Zheng He arrives at Pearl Harbor for a four-day port visit, during which Chinese and US naval officers conduct confidence-building exercises.

Oct. 14, 2015: Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai calls for stronger, more resilient relations at the gala dinner of the National Committee on US-China Relations in New York.

Oct. 15, 2015: Secretary Kerry calls on China to release human rights lawyer Zhang Kai.

Oct. 15-16, 2015: The US-China Legal Experts Dialogue takes place in Beijing, led by US Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski.

Oct. 19, 2015: A 27-member delegation of the US Navy captains visits the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and exchanges views with Chinese peers on naval issues.

Oct. 19, 2015: In its Semi-Annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies, US Treasury drops its previous assessment that China’s renminbi is “significant undervalued.” Instead, it says the RMB “remains below its appropriate medium-term valuation.”

Oct. 27, 2015: Secretary of Defense Carter confirms that the USS Lassen sailed close to Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands, conducting a freedom of navigation operation. Chinese Foreign Ministry summons US Ambassador to China Max Baucus to express its “strong discontent.”

Oct. 28, 2015: China and US begin 22^nd round of talks on bilateral investment treaty (BIT) in Qingdao.

Oct. 29, 2015: Adm. John Richardson, chief of Naval Operations, and Adm. Wu Shengli, commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, hold a video teleconference to discuss the passage of the USS Lassen near Subi Reef.

Oct. 29, 2015: Permanent Court of Arbitration awards its first decision in The Republic of Philippines v. The People’s Republic of China case, ruling that the case was “properly constituted” under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, that China’s “non-appearance” (i.e., refusal to participate) did not preclude the Court’s jurisdiction, and that the Philippines was within its rights in filing the case.

Nov. 2, 2015: Adm. Harris of US Pacific Command visits Beijing to boost naval exchanges and meets Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission.

Nov. 2-3, 2015: Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan meets Vice Premier Liu Yandong, Minister of Culture Luo Shugang, and Vice Minister of Education Liu Huiqing regarding cultural exchange.

Nov. 3, 2015: Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark arrives in San Diego for a five-day visit with US Navy and Veteran Affairs officials.

Nov. 3, 2015: Secretary of Defense Carter meets Defense Minister Chang Wanquan in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus.

Nov. 4, 2015: Three Chinese Navy ships arrive at the US Naval Station Mayport in Florida, beginning a four-day port visit.

Nov. 5, 2015: Defense Secretary Carter boards the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is patrolling the South China Sea.

Nov. 5-12, 2015: House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi leads a delegation to China, including a visit to Tibet. The group meets Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhang Ping, and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhang Dejiang.

Nov. 6, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Kerry exchange views on the South China Sea, Iran, and Syria in a phone conversation.

Nov. 6, 2015: Vice Premier Wang Yang speaks with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew over the phone on US-China economic relations.

Nov. 7, 2015: Vice Premier Wang has a phone conversation with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and US Trade Representative Michael Froman on US-China economic relations.

Nov. 16, 2015: USS Stethem docks in Shanghai following a stop in Qingdao for a port visit. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift meets Vice Adm. Su Zhiqian onboard the Stethem.

Nov. 17, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Deputy Secretary of State Blinken in Manila on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

Nov. 17-19, 2015: The first annual meeting of the US-China Army-to-Army Exchange and Cooperation Dialogue Mechanism is launched in Beijing. Deputy Chief of General Staff of the PLA Gen. Wang Jianping heads the Chinese delegation and US Army Director for Strategy, Plans and Policy Maj. Gen. William Hix heads the US delegation.

Nov. 19-23, 2015: A group of Chinese soldiers visit Joint Base Lewis-McChord for a military-to-military exercise, practicing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

Nov. 19, 2015: US Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Swift meets People’s Liberation Army Navy Commander Wu Shengli in Beijing.

Nov. 20, 2015: In an interview with the Financial Times, Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Frank Rose reveals the establishment of an emergency “space hotline” between the US and China.

Nov. 21-23, 2015: Secretary of Commerce Pritzker, US Trade Representative Froman and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack participate in the 26^th US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in Guangzhou. The Chinese delegation is led by Vice Premier Wang Yang.

Nov. 21-24, 2015: Military representatives from the US and China meet at Pacific Air Force Headquarters in Hawaii for bi-annual Military Maritime Consultative Agreement talks regarding military air and naval safety.

Nov. 23-25, 2015: Chinese and US delegates meet for the 13^th US-China Joint Liaison Group on Law Enforcement Cooperation in Washington DC.

Nov. 24, 2015: Secretary of State Kerry speaks with State Councilor Yang Jiechi over the phone to discuss cooperation in advance of the December climate conference in Paris.

Nov. 27, 2015: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Assistant Secretary William Brownfield and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz join Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General Xu Hong and Deputy Director General Cai Wei in Baltimore on two coast guard vessels for a law enforcement excursion.

Nov. 30, 2015: President Obama and President Xi meet in Paris on the sidelines of the 21^stConference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Dec. 1, 2015: Director-General of the Arms Control Department of China’s Foreign Ministry Wang Qun meets Assistant Secretary Rose to exchange views on space, nuclear and other arms control and non-proliferation issues.

Dec. 1-2, 2015: Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun visits the US for the first bilateral high-level dialogue on cybercrime. Guo meets National Security Advisor Susan Rice and jointly chairs the meeting with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and US Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 2015: Assistant Secretary for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Rose travels to Beijing to attend an ASEAN Regional Forum workshop on space security.

Dec. 7-8, 2015: Chinese and American experts and NGOs meet in Beijing for the sixth Sino-American Dialogue on Rule of Law and Human Rights.

Dec. 9, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Deputy Secretary of State Blinken in Islamabad on the margins of the Foreign Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process.

Dec. 10, 2015: Two US B-52 bombers fly into airspace near Chinese-occupied features in the Spratlys, prompting the Chinese Defense Ministry to protest what it called “a show of force” to “create tensions in the waters and airspace.”

Dec. 10-11, 2015: The China Anti-Money Laundering Monitoring and Analysis Center (CAMLMAC) and the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) meet in New York and sign an MOU on money laundering and countering terrorist financing.

Dec. 14, 2015: Presidents Xi and Obama applaud the agreement reached at the UN Climate Conference in a phone conversation.

Dec. 16, 2015: USTR Froman and Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng meet in Nairobi, Kenya and reach a consensus on the expansion of the WTO Information Technology Agreement.

Dec. 17, 2015: Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang summons US charge d’affairs Kaye Lee in Beijing to protest the Obama administration’s $1.38 billion arms sale to Taiwan.

Dec. 20, 2015: Foreign Minister Wang Yi talks by phone with Secretary Kerry. The main topics are Syria and Iran. Wang also raises US arms sales to Taiwan and US military operations in the South China Sea.

Dec. 23, 2015: The Office of the US Trade Representative presents to Congress the 2015 annual report on China’s compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations.

Jan. 2, 2016: China lands a civilian aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef for the first time.

Jan. 6, 2016: US National Security Adviser Susan Rice meets with China’s Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai to discuss North Korea’s nuclear test.

Jan. 6, 2016: China lands two large civilian aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef, drawing more protests from Vietnam and the Philippines.

Jan. 7, 2016: Secretary of State John Kerry speaks by phone with Foreign Minister Wang Yi regarding North Korea’s nuclear test, the Iran nuclear deal, and Syria.

Jan. 9, 2016: Chinese Navy hospital ship Peace Ark docks in Honolulu, Hawaii after a completing its three-month Harmonious Mission 2015 humanitarian assistance exercise.

Jan. 11, 2016: Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong meets visiting Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Thomas Countryman to discuss bilateral cooperation on nonproliferation and North Korea’s nuclear test.

Jan. 15, 2016: US Defense Intelligence Agency releases a report entitled “China Military Power: Modernizing a Force to Fight and Win.”

Jan. 20, 2016: Wu Shengli, commander of the PLA Navy, holds a scheduled video teleconference with John Richardson, US chief of naval operations.

Jan. 20-21, 2016: Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits China to co-host the interim Strategic Security Dialogue with Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui. He also meets Taiwan Affairs Office Director Zhang Zhijun to discuss Taiwan.

Jan. 27, 2016: Secretary of State John Kerry visits China to discuss a range of global, regional, and bilateral issues, including North Korea, South China Sea and cyber security.

Jan. 28-29, 2016: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim visits Beijing and meets Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei.

Jan. 30, 2016: USS Curtis Wilbur, a US Navy destroyer, sails within 12nm of Chinese-occupied Triton Island in the Paracels, conducting a freedom of navigation operation.

Feb. 2, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang meets US Trade Representative Michael Froman in Beijing. They discuss economic and trade issues, including a bilateral investment treaty (BIT).

Feb. 3, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang holds telephone conversation with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew on the bilateral investment treaty and this year’s G20 Summit in China.

Feb. 5, 2016: President Barack Obama speaks by telephone with President Xi Jinping to discuss North Korea’s planned missile test.

Feb. 12, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Kerry focus on North Korea in a meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Foreign Minister Wang also expresses China’s opposition to the possible deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in South Korea.

Feb. 19, 2016: US Department of Commerce launches an anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigation into tires for trucks and buses imported from China.

Feb. 20, 2016: China and the US hold the first nuclear security dialogue co-chaired by Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong and Senior Director of the NSC Laura Holgate.

Feb. 23-25, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang visits Washington. He meets Secretary of State Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. President Obama drops by the meeting with Rice.

Feb. 28, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang meets Treasury Secretary Lew in Beijing to discuss bilateral economic ties.

Feb. 29, 2016: Premier Li Keqiang meets Treasury Secretary Lew to discuss economic relations and the upcoming G20 summit.

March 1, 2016: Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin meets US Special Envoy for Climate Change of the State Department Todd Stern in Beijing.

March 3, 2016: Director General of the Department of Arms Control of the Foreign Ministry Wang Qun visits Washington and meets Under Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller, Senior Director of the White House National Security Council Laura Holgate, and Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Frank Rose.

March 9, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks by telephone with Secretary of State Kerry about the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

March 14, 2016: State Councilor Guo Shengkun meets Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation James Comey to discuss cooperation in cyber security and anti-terrorism.

March 15, 2016: FBI Director Comey meets Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party Meng Jianzhu to discuss law enforcement cooperation. Meng says asks for cooperation in chasing Chinese fugitives and their illegal assets.

March 15-16, 2016: Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam Szubin from the US Treasury Department visits China and Hong Kong to discuss ways to implement sanctions on North Korea.

March 16, 2016: Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli meets Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz in Beijing, calling for closer energy cooperation between the two nations.

March 17, 2016: China voices opposition to new sanctions imposed by the US on the North Korea, saying “China has always opposed any unilateral sanctions by any country.”

March 17, 2016: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson says the US has seen Chinese activity around Scarborough Shoal that could be a precursor to more land reclamation.

March 18, 2016: The largest nuclear security center in the Asia-Pacific region, constructed by the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) and the US Department of Energy, opens in Beijing. The center has the capacity to train about 2,000 nuclear security staff from China and other Asia-Pacific nations annually.

March 31, 2016: Presidents Obama and Xi meet on the margins of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.

April 12-15, 2016: US, China and 14 other countries conduct multilateral exercises in Indonesia.
April 21, 2016: Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei meets US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim in Beijing.

April 22, 2016: Secretary of State Kerry meets Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli in New York at the signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

April 22, 2016: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel delivers a speech titled “China’s Growing Pains” at the University of Southern California.

April 27, 2016: Deputy Secretary of State Blinken testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on “US-China Relations: Strategic Challenges and Opportunities.”

April 28, 2016: Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs notifies the US that it will not permit the USS John C. Stennis and its escort ships to visit Hong Kong.

April 28, 2016: US puts China, along with Japan, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan, on a new currency watch list under a law passed in February that seeks to enforce US trade interests.

May 6, 2016: USS Blue Ridge arrives at a port in Shanghai just days after the USS John C. Stennis is denied a port visit in Hong Kong.

May 10, 2016: USS William P. Lawrence conducts a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) within 12nm of Fiery Cross Reef.

May 11, 2016: First meeting of the Senior Experts Group on International Norms and Related Issues concerning cyber security meets in Washington DC, co-chaired by Wang Qun, director general of the Minstry of Foreign Affair’s (MFA) Department of Arms Control, and Christopher Painter, coordinator for cyber issues at the US State Department.

May 11, 2016: US and China hold first dialogue on outer space safety in Washington DC, co-chaired by Wang Qun, director general of the MFA Department of Arms Control, and US Assistant Secretary of State Frank Rose.

May 12, 2016: Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong and Under Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller co-chair the eighth Consultation on Strategic Security and Multilateral Arms Control in Washington DC.

May 12, 2016: Chinese Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fang Fenghui and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford hold a video conference to discuss the US FONOP around Fiery Cross Reef.

May 13, 2016: US Department of Defense issues its report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015.

May 16, 2016: Secretary of State John Kerry and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talk by phone about the upcoming Strategic and Economic Dialogue, Taiwan, and Syria.

May 16, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang exchanges views with Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew via telephone on bilateral economic ties and the upcoming US-China Economic Dialogue.

May 17, 2016: US Commerce Department raises import duties on Chinese-made cold-rolled flat steel by 522 percent.

May 17, 2016: Pentagon reports that at least two Chinese J-11 fighter aircraft conduct an “unsafe” intercept of a United States EP-3 reconnaissance aircraft that was conducting a routine mission in international airspace over the South China Sea.

May 19, 2016: US and China hold an Inter-sessional Strategic Security Dialogue, co-chaired by Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

May 24-25, 2016: Military representatives from US Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), US Pacific Air Forces, and PLA Navy and Air Force meet for the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement (MMCA) at Ford Island in Hawaii.

May 26, 2016: Pentagon concludes that an intercept by Chinese J-11 fighter jets on May 17 violated the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and China as well as International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

May 30, 2016: China’s top legislator Zhang Dejiang meets a delegation of US lawmakers led by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana).

June 5, 2016: Director General of the MFA’s Policy Planning Department Wang Yajun and Chief of Staff to the Secretary of State and Director of Policy Planning at the US Department of State Jonathan Finer hold consultations in Beijing.

June 5, 2016: Strategic Security Dialogue, co-chaired by Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui and Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is held in Beijing.

June 6, 2016: Eighth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue opens in Beijing.

June 6-7, 2016: Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice Premier Liu Yandong co-chair the seventh annual US-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) in Beijing.

June 7, 2016: US Pacific Command says that a Chinese J-10 jet fighter conducted an unsafe intercept of a US reconnaissance plane in international air space over the East China Sea.

June 7, 2016: In two separate meetings, Secretary Kerry and Treasury Secretary Lew meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People.

June 7, 2016: Director General of the MFA’s Department of International Organizations and Conferences Li Junhua and Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Bathsheba Crocker co-chair second China-US Consultation on UN and Multilateral Affairs.

June 14, 2016: Second US-China High-Level Joint Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues is held in Beijing.

June 15, 2016: President Obama meets the Dalai Lama in the map room at the White House.

June 18, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State Kerry talk by phone. Wang tells Kerry the US should not interfere in China’s internal affairs on matters related to Tibet.

June 26, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang exchanges views with Treasury Secretary Lew via telephone on the current economic and financial situation, as well as the upcoming G20 summit.

June 30, 2016: US Undersecretary for Political Affairs Tom Shannon says India failed to gain entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group due to China-led opposition and calls for Beijing to be held accountable.

July 5-7, 2016: US Assistant Secretary Frank Rose visits Beijing for discussions on mutual strategic interests with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China National Space Administration.

July 6, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks with Secretary of State Kerry by telephone ahead of a UNCLOS Tribunal award on South China Sea claims and warns Washington against moves that infringe on China’s sovereignty.

July 9, 2016: US State Department of State issues a press statement expressing concern about the continued detention in China of at least 23 defense lawyers and rights defenders and denial of access to independent legal counsel.

July 12, 2016: US officials arrive in Beijing to hold talks on a bilateral investment treaty. They discuss the recent exchange of negative list offers detailing which sectors will remain closed to foreign investment.

July 12, 2016: Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague issues a ruling against China in the case filed by the Philippines. National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Dan Kritenbrink and Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai deliver speeches at CSIS.

July 13, 2016: US House of Representative’s Science, Space and Technology Committee releases an investigative report that finds China’s government likely hacked computers at the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

July 13, 2016: US challenges China’s export duties on nine key metals and minerals, arguing that they violate Beijing’s commitments to the World Trade Organization and give an unfair advantage to Chinese manufacturers.

July 17-19, 2016: Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, visits Beijing, where he meets the commander of the PLA Navy, Adm. Wu Shengli, then travels to Qingdao for a visit to China’s aircraft carrier, Liaoning.

July 19, 2016: US Trade Representative Michal Froman announces that the US has expanded its challenge at the WTO concerning China’s export restraints on raw materials that it believes provides an unfair competitive advantage to China.

July 24-27, 2016: National Security Adviser Susan Rice visits Beijing to discuss the South China Sea, North Korea, economic issues, and human rights, and to lay the groundwork for Obama’s talks with Xi at the G20 summit in September.

July 25, 2016: Secretary of State Kerry and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting in Vientiane.

Aug. 3, 2016: China blocks a United Nations Security Council statement condemning North Korea for firing two missiles.

Aug. 3-4, 2016: China and the US hold the first legal dialogue in Beijing sponsored by China’s central leading group for judicial reform and US departments of justice and commerce.

Aug. 5, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks with Secretary of State Kerry over the phone on US-China relations, the G20, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Aug. 8, 2016: Guided missile destroyer USS Benfold arrives in port in Qingdao for a ship visit.

Aug. 8, 2016: State Department issues a press statement urging Chinese authorities to release the lawyers and rights defenders who are imprisoned or in detention, and says the campaign undermines China’s development of a judicial system that respects the rule of law.

Aug. 10, 2016: After hundreds of Chinese fishing boats and a large number of government vessels swarm near the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands, State Department spokesman says the US opposes unilateral action that seeks to undermine Japan’s administration of the islands, which fall under Article 5 of the US-Japan Mutual Defense Treaty.

Aug. 16, 2016: US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley meets counterpart Gen. Li Zuocheng in Beijing.

Aug. 19, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang exchanges views by phone with Treasury Secretary Lew in advance of the G20 Summit.

Aug. 24-Sept. 11, 2016: China, US, and Australia conduct joint military exercise Kowari 2016, which includes field survival training in Darwin, Australia.

August 30, 2016: National Security Advisor Susan Rice meets Chinese human rights advocates to discuss issues related to human rights, including religious freedom, in China.

Sept. 2, 2016: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang meets US Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew in Hangzhou ahead of the 11^th G20 Summit.

Sept. 3, 2016: US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet in Hangzhou for six hours in advance of the G20 Summit.

Sept. 3, 2016: US and China formally join the Paris climate agreement, handing UN chief Ban Ki-moon the documents of ratification.

Sept. 7, 2016: Speaking to reporters after returning from a two-week trip in Asia, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James says China is pursuing militarization in the South China Sea with the intent to “extend their reach” as a global power.

Sept. 8, 2016: At a meeting in Vientiane, President Obama tells the leaders of ASEAN that the July 12 arbitration ruling was “binding” and “helped to clarify maritime rights in the region.”

Sept. 9, 2016: Secretary of Defense Ash Carter says China bears “great responsibility” for North Korea’s fifth nuclear test and calls on Beijing to apply pressure to stop Pyongyang’s behavior.

Sept. 13, 2016: Obama administration launches a new trade enforcement action against China at the World Trade Organization over excessive government support for its agriculture sector.

Sept. 19, 2016: Premier Li Keqiang meets President Obama on the margins of the UN General Assembly to discuss pragmatic cooperation on bilateral and international issues such as trade, the Korean Peninsula, and climate change.

Sept. 21, 2016: US House Subcommittee on Seapower and Force Projection holds a hearing on “Seapower and Projection Forces in the South China Sea.”

Sept. 22, 2016: US House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific holds a hearing on “Diplomacy and Security in the South China Sea: After the Tribunal.”

Sept. 26, 2016: US Department of the Treasury imposes sanctions on four individuals and Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development Co, for supporting North Korea’s WMD proliferation efforts.

Sept. 27, 2016: The US Space Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee holds a hearing on “Are We Losing the Space Race to China.”

Sept. 29, 2016: Two US Navy ships, the USS Bonhomme Richard and the USS Green Bay, make a port call in Hong Kong, the first such visit since China rejected a visit by a US aircraft carrier five months ago.

Sept. 29, 2016: Defense Secretary Carter says the US will sharpen its military edge in the face of Chinese territorial expansionism, which would ensure the US “remains the region’s strongest military and security partner of choice.”

Oct. 12, 2016: Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel says that Washington reserves the right to punish Chinese companies that violate US sanctions on North Korea if Chinese authorities don’t take action.

Oct. 14, 2016: US Treasury issues its 16^th currency report under the Obama administration, which keeps China on a watch list for currency manipulation based on its large goods trade surplus with the US, but says China’s overall performance improved since April.

Oct. 19, 2016: China wins a WTO complaint against the US Commerce Department’s methods of determining anti-dumping duties on Chinese products in a WTO dispute panel ruling.

Oct. 20, 2016: Representatives from US Department of State and China National Space Administration discuss civil space cooperation at second Civil Space Dialogue in Washington.

Oct. 21, 2016: USS Decatur, a US Navy destroyer, sails near Paracel Island land features occupied by China, and is warned by two Chinese ships to leave the waters. The Chinese Defense Ministry calls the move “illegal” and “provocative.”

Oct. 21, 2016: In a letter to US Trade Representative Michael Froman, eight US senators ask the Obama administration to take action against China over unfair subsidies to the Chinese aluminum industry.

Oct. 23, 2016: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang exchanges views with US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew via telephone on issues related to the two countries’ economic relations.

Oct. 28, 2016: Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of Joint Staff Department of China’s Central Military Commission, meets with US Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy David B. Shear, in Beijing on the margins of the interim Strategic Security Dialogue.

Oct. 29, 2016: An interim Strategic Security Dialogue is held in Beijing chaired by US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui.

Oct. 30, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Beijing, and says the two countries should create positive momentum to bilateral ties, especially ahead of the US presidential election.

Oct. 31, 2016: Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei meets newly-appointed US Special Representative for North Korea Policy of the Department of State Joseph Yun in Beijing.

Nov. 1, 2016: Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice meet Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi in New York.

Nov. 2, 2016: In a letter to US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, twelve US senators urge that a national security review panel reject Chinese aluminum giant Zhongwang International Group Ltd.’s proposed $2.3 billion purchase of US aluminum products maker Aleris Corp.

Nov. 7, 2016: US Commerce Department launches two new investigations into whether Chinese steelmakers are shipping metal to the US via Vietnam to evade US import tariffs.

Nov. 9, 2016: President Xi Jinping sends a congratulatory message to Donald Trump on his election as president. Vice President Li Yuanchao sends a congratulatory message to Mike Pence on his election as vice president.

Nov. 13-18, 2016: US-China joint humanitarian aid and disaster relief drill is held at a military base in Kunming. More than 100 Chinese soldiers and 89 US soldiers join the drill.

Nov. 13, 2016: President Xi calls President-elect Trump and tells him that cooperation is the only choice for relations between the two countries.

Nov. 16, 2016: Ambassador of China Cui Tiankai says at a film screening in Washington DC that China and the US must avoid being overly suspicious of each other’s strategic tensions.

Nov. 19, 2016: President Xi meets President Obama on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru to discuss smooth transition of US leadership and implications for US-China relations.

Nov. 21, 2016: Vice Premier Wang Yang says at the closing ceremony of the US-China Tourism Year 2016 in Washington that the year-long series of cultural and people-to-people exchanges gave fresh impetus to bilateral relations.

Nov. 21-23, 2016: The 27th Session of the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) is held in Washington, co-chaired by Vice Premier Wang Yang, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and US Trade Representative Michael Froman, with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack also in attendance.

Nov. 21-22, 2016: The 14th plenary session of the US-China Joint Liaison Group on Law Enforcement Cooperation (JLG) is held in Beijing.

Nov. 23, 2016: Secretary of Commerce Pritzker says the US does not support granting China market economy status under World Trade Organization rules.

Dec. 2, 2016: Citing a national security risk, President Obama blocks a Chinese investor’s proposed takeover of Aixtron SE, a German maker of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Dec. 2, 2016: President-elect Trump receives a phone call from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen who called to congratulate him on his victory.

Dec. 2, 2016: US House of Representatives passes National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2017, which for the first time includes non-binding language calling for senior military exchanges with Taiwan.

Dec. 3, 2016: China lodges “stern representations” with the US after Trump’s phone call with Tsai Ing-wen, urging that the US carefully handle the Taiwan issue.

Dec. 6-9, 2016: Chinese fleet, composed of the guided-missile frigates Yancheng and Daqing, and the supply ship Taihu, make a port visit in San Diego.

Dec. 7, 2016: Third US-China High-Level Joint Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues, co-chaired by Chinese State Council Guo Shengkun, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson is held in Washington DC.

Dec. 7, 2016: Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduces a bill that would slap sanctions on China for its destabilizing actions in the East and South China Seas.

Dec. 8, 2016: China’s flies an H-6K bomber and other aircraft along the nine-dash line in the South China Sea, passing over a number of disputed land features.

Dec. 8, 2016: National Security Advisor Susan Rice meets State Councilor Guo Shengkun.

Dec. 12, 2016: On Fox News Sunday President-elect Trump says the US does not necessarily have to maintain its long-standing position that Taiwan is part of “one China” unless Beijing is willing to make deals on trade.

Dec. 12, 2016: China files a complaint at the World Trade Organization against the US and Europe after they reject giving China market economy status.

Dec. 15, 2016: Obama administration files a WTO challenge to Chinese restriction on grain imports (corn, rice and wheat) in the form of tariff-rate quotas, which allegedly blocked $3.5 billion in imports in 2015 alone. This is the 15^th WTO action by the Obama administration against Beijing.

Dec. 15, 2016: China seizes an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) operated by the US oceanographic survey ship USNS Bowditch approximately 50 nm from Subic Bay, Philippines.

Dec. 16, 2016: Pentagon spokesman says through direct engagement with Chinese authorities, the two countries have secured an understanding that China will return the UUV to the US.

Dec. 20, 2016: China’s PLA Navy vessel returns the seized UUV to the guided missile destroyer USS Mustin, in approximately the same location from where it was taken.

Dec. 20, 2016: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets outgoing US Ambassador to China Max Baucus in Beijing, and states that while “there are certainly some contradictions between China and the US … the common interests between both countries far outweigh the differences.”

Dec. 22, 2016: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson says THAAD “severely disrupts the regional strategic balance, damages strategic and security interests of countries in the region, including China, and thus runs counter to peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.” She further states China “will definitely take necessary measures to safeguard its security interests.”

Dec. 23, 2016: President Obama signs into law the national Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, which calls for senior military exchanges between the US and Taiwan.

Dec. 24, 2016: China’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning sets off for the Western Pacific for its first open-sea training exercise, according to the Chinese Defense Ministry.

Dec. 25, 2016: Foreign Ministry says China has expressed “stern representations” with the US after President Obama signed into law the national Defense Authorization Act for FY 2017.

Dec. 27, 2016: US charges three Chinese traders with hacking into the computer systems of prominent US law firms and stealing nonpublic information on mergers and acquisitions.

Jan. 2, 2017: Donald Trump tweets “China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won’t help with North Korea. Nice!”

Jan. 5, 2017: Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State John Kerry review the positive achievements in US-China relationship during the Obama administration by phone.

Jan. 12, 2017: US launches a WTO complaint over Chinese aluminum subsidies.

Jan. 17, 2017: President Xi Jinping meets Vice President Joe Biden in Davos, Switzerland and calls for joint efforts in building long-term, stable US-China relations.

Jan. 18, 2017: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang and US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew exchange views by phone on issues related to economic relations.

Jan. 24, 2017: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang conducts an interview with NBC News on US-China relations.

Jan. 25, 2017: China’s Ministry of Commerce questions the US decision to levy duties on Chinese truck and bus tires.

Jan. 26, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on Chinese Investments in the United States: “Impacts and Issues for Policymakers.”

Feb. 1, 2017: Ivanka Trump and her 5-year-old daughter Arabella attend the Lunar New Year reception at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.

Feb. 3, 2017: Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi talks to National Security Adviser Michael Flynn by phone, emphasizing that China hopes to manage and control disputes with the US.

Feb.7, 2017: At a regular press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang urges the US to take a responsible attitude and stop making false statements on the sovereignty issue of Diaoyu Island.

Feb. 8, 2017: US Navy P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft and a Chinese military surveillance aircraft come within 1,000 feet of each other near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Pentagon later rules the encounter unintentional.

Feb. 8, 2017: President Donald Trump sends a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping wishing the Chinese people a happy Lantern Festival and saying that he looks forward to working together to develop a constructive relationship that benefits both countries.

Feb. 9, 2017: President Trump tells President Xi in a phone call that he will honor the “one China” policy.

Feb. 10, 2017: President Trump tweets “The failing @nytimes does major FAKE NEWS China story saying “Mr. Xi has not spoken to Mr. Trump since Nov.14.” We spoke at length yesterday!”

Feb 17, 2017: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet on the sidelines of the Group of 20 ministers meeting in Bonn, Germany.

Feb 17, 2017: Vice Premier Wang Yang and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin exchange views via telephone on issues including economic cooperation.

Feb. 17, 2017: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin phones Liu He, head of the office of the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs; Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People’s Bank of China, and Finance Minister Xiao Jie.

Feb. 21, 2017: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and State Councilor Yang Jiechi speak by phone to affirm the importance of a constructive bilateral relationship.

Feb. 23, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s advanced weapons.

Feb. 24, 2017: In an interview with Reuters, President Trump calls Chinese “grand champions” of currency manipulation.

Feb. 27, 2017: State Councilor Yang Jiechi meets Trump briefly after talks with new US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Feb. 27, 2017: At a regular White House press conference, Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that when Trump concedes a point, he “always gets something” in return, responding to a question on President Trump’s reaffirmation of the longstanding one China policy.

Feb. 28, 2017: At an address to a joint session of Congress, President Trump states that the US has “lost 60,000 factories since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.”

March 1, 2017: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang denies President Trump’s claim that the US has closed more than 60,000 factories since China joined the WTO, emphasizing that China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial.

March 2, 2017: US Navy Commander Gary Ross, Pentagon spokesperson for Asia Pacific affairs, tells Voice of America (VOA) that there had been one direct engagement between the US and China militaries since the beginning of the year.

March 3, 2017: Special Representative Wu Dawei phones US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun, expressing China’s position and concerns on the US-ROK joint military drills and the deployment of THAAD by the US in the ROK.

March 3, 2017: US State Department releases the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016, which accuses China of various human rights abuses.

March 7, 2017: US Commerce Department fines Chinese telecommunications company ZTE Corp. $1.2 billion for breaking US sanctions by selling equipment to North Korea and Iran.

March 9, 2017: US State Department spokesman Mark Toner rejects China’s proposal for the simultaneous suspension of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile development program and US-South Korea joint military exercises.

March 15, 2017: US Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduce the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act, which would sanction Chinese individuals and entities that participate in illegitimate Chinese activities in those seas.

March 16, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s Pursuit of Next Frontier Tech: “Computing, Robotics, and Biotechnology.”

March 17, 2017: In a press conference in South Korea with ROK Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, Secretary of State Tillerson calls China’s economic retaliation against South Korea for deploying THAAD “inappropriate and troubling.”

March 17, 2017: President Trump tweets, “North Korea is behaving very badly. They have been ‘playing’ the United States for years. China has done little to help!”

March 17-19, 2017: US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun meets Special Representative Wu Dawei in Beijing.

March 18-20, 2017: Secretary of State Tillerson visits Beijing for consultations and meets President Xi Jinping, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

March 21, 2017: US imposes sanctions on 30 foreign entities and individuals in 10 countries pursuant to the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA), including entities and individuals from China.

March 22, 2017: Chinese military issues a warning to a US Air Force B-1 bomber flying in the East China Sea.

March 23, 2017: Regarding China’s warning to a US Air Force B-1 bomber on March 22, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying asks the US to “respect the right of other countries to establish ADIZs.”

March 23, 2017: House of Representatives introduces a bipartisan resolution strongly condemning China’s retaliation against South Korea over the deployment of THAAD, pointing out that China’s retaliatory measures might violate WTO rules.

March 30, 2017: President Trump tweets “The meeting next week with China will be a very difficult one in that we can no longer have massive trade deficits … and job losses. American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives.”

March 31, 2017: US Trade Representative issues annual report on trade barriers that cites China on a range of trade issues, including industrial overcapacity, forced technology transfers, and long-standing bans on US beef and electronic payment services.

March 31, 2017: US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designates North Korean nationals working as agents of the regime in China engaged in activities in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

April 2, 2017: State Councilor Yang Jiechi talks by phone with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to discuss the upcoming Xi-Trump Mar-a-Lago summit.

April 6-7, 2017: President Trump hosts President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

April 8, 2017: President Trump tweets “It was a great honor to have President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan of China as our guests in the United States. Tremendous … goodwill and friendship was formed, but only time will tell on trade.”

April 11, 2017: President Trump tweets “I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!”

April 11, 2017: President Trump tweets “North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.”

April 12, 2017: President Xi talks by phone with President Trump to address issues regarding North Korea.

April 13, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on Hotspots along China’s Maritime Periphery.

April 14, 2017: US Treasury releases its biannual currency report. China remains on a watch list for currency manipulation along with five other countries.

April 15, 2017: State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Secretary Tillerson discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula during a phone call.

April 16, 2017: President Trump tweets “Why would I call China a currency manipulator when they are working with us on the North Korean problem? We will see what happens!”

April 21, 2017: President Trump tweets “China is very much the economic lifeline to North Korea so, while nothing is easy, if they want to solve the North Korean problem, they will.”

April 23, 2017: In his interview with the Associated Press, President Trump mentions that he has a “great chemistry together” with the president of China, and that China has not been a currency manipulator “from the time I took office.”

April 24, 2017: President Xi talks by telephone with President Trump to address issues regarding North Korea.

April 27, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s Information Controls, Global Media Influence, and Cyber Warfare Strategy.

April 28, 2017: President Trump tweets “North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!”

April 28, 2017: Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Secretary of State Tillerson in New York on the sidelines of a Security Council ministerial meeting on the Korean Peninsula’s nuclear issue.

April 28, 2017: China deports Sandy Phan-Gillis, a US citizen who was convicted and sentenced on an espionage charge after she was held in custody for more than two years.

April 30, 2017: In an interview on CBS News, President Trump mentions that email hacking during election “could’ve been China” or other groups. He also maintains that he was “the one who got China to stop manipulating their currency.”

May 3, 2017: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang holds a phone conversation with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, in which they exchange ideas on enhancing bilateral economic cooperation.

May 4, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission conducts a hearing on China’s Information Controls, Global Media Influence, and Cyber Warfare Strategy.

May 11, 2017: US and China jointly announce the initial results of the 100-day action plan of the US-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue.

May 12, 2017: President Donald Trump tweets “China just agreed that the U.S. will be allowed to sell beef, and other major products, into China once again. This is REAL news!”

May 14-15, 2017: China holds the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. Matthew Pottinger, senior director for East Asia on the National Security Council staff, represents Trump administration.

May 17, 2017: Two Chinese Su-30 fighter jets intercept a US Air Force radiation detection plane over the East China Sea.

May 17, 2017: US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designates seven targets in connection with Iran’s ballistic missile program, including four Chinese targets.

May 20, 2017: State Councilor Yang Jiechi has telephone call with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in which they discuss coordination on the upcoming first round of the US-China diplomatic and security dialogue.

May 23, 2017: Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats provides an assessment of the threats posed by China in a hearing convened by the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Worldwide Threat Assessment.

May 23, 2017: US and China hold second bilateral Nuclear Security Dialogue in Washington, hosted by Dong Zhihua, deputy director general of the MFA’s Department of Arms Control, and Robert Gromoll, acting deputy assistant secretary of State.

May 25, 2017: Two Chinese J-10 fighter jets come within several hundred feet of a US Navy P-3 Orion over the South China Sea.

May 25, 2017: US Navy destroyer sails within 12 nm of Mischief Reef, in the Spratly Island chain in a freedom of navigation operation, the first under the Trump administration.

May 25-26, 2017: Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton visits Beijing to discuss bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest with Chinese officials.

May 29, 2017: President Trump tweets “North Korea has shown great disrespect for their neighbor, China, by shooting off yet another ballistic missile…but China is trying hard!”

May 30, 2017: US Navy confirms that China has been invited to attend next year’s US-hosted Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises.

June 1, 2017: US law enforcement hands over to Chinese police a criminal suspect named Zhu who was listed on an Interpol red notice and was accused of “serious offenses” by China.

June 3, 2017: At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Secretary of Defense James Mattis welcomes China’s economic development and acknowledges that “China occupies a legitimate position of influence in the Pacific” while criticizing Chinese actions that undermine the rules-based order.

June 4, 2017: Secretary of State Tillerson issues a statement marking the 28^th anniversary of the Chinese government’s violent suppression of protests in Tiananmen Square.

June 6, 2017: Treasury Secretary Mnuchin speaks on US-China economic relations at an event at the US-China Business Council in Washington.

June 6, 2017: Department of Defense releases its annual report, Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China.

June 6, 2017: State Department deputy spokesperson calls on China to release three labor activists affiliated with China Labor Watch and grant them judicial protections and a fair trial.

June 6-8, 2017: Energy Secretary Rick Perry attends Eighth Clean Energy Ministerial and Second Mission Innovation Ministerial in Beijing and meets Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

June 7, 2017: State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs releases Review of Key Developments in Hong Kong, finding that while China has taken actions inconsistent with its commitment to the Basic Law, Hong Kong still enjoys a “high degree of autonomy.”

June 8, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on China’s relations with Northeast Asia and continental Southeast Asia.

June 8, 2017: Two US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers fly a training mission from Guam over the South China Sea in conjunction with the Navy’s USS Sterett guided-missile destroyer.

June 12, 2017: Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announces the finalization of technical documents allowing for the US to resume commercial shipments of beef to China achieved as part of the US-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue.

June 12, 2017: US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett arrives in Zhanjiang, China for a scheduled port visit.

June 13, 2017: In testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Secretary of State Tillerson describes Chinese cooperation on North Korea as “notable” but “uneven.”

June 14, 2017: Ambassador Cui Tiankai welcomes US participation in the Belt and Road Initiative in speech at High-Level Dialogue on China-US Economic Relations in New York.

June 15, 2017: Justice Department files a complaint to forfeit $1.9 million from Mingzheng International Trading Ltd. for transactions on behalf of North Korea’s state-owned Foreign Trade Bank.

June 16, 2017: PLA Navy Commander Shen Jinlong meets visiting Commander of the US Pacific Fleet Adm. Scott Swift in Beijing.

June 20, 2017: Premier Li Keqiang encourages US business community to invest in China and contribute to bilateral economic cooperation during meeting with US delegation of business leaders and former officials.

June 20, 2017: President Trump tweets “While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!”

June 21, 2017: Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis host State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Gen. Fang Fenghui, chief of the Joint Staff Department of the PLA, for the first US-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue in Washington.

June 21, 2017: President Trump says the US has a “great relationship with China” at rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with China Ambassador and former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

June 21, 2017: US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expresses concerns about Chinese trade practices and market economy status at a hearing on trade policy held by Senate Committee on Finance.

June 22, 2017: Chinese State Councilor Yang and CMC member Fang meet President Trump.

June 22, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a hearing on US access to China’s consumer market in e-commerce, logistics, and financial services sectors.

June 22, 2017: Li Xie, director of China’s export division at China’s Commerce Ministry, speaks at a Commerce Department hearing on the Section 232 Investigation on the Effect of Imports of Aluminum on US National Security.

June 26, 2017: US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad identifies the bilateral trade imbalance, the North Korean threat, and people-to-people ties as top priorities in a video message to the Chinese people.

June 27, 2017: US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons downgrades China to the lowest rating in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report.

June 29, 2017: Treasury designates Bank of Dandong as a “foreign bank of primary money laundering concern” and imposes sanctions on two Chinese citizens and one Chinese shipping company.

June 29, 2017: State Department notifies Congress of its intention to sell an arms package to Taiwan worth $1.42 billion.

June 30, 2017: Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue joins Ambassador Branstad to slice a Nebraska prime rib in a Beijing ceremony, formally marking the return of US beef to the Chinese market after a 13 year hiatus.

June 30, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission releases statement on recent developments Hong Kong on the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from the UK to China.

July 2, 2017: US destroyer USS Stethem conducts FON operation within 12 nm of Triton Island in the Paracel Island chain while shadowed by a Chinese warship.

July 2, 2017: President Trump speaks by phone with President Xi. They discuss North Korea, trade relations and “a range of other regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest.”

July 3, 2017: After North Korea launches its 11th ballistic missile of the year, Trump tweets: “Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!”

July 3, 2017: Vice Premier Wang Yang and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross hold a telephone conversation in which they discuss economic relations between the two countries.

July 5, 2017: President Trump tweets: “Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter. So much for China working with us – but we had to give it a try!”

July 6, 2017: Two US B-1 Lancer bombers from Guam conduct a freedom of navigation flight over the South China Sea.

July 8, 2017: President Trump and President Xi meet on sidelines of the G20 summit to discuss how to deal with North Korea and other sensitive issues. Afterward, Trump tweets: “we had an excellent meeting on trade & North Korea.”

July 10, 2017: China acknowledges apology from US for White House press release on the Trump-Xi G20 meeting which mistakenly referred to Xi Jinping as president of the Republic of China.

July 12, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a roundtable on the Health of China’s Economy.

July 12, 2017: Human Rights Commission of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs holds a hearing on freedom of religion in Tibet.

July 12, 2017: President Trump tweets an article from The Gazette titled “After 14 years, US beef hits Chinese market. Trade deal an exciting opportunity for agriculture.”

July 13, 2017: Secretary of State Tillerson issues a statement mourning the passing of 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo, noting that he embodied the human spirit that the Nobel Prize rewards. Tillerson also calls on China to release his wife Liu Xia.

July 13, 2017: President Trump releases statement on the death of Liu Xiaobo through White House Press Secretary Office.

July 13, 2017: Onboard Air Force One, President Trump tells reporters that China has been dumping steel and “destroying our steel industry” for decades. He says he will stop this through “quotas and tariffs, maybe both.”

July 13, 2017: In remarks at the Summer Meeting of the National Governors Association in Providence, Rhode Island, Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai says that “troubling developments” could derail US-China relations. He also calls for the negotiation of a bilateral investment treaty.

July 14, 2017: House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations holds hearing on “The Tragic Case of Liu Xiaobo.”

July 18, 2017: Secretary of Commerce Ross hosts a meeting of over 20 business leaders from the United States and China to discuss issues troubling economic relations between the countries. The session is moderated by Jack Ma and Stephen Schwarzman.

July 19, 2017: Secretary of Commerce Ross and Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin host a Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier Wang Yang for first round of US-China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in Washington.

July 20, 2017: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson and People’s Liberation Army Navy Commander Vice Adm. Shen Jinlong hold a video conference.

July 20, 2017: Secretary of Agriculture Perdue announces agreement on protocol to allow the US to begin exporting rice to China for the first time.

July 23, 2017: Two Chinese J-10 fighter jets buzz US Navy EP-3 approximately 90 nm south of Qingdao in the East China Sea with one jet allegedly coming within 300 feet of the EP-3.

July 25, 2017: At a hearing entitled “Assessing the Maximum Pressure and Engagement Policy toward North Korea,” Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton discusses China in testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity.

July 26, 2017: In an interview with The Washington Free Beacon, CIA Director Mike Pompeo says “China has the capacity to present the greatest rivalry to America” in the long term.

July 27, 2017: Senior US defense officials, including Maj. Gen. Charles Hooper, attend reception celebrating the 90^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army at the Chinese Embassy in Washington.

July 28, 2017: Secretary of State Tillerson issues a statement after North Korea’s ICBM test that says China and Russia “bear unique and special responsibility” for North Korea’s ballistic missile program.

July 29, 2017: President Trump tweets: “I am very disappointed in China. Our foolish past leaders have allowed them to make hundreds of billions of dollars a year in trade, yet they do NOTHING for us with North Korea, just talk. We will no longer allow this to continue. China could easily solve this problem!”

July 30, 2017: US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley tweets: “Done talking about NKorea. China is aware they must act. Japan & SKorea must inc pressure. Not only a US problem. It will req an intl solution.”

July 31, 2017: In a press conference marking the end of China’s month-long presidency of the UNSC, Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Liu Jieyi says the US and North Korea have the primary responsibility to resolve the Korean Peninsula crisis by “moving in the right direction, [and] not China.”

Aug. 1, 2017: In a meeting with Michigan Governor Rick Snyder in Beijing, Premier Li Keqiang encourages Michigan and other US states to enhance exchanges, two-way trade, and investment with China’s provinces to create more opportunities and jobs for both sides.

Aug. 1, 2017: In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Commerce Secretary Ross slams China, as well as the European Union, for “formidable nontariff trade barriers” and vows to “use every available tool” to fight those limits.

Aug. 2, 2017: In a Department press briefing in Washington, Secretary of State Tillerson says the United States does not blame China for the Korean Peninsula nuclear conundrum.

Aug. 3, 2017: Chinese guided-missile frigate Liuzhou joins the US Navy in a search for a missing sailor in the South China Sea.

Aug. 6, 2017: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Secretary of State Tillerson on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila.

Aug. 8, 2017: US Department of Commerce announces its affirmative determination in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of imports of certain aluminum foil from China.

Aug. 10, 2017: US destroyer USS John S. McCain sails within 12 nm of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands.

Aug. 10, 2017: In remarks to reporters about Chinese pressure on North Korea, President Trump says: “I think China can do a lot more, and I think China will do a lot more.”

Aug. 12, 2017: In a phone call, Presidents Xi and Trump discuss North Korea.

Aug. 14, 2017: President Trump signs a memorandum ordering US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether an investigation is needed into China’s alleged unfair trade practices, including forced intellectual property transfer and patent theft.

Aug. 14, 2017: In compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2371, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) issues an order to ban the import of several commodities from North Korea, including coal, iron ore, lead, lead concentrates and ore, and seafood, effective Aug. 15.

Aug. 14-17, 2017: Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, visits China. He meets Xi Jinping and co-signs with his host, Gen. Fang Fenghui, the joint strategic dialogue mechanism to enhance military-to-military communication.

Aug. 14, 2017: China’s Director of MOFCOM Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau, Wang Hejun, urges the US not to harm the bilateral economic and trade relationship.

Aug. 15, 2017: In response to the Memorandum signed by President Trump on Aug. 14, China’s MOFCOM spokesman says China will resort to all proper measures if the US damages trade ties.

Aug. 15, 2017: Secretary of State Tillerson criticizes China’s religious freedom violations in his remarks on the release of 2016 International Religious Freedom Annual Report in Washington.

Aug. 18, 2017: US Trade Representative announces the initiation of a Section 301 investigation to determine whether Chinese practices relating to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are unreasonable or discriminatory, and if they burden or restrict US commerce.

Aug. 20-22, 2017: Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price visits Beijing. He tours the National Cancer Center and meets China’s Minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Li Bin, and Director of China’s Center for Disease Control George Gao.

Aug. 21, 2017: United States formally requests a WTO panel be set up to investigate Chinese tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) for agriculture products.

Aug. 22, 2017: Chinse MFA spokesperson warns the US against any military contacts with Taiwan Defense Minister Feng Shih-kuan during his transits in New York and Los Angeles on his way to and from Taiwan’s Central American allies.

Aug. 22, 2017: US Treasury sanctions Chinese and Russian entities and individuals for assisting North Korea with its development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

Aug. 23, 2017: State Councilor Yang Jiechi holds a telephone call with Secretary of State Tillerson, to discuss Afghanistan.

Sept. 3, 2017: North Korea conducts its sixth nuclear weapon test.

Sept. 3, 2017: North Korea conducts a hydrogen bomb test. President Trump tweets “The United States is considering, in addition to other options, stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea.”

Sept. 6, 2017: President Xi Jinping holds a phone call with President Trump, in which they discuss North Korea.

Sept. 12-13, 2017: Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi stops in Washington on his way to Latin America. He meets Secretary of State Tillerson, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner, to discuss bilateral ties.

Sept. 12, 2017: Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Susan Thornton and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Marshall Billingslea testify before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on the threat posed by North Korea.

Sept. 13, 2017: Trump issues an executive order to block the sale of Lattice Semiconductor Corp. to Canyon Bridge, a Chinese government-financed firm.

Sept. 13, 2017: Trump tweets “China has a business tax rate of 15%. We should do everything possible to match them in order to win with our economy. Jobs and wages!”

Sept. 15, 2017: Trump tweets “CHINA MIGRATION cannot be allowed to be part of any legislation on immigration!”

Sept. 18, 2017: Xi holds a phone call with Trump, in which they discuss Trump’s visit to China and the Korean Peninsula situation.

Sept. 19, 2017: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang meets a delegation from the US-China Working Group in Beijing, led by Co-Chairs Congressmen Rick Larsen and Darin Lahood, to discuss bilateral trade and economic relations.

Sept. 20, 2017: On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets Vice President Mike Pence to discuss solutions to the Korean Peninsula issue.

Sept. 25, 2017: Premier Li Keqiang meets Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in Beijing to discuss bilateral economic and trade relations.

Sept. 25, 2017: In a document submitted for debate at the WTO Services Council, the United States asks China not to implement its new cyber security law.

Sept. 26, 2017: US Treasury sanctions North Korean banks and individuals operating in China, Russia, Libya, and the United Arab Emirates for assisting development of North Korea’s WMDs.

Sept. 26, 2017: Trump thanks Xi for “breaking off all banking relationships with North Korea.”

Sept. 26, 2017: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford tells the Senate Armed Services Committee during a hearing on his re-appointment that “China probably poses the greatest threat to our nation by about 2025.”

Sept. 28, 2017: Secretary of State Tillerson and Vice Premier Liu Yandong co-chair the first round of the US-China Social and Cultural Dialogue in Washington DC.

Sept. 28, 2017: President Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner attend China’s National Day reception at the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.

Sept. 30, 2017: In Beijing, Secretary Tillerson meets President Xi, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss US-China relations and Trump’s upcoming visit to China.

Oct. 2, 2017: The USS Ronald Reagan docks in Hong Kong before conducting a joint naval drill with South Korea.

Oct. 2, 2017: Xi sends a condolence message to Trump over the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Oct. 3-6, 2017: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Secretary for Homeland Security Elaine Duke, and Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun co-chair the first round of the US-China Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Dialogue in Washington DC.

Oct. 6, 2017: Joint statement for first US-China Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Dialogue, summarizes discussions on counter-narcotics, cybersecurity and repatriation.

Oct. 10, 2017: US Navy destroyer sails near the Paracel Islands, conducting a freedom of navigation operation.

Oct. 11, 2017: Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl Risch and Director General of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Foreign Ministry Guo Shaochu co-chair the 11^th round of US-China Consular Consultations in Washington D.C.

Oct. 12, 2017: In a phone call, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Secretary Tillerson discuss Trump’s upcoming visit to China.

Oct. 13, 2017: US Department of Energy and the China National Development and Reform Commission host the Eighth US-China Energy Efficiency Forum in Denver.

Oct. 13, 2017: Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury designates China-based Wuhan Sanjian Import and Export Co. for supporting Iran’s Shiraz Electronic Industries, a key supporter of Iran’s military.

Oct. 16, 2017: At Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Chinese police repatriate an American fugitive to US law enforcement officers.

Oct. 17, 2017: Treasury Department’s Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies does not name China a currency manipulator, but keeps it on a currency monitoring list.

Oct. 18, 2017: In a speech at CSIS, Secretary Tillerson criticizes China’s activities in the South China Sea, claims China is undermining the rules-based international order, and says that the US plans to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Oct. 18, 2017: China’s 19^th Communist Party Congress opens in Beijing with Xi Jinping’s three-and-a-half-hour delivery of the work report.

Oct. 19, 2017: At a conference at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo says “we think that President Xi will come out of this in a dominant position with incredible capacity to do good around the world.”

Oct. 23, 2017: Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister and Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Korean Peninsula Affairs Kong Xuanyou meets US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun in Beijing to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Oct. 25, 2017: President Trump tweets “Spoke to President Xi of China to congratulate him on his extraordinary elevation. Also discussed NoKo & trade, two very important subjects!”

Oct. 25, 2017: President Trump tweets “Melania and I look forward to being with President Xi & Madame Peng Liyuan in China in two weeks for what will hopefully be a historic trip!”

Oct. 27, 2017: Secretary of Commerce Ross announces the affirmative preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigation of aluminum foil from China.

Oct. 27, 2017: Vice Premier Wang Yang holds a phone call with Secretary Ross to discuss bilateral economic relations.

Oct. 27, 2017: China urges the US not to allow Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to travel through US territory enroute to Taiwan’s Pacific allies.

Oct. 28, 2017: Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announce signing of a deal under the China-US Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement recognizing each other’s regulatory systems with respect to the airworthiness of aviation products.

Oct. 30, 2017: During a press briefing in Washington, China’s Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai warns against alleged US attempts to contain Beijing.

Oct. 30, 2017: Chinese Ministry of Commerce announces that it has started an anti-dumping investigation into ethanolamine imported from the US, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Oct. 30, 2017: President Xi says China is willing to cooperate with the US to achieve mutual benefits during a meeting with members of the advisory board of Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management in Beijing.

Oct. 30-31, 2017: Eighth US-China Bilateral Drug Intelligence Working Group Meeting is held in Beijing. The two parties agree to cooperate in drug prevention.

Oct. 31, 2017: During a press conference in Beijing, China’s Special Representative on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua says that China hopes the US will rejoin Paris Climate deal.

Nov. 2, 2017: In a phone call, State Councilor Yang and Secretary Tillerson discuss Trump’s upcoming visit to China.

Nov. 2, 2017: US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issues a final rule under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, severing the Bank of Dandong from the US financial system.

Nov. 3, 2017: At a briefing on Trump’s upcoming state visit, Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang says China hopes the US can “help and not cause problems” in the South China Sea.

Nov. 3, 2017: China’s Drug Control Agency disputes Trump’s claim that most of the fentanyl brought into the US was manufactured in China.

Nov. 7, 2017: Trump tweets “Getting ready to make a major speech to the National Assembly here in South Korea, then will be headed to China where I very much look forward to meeting with President Xi who is just off his great political victory.”

Nov. 8-9, 2017: President Trump visits Beijing, China for a series of bilateral, commercial, and cultural events, including meetings with President Xi.

Nov. 8, 2017: Commerce Secretary Ross and Vice Premier Wang Yang oversee the signing ceremony of 19 US-China trade deals in Beijing totaling $253 billion.

Nov. 8, 2017: President Trump tweets “On behalf of @FLOTUS Melania and I, THANK YOU for an unforgettable afternoon and evening at the Forbidden City in Beijing, President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan. We are looking forward to rejoining you tomorrow morning!”

Nov. 8, 2017: President Trump tweets “Looking forward to a full day of meetings with President Xi and our delegations tomorrow. THANK YOU for the beautiful welcome China! @FLOTUS Melania and I will never forget it!”

Nov. 8, 2017: President Trump tweets “President Xi, thank you for such an incredible welcome ceremony. It was a truly memorable and impressive display!”

Nov. 8, 2017: US Department of Homeland Security and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security cooperate on the investigation of a transnational IPR infringement crime based in Guangzhou.

Nov. 9, 2017: President Trump tweets “In the coming months and years ahead I look forward to building an even STRONGER relationship between the United States and China.”

Nov. 9, 2017: President Trump tweets “I don’t blame China, I blame the incompetence of past Admins for allowing China to take advantage of the US on trade leading up to a point where the US is losing $100s of billions. How can you blame China for taking advantage of people that had no clue? I would’ve done same!”

Nov. 9, 2017: President Trump tweets “My meetings with President Xi Jinping were very productive on both trade and the subject of North Korea. He is a highly respected and powerful representative of his people. It was great being with him and Madame Peng Liyuan!”

Nov. 9, 2017: President Trump tweets “I am leaving China for #APEC2017 in Vietnam. @FLOTUS Melania is staying behind to see the zoo, and of course, the Great WALL of China before going to Alaska to greet our AMAZING troops.”

Nov. 11, 2017: President Trump tweets “President Xi of China has stated that he is upping the sanctions against #NoKo. Said he wants them to denuclearize. Progress is being made.”

Nov. 11, 2017: President Trump tweets “Met with President Putin of Russia who was at #APEC meetings. Good discussions on Syria. Hope for his help to solve, along with China the dangerous North Korea crisis. Progress being made.”

Nov. 12, 2017: President Trump says “if I can help mediate or arbitrate [South China Sea disputes], please let me know” at a meeting in Hanoi with Vietnam’s president Tran Dai Quang.

Nov. 13, 2017: President Trump tweets “After my tour of Asia, all Countries dealing with us on TRADE know that the rules have changed. The United States has to be treated fairly and in a reciprocal fashion. The massive TRADE deficits must go down quickly!”

Nov. 13-20, 2017: US and Chinese militaries hold 13^th annual US-China Disaster Management Exchange in Portland, Oregon. Activities include an academic expert discussion, a tabletop exchange, and a practical field exchange.

Nov. 14-15, 2017: Seventh US-China Dialogue on Rule of Law and Human Rights is held in New York.

Nov. 15, 2017: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission of the US Congress issues its annual report. Recommendations include a call to strengthen the Foreign Agents Registration Act to tighten rules on Chinese state-run media outlets in the US.

Nov. 15, 2017: President Trump tweets “The failing @nytimes hates the fact that I have developed a great relationship with World leaders like Xi Jinping, President of China…”

Nov. 15, 2017: President Trump tweets “…They should realize that these relationships are a good thing, not a bad thing. The U.S. is being respected again. Watch Trade!”

Nov. 16, 2017: President Trump tweets “To the three UCLA basketball players I say: You’re welcome, go out and give a big Thank You to President Xi Jinping of China who made your release possible…”

Nov. 16, 2017: President Trump tweets “China is sending an Envoy and Delegation to North Korea – A big move, we’ll see what happens!”

Nov. 19, 2017: President Trump tweets “Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!”

Nov. 19, 2017: President Trump tweets “Shoplifting is a very big deal in China, as it should be (5-10 years in jail), but not to father LaVar. Should have gotten his son out during my next trip to China instead. China told them why they were released. Very ungrateful!”

Nov. 21, 2017: US Treasury Department sanctions three Chinese companies and a Chinese individual for engaging in trade with Pyongyang.

Nov. 21, 2017: US submits a Statement of Opposition to the WTO to oppose granting China market economy status, in support of the European Union in a dispute with China.

Nov. 27, 2017: US Department of Justice charges three hackers who work at China-based internet security firm for hacking corporations operating in the US for commercial advantage.

Nov. 28, 2017: Secretary of Commerce Ross announces self-initiation of antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China.

Nov. 29, 2017: Trump holds a phone call with Xi after North Korea conducts another ICBM test. Trump reportedly asks Xi to halt oil supply to North Korea.

Nov. 29, 2017: President Trump tweets “Just spoke to President XI JINPING of China concerning the provocative actions of North Korea. Additional major sanctions will be imposed on North Korea today. This situation will be handled!”

Nov. 29-30, 2017: US Joint Chiefs Planning Director Lt. Gen. Richard Clarke and China’s Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department Maj. Gen. Shao Yuanming chair the first meeting between US and Chinese joint staff departments in Washington DC.

Nov. 30, 2017: President Trump tweets “The Chinese Envoy, who just returned from North Korea, seems to have had no impact on Little Rocket Man. Hard to believe his people, and the military, put up with living in such horrible conditions. Russia and China condemned the launch.”

Dec. 2, 2017: US Trade Representative submits a legal document to the WTO to defend its right to oppose granting China a market economy status.

Dec. 3, 2017: On the sidelines of the Chinese Communist Party in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting in Beijing, State Councilor Yang Jiechi meets Democratic and Republican representatives to discuss party-to-party exchanges.

Dec. 4, 2017: US-China Energy Cooperation Forum is held in Changsha, China.

Dec. 6, 2017: At the Fortune Global Forum in Guangzhou, US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad says that getting the US-China Investment Treaty approved would be “very difficult.”

Dec. 6, 2017: Vice Minister Zheng Zeguang arrives in Washington DC for talks with US counterparts, reportedly aimed at defusing tensions between the US and China on North Korea.

Dec. 11, 2017: China launches a complaint at the WTO against the US and EU after they fail to treat China as a market economy and ease calculations of anti-dumping duties on Chinese goods.

Dec. 13, 2017: Shao Yuanming, deputy chief of the CMC Joint Staff Department, meets US military delegation headed by David Helvey, acting assistant secretary of defense, who attended the second round of the Sino-US Dialogue on Asia-Pacific Security in Beijing.

Dec. 14, 2017: Inaugural US-China Consultation on Foreign Nongovernmental Organization Management is held in Beijing.

Dec. 14, 2017: Foreign Ministry spokesman says China opposes US National Defense Authorization Act, which includes the sense of Congress recommendation that the US and Taiwan conduct port calls.

Dec. 18, 2017: White House issues National Security Strategy, which refers to China as a strategic competitor and rival of the US.

Dec 19, 2017: Foreign Ministry spokesperson urges Washington to stop distorting China’s strategic intention and discard its “outdated Cold War mentality.”

Dec. 20, 2017: Trump signs executive order to devise “a strategy to reduce the Nation’s reliance on critical minerals” that are largely imported from China.

Dec. 22, 2017: UN Security Council votes unanimously in support of UNSC Resolution 2397, imposing fresh sanctions on North Korea.

Jan. 2, 2018: A proposed $1.2 billion deal between Texas-based MoneyGram and Ant Financial, the digital payments affiliate of China’s Alibaba, is scrapped after failing to win approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Jan. 9, 2018: House Armed Services Committee holds a hearing “China’s Pursuit of Emerging and Exponential Technologies.”

Jan. 10, 2018: US House of Representatives passes two bills aimed at strengthening US-Taiwan relations, including H.R. 535 Taiwan Travel Act to encourage diplomatic visits between US and Taiwan officials and H.R. 3320 to help Taiwan regain observer status in the World Health Organization (WHO).

Jan. 12, 2018: US trade panel votes to continue antidumping and antisubsidy duty investigations against Chinese aluminum products despite China’s strong dissatisfaction.

Jan. 12, 2018: Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) releases the 2017 Notorious Markets List, listing China as a “notorious market” for pirated and fake products.

Jan. 15, 2018: President Donald Trump calls President Xi Jinping to discuss trade issues and recent developments on the Korean Peninsula.

Jan. 17, 2018: In an interview with Reuters, Trump says his administration is considering imposing a large fine on China as part of a probe into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property.

Jan. 17, 2018: Naura, a Chinese state-controlled semiconductor company, receives rare US regulatory approval for the purchase of Akrion Systems, a Pennsylvania-based rival.

Jan. 17, 2018: USS Hopper, a guided-missile destroyer, conducts a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea, sailing within 12 nm of Scarborough Shoal.

Jan. 19, 2018: Secretary of Defense James Mattis releases an unclassified summary of the National Defense Strategy, which states that “China is leveraging military modernization, influence operations and predatory economics to coerce neighboring countries to reorder the Indo-Pacific region to their advantage.”

Jan. 19, 2018: Office of the USTR releases annual report on China’s WTO compliance, stating China has “failed to embrace the market-oriented economic policies” championed by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is not “living up to certain commitments made when they joined” the organization.

Jan. 21-22, 2018: Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton visits Beijing to discuss bilateral and regional issues with her Chinese counterparts.

Jan. 22, 2018: President Trump imposes tariffs on imports of solar panels and washing machines, industries largely dominated by Chinese businesses. China’s Ministry of Commerce calls the move an “abuse” of trade remedies.

Jan. 24, 2018: US Treasury Department imposes new sanctions on North Korean and Chinese trading companies, including Beijing Chengxing Trading Co. and Dandong Jinxiang Trade Co.

Jan. 25, 2018: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission conducts hearing on China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Jan. 25, 2018: US games publisher, Activision Publishing Co., wins trademark lawsuit over Chinese film distributer, Huaxia Film Distribution Co.

Jan. 26, 2018: In a speech at the World Economic Forum, President Trump nods to China when stating that “The United States will no longer turn a blind eye to unfair economic practices,” including intellectual property theft.

Jan. 30, 2018: In an interview with BBC News, CIA Director Mike Pompeo discusses Chinese capabilities to exert covert influence over the West, stating “The Chinese have a much bigger footprint upon which to execute that mission than the Russians do.”

Jan. 31, 2018: In the State of the Union address, Trump names China as a major US competitor on both economic and military fronts, calling it a “rival” that challenges US interests.

Feb. 1, 2018: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson cautions Latin America over China’s influence in a speech at the University of Texas, arguing that, “Latin America does not need new imperial powers that seek only to benefit their own people.”

Feb. 2, 2018: During an event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass accuses China of aiding Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government with oil-for-loan investments.

Feb. 2, 2018: US Department of Defense releases Nuclear Posture Review, which names China as a threat and claims Beijing is “expanding its already considerable nuclear forces.”

Feb. 4, 2018: Chinese Commerce Ministry announces investigation into US exporters of sorghum for allegedly “dumping” the grain below cost, aided by improper US government subsidies, into the Chinese market.

Feb. 5, 2018: China releases a list of dual-use goods banned for export to North Korea, stating the list is meant to comply with the requirements of new UN sanctions imposed last year.

Feb. 6, 2018: China files petitions with the WTO on new US tariffs on solar panels and washing machines, arguing the tariffs “are not consistent” with international rules.

Feb. 8, 2018: Trump tweets “I will be meeting with Henry Kissinger at 1:45pm. Will be discussing North Korea, China and the Middle East.”

Feb. 8-9, 2018: Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi visits Washington and meets Secretary of State Tillerson, President Trump, and other senior officials.

Feb. 13, 2018: US Department of Commerce initiates antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of imports of large diameter welded pipe from China, among other countries.

Feb. 13, 2018: China’s Ministry of Commerce announces affirmative initial ruling of investigation into US dumping of styrene, a material used to make foam packing, and calls for importers to pay antidumping deposits for shipments.

Feb. 13, 2018: During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on “Worldwide Threats,” FBI Director Christopher A. Wray claims that Chinese spies are present in American academia.

Feb. 14, 2018: US Department of Commerce issues affirmative preliminary antidumping duty determination on cast-iron soil pipe fittings from China, and states it will collect cash duties from importers in response to the fittings being “dumped” into the US market.

Feb. 15, 2018: House Armed Services Committee holds hearing on “Strategic Competition with China.”

Feb. 15, 2018: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission conducts hearing on “China’s Military Reforms and Modernization: Implications for the United States.”

Feb. 18, 2018: China calls on the US to “severely punish” US citizen Michael Rohana for allegedly stealing the thumb of a terracotta warrior statue on display at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on Dec. 21.

Feb. 21, 2018: At a forum hosted by the Jack Kemp Foundation, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs David Malpass accuses China of “patently nonmarket behavior.”

Feb. 22, 2018: US Department of Commerce initiates antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigation of imports of rubber bands from China, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Feb. 23, 2018: US imposes new sanctions on various international shipping companies, including China’s Weihai World-Shipping Freight and Dongfeng Shipping Co.

Feb. 23, 2018: US tells WTO of its concern with China’s new internet access rules, warning they will create restrictions for cross-border service suppliers.

Feb. 24, 2018: China’s Foreign Ministry responds to new unilateral US sanctions on North Korea and urges the US to “immediately stop such wrongdoings so as not to undermine bilateral cooperation on the relevant area.”

Feb. 26, 2018: China’s Ministry of Commerce removes antidumping and antisubsidy duties on US white-feathered broiler chickens.

Feb. 26, 2018: White House spokesperson states that President Trump believes that Beijing’s decision on presidential term limits is “up to China.”

Feb. 26, 2018: In remarks at the 2018 White House Business Session with Governors, Trump praises China and states that “China has really done more, probably than they’ve ever done because of my relationship.”

Feb. 27, 2018: US Department of Commerce determines Chinese imports of aluminum foil are dumped and subsidized, and states that antidumping and countervailing duties will be levied on several Chinese firms.

Feb. 27 – March 3, 2018: President Xi’s top economic advisor, Liu He, visits Washington to discuss the problems in the US-China trade and economic relationship.

March 3, 2018: In a closed-door speech to Republican donors in Florida, Trump praises Xi for consolidating power and extending his potential tenure, musing he wouldn’t mind making such a maneuver himself.

March 6, 2018: In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on “Worldwide Threats,” US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats warns China is spending “an extraordinary amount of money” to increase their international influence.

March 7, 2018: Trump tweets “China has been asked to develop a plan for the year of a One Billion Dollar reduction in their massive Trade Deficit with the United States. Our relationship with China has been a very good one, and we look forward to seeing what ideas they come back with. We must act soon!” Subsequently, a White House spokesperson clarifies that Trump meant $100 billion.

March 8, 2018: At a press conference at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia, Secretary Tillerson warns African nations against forfeiting “any elements of your sovereignty as you enter into such arrangements with China.”

March 8, 2018: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearing on “China, the United States, and Next Generation Connectivity.”

March 9, 2018: In a phone call, Xi urges Trump to begin talks “as soon as possible” with North Korea and praises the US president for his “positive aspiration” to achieve a political settlement on the Korean Peninsula.

March 10, 2018: President Trump tweets “Chinese President XI JINPING and I spoke at length about the meeting with KIM JONG UN of North Korea. President XI told me he appreciates that the US is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative. China continues to be helpful!”

March 11, 2018: At a press conference in Beijing, Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan states that trade wars “leave no winners” and that China doesn’t want a trade war with the US and will not start one, but will defend national and Chinese people’s interests.

March 16, 2018: President Trump signs the Taiwan Travel Act (TTA).

March 17, 2018: Spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US criticizes the TTA, saying that it “severely violates” the “one-China principle, the political foundation of the China-US relationship, and the three joint communiques between China and the US.”

March 21, 2018: House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific holds hearing on “US Responses to China’s Foreign Influence Operations.”

March 22-23, 2018: President Trump signs a memorandum, citing Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, instructing the government to respond to Chinese practices with approximately $60 billion worth of imports. The following day, the US requests consultations with China at the WTO over cited “unfair” technology practices.

March 23, 2018: China proposes tariffs on 128 US products worth about $3 billion, including wine, fresh fruit, and ethanol.

March 23, 2018: USS Mustin conducts freedom of navigation operation around Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands.

March 23, 2018: At the UN Human Rights Council, the US delegation rejects a resolution brought by China, claiming that it sought to glorify Xi Jinping’s “win-win” agenda and “weaken the UN human rights system.”

March 24, 2018: In a phone call with US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He states that China “has the strength to defend its national interest” and urges both countries to work to “maintain the stability” of the China-US trade relationship.

March 28, 2018: President Trump tweets “Received message last night from XI JINPING of China that his meeting with KIM JONG UN went very well and that KIM looks forward to his meeting with me. In the meantime, and unfortunately, maximum sanctions and pressure must be maintained at all cost!”

March 28, 2018: Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), meets US Senate delegation led by Sen, Steve Daines in Beijing.

March 31, 2018: UN blacklists 27 ships and 21 companies for helping North Korea evade sanctions, including three trading firms in Hong Kong and two in Mainland China.

March 31, 2018: On a visit to Beijing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren states that US policy has been “misdirected” for decades and policymakers are now recalibrating ties.

April 1, 2018: China raises tariffs on meat 25 percent and imposes a 15 percent tariff on 128 US commodities, including fruit.

April 3, 2018: Office of the USTR publishes proposed list of products imported from China that could be subject to additional tariffs, including products in the aerospace, information and communication technology, robotics, and machinery industries.

April 4, 2018: Trump tweets “We are not in a trade war with China, that war was lost many years ago by the foolish, or incompetent, people who represented the U.S. Now we have a Trade Deficit of $500 Billion a year, with Intellectual Property Theft of another $300 Billion. We cannot let this continue!”

April 4, 2018: According to Xinhua, Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai meets acting Secretary of State John Sullivan, and urges him to abandon US “unilateral and protectionist practices” and terminate Section 301 investigation as early as possible.

April 4, 2018: China formally launches WTO dispute settlement procedures over US Section 301 Investigation against Beijing.

April 4, 2018: China imposes an additional tariff of 25 percent on US products worth $50 billion, including soybeans, automobiles, and chemical products.

April 5, 2018: Trump tweets “The Fake News Washington Post, Amazon’s “chief lobbyist,” has another (of many) phony headlines, “Trump Defiant As China Adds Trade Penalties.” WRONG! Should read, “Trump Defiant as U.S. Adds Trade Penalties, Will End Barriers And Massive I.P. Theft.” Typically bad reporting!”

April 5, 2018: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearing on “China’s Relations with US Allies and Partners in Europe and the Asia Pacific.”

April 5, 2018: President Trump instructs USTR to consider whether $100 billion of additional tariffs would be appropriate.

April 6, 2018: Trump tweets “China, which is a great economic power, is considered a Developing Nation within the World Trade Organization. They therefore get tremendous perks and advantages, especially over the U.S. Does anybody think this is fair. We were badly represented. The WTO is unfair to U.S.”

April 6, 2018: Commerce Ministry spokesperson states that if the US goes forward with $100 billion in additional tariffs, China is “fully prepared and will without hesitation counterattack with great strength.”

April 7, 2018: President Trump tweets “The United States hasn’t had a Trade Surplus with China in 40 years. They must end unfair trade, take down barriers and charge only Reciprocal Tariffs. The U.S. is losing $500 Billion a year, and has been losing Billions of Dollars for decades. Cannot continue!”

April 8, 2018: Trump tweets “President Xi and I will always be friends, no matter what happens with our dispute on trade. China will take down its Trade Barriers because it is the right thing to do. Taxes will become Reciprocal & a deal will be made on Intellectual Property. Great future for both countries!”

April 9, 2018: Trump tweets “When a car is sent to the United States from China, there is a Tariff to be paid of 2 1/2%. When a car is sent to China from the United States, there is a Tariff to be paid of 25%. Does that sound like free or fair trade. No, it sounds like STUPID TRADE – going on for years!”

April 10, 2018: In a speech at the Boao Forum, President Xi promises to reduce tariffs on imported automobiles and ownership limits for foreign car companies.

April 10, 2018: Trump tweets “Very thankful for President Xi of China’s kind words on tariffs and automobile barriers…also, his enlightenment on intellectual property and technology transfers. We will make great progress together!”

April 11, 2018: Trump tweets “So much Fake News about what is going on in the White House. Very calm and calculated with a big focus on open and fair trade with China, the coming North Korea meeting and, of course, the vicious gas attack in Syria. Feels great to have Bolton & Larry K on board. I (we) are…”

April 12, 2018: President Trump discusses agricultural issues and other aspects of the US-China economic relationship in a meeting with governors and members of Congress.

April 12, 2018: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission conducts hearing on “China’s Role in North Korea Contingencies.”

April 13, 2018: In its biannual currency exchange report, US Treasury Department includes China on its “Monitoring List” of major trading partners that merit close attention to their currency practices. The report also expresses concern about lack of progress by China in correcting the bilateral trade imbalance.

April 14, 2018: China votes in favor of a resolution in the UN Security Council introduced by Russia condemning the strike by US, UK and French forces on Syria.

April 16, 2018: President Trump tweets “Russia and China are playing the Currency Devaluation game as the U.S. keeps raising interest rates. Not acceptable!”

April 16, 2018: US bans US firms from selling parts to Chinese phone maker ZTE for seven years after the Department of Commerce finds ZTE violated an agreement reached after the company was caught shipping US goods to Iran.

April 17, 2018: In a bid to ease trade tensions, China announces scrapping of foreign ownership limits on Chinese auto firms by 2022, making it easier for US automakers and aerospace manufacturers to own factories in China.

April 18, 2018: China imposes temporary deposit of 178.6 percent on US sorghum imports after finding the US grain has damaged its domestic industry in a preliminary antidumping ruling.

April 20, 2018: At a press briefing announcing the release of the Department of State’s annual human rights report, acting Secretary Sullivan says “China continues to spread the worst features of its authoritarian system, including restrictions on activists, civil society, freedom of expression, and the use of arbitrary surveillance.”

April 20, 2018: Director General of the Department of Arms Control of the Foreign Ministry Wang Qun meets US Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Non-proliferation Christopher Ford in Beijing.

April 24, 2018: China publishes report on “Human Rights Record of the United States in 2017.”

April 25, 2018: US Department of Justice launches criminal investigation into China’s Huawei Technologies to investigate whether it violated US sanctions in relation to Iran.

April 25, 2018: China’s Commerce Ministry spokesperson urges the US to abandon trade unilateralism and adopt an approach via dialogue, and reaffirms its opposition to unilateralism and protectionism.

April 26, 2018: US-China Economic and Security Review Commission holds hearing on “China’s Agricultural Policies: Trade, Investment, Safety, and Innovation.”

April 26, 2018: State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, who was in Beijing for ninth China-US Transportation Forum.

April 27, 2018: President Trump tweets “Please do not forget the great help that my good friend, President Xi of China, has given to the United States, particularly at the Border of North Korea. Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!”

May 1, 2018: In an interview with CNBC, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross claims the US-China trade deficit is “inspired by evil practices.”

May 1, 2018: President Donald Trump tweets “Delegation heading to China to begin talks on the Massive Trade Deficit that has been created with our Country. Very much like North Korea, this should have been fixed years ago, not now. Same with other countries and NAFTA … but it will all get done. Great Potential for USA!”

May 2, 2018: President Trump tweets “Our great financial team is in China trying to negotiate a level playing field on trade! I look forward to being with President Xi in the not too distant future. We will always have a good (great) relationship!”

May 3, 2018: The Pentagon files a complaint and claims that two US pilots had been injured by Chinese military-grade laser pointers at the US base in Djibouti.

May 3-4, 2018: A delegation of senior US economic advisers travels to Beijing and meets President Xi Jinping and Vice President Wang Qishan.

May 4, 2018: President Trump tweets “Our high level delegation is on the way back from China where they had long meetings with Chinese leaders and business representatives. We will be meeting tomorrow to determine the results, but it is hard for China in that they have become very spoiled with U.S. trade wins!”

May 4, 2018: In a conference call to reporters, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for South and Southeast Asia Joe Felter states concern regarding “China’s predatory economic activities” in the Indian Ocean and insists their activities are not “consistent with the interests of those individual states.”

May 5, 2018: State Councilor Yang Jiechi talks by phone with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and discusses bilateral US-China trade relations.

May 5, 2018: In a statement, the US press secretary criticizes China’s demand that foreign air carriers change the way they refer to “Taiwan,” “Hong Kong,” and “Macao” on their websites, calling it “Orwellian nonsense.”

May 8, 2018: President Trump tweets “I will be speaking to my friend, President Xi of China, this morning at 8:30. The primary topics will be Trade, where good things will happen, and North Korea, where relationships and trust are building.”

May 8, 2018: President Trump talks by phone with President Xi to discuss recent developments on the Korean Peninsula and Xi’s meeting with Kim Jong Un.

May 13, 2018: President Trump tweets “President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!”

May 13, 2018: President Trump tweets “China and the United States are working well together on trade, but past negotiations have been so one sided in favor of China, for so many years, that it is hard for them to make a deal that benefits both countries. But be cool, it will all work out!”

May 13, 2018: President Trump asks Commerce Secretary Ross to revisit US restrictions placed on Chinese company ZTE, calling the limits “an issue of high concern for China.”

May 14, 2018: President Trump tweets “ZTE, the large Chinese phone company, buys a big percentage of individual parts from US companies. This is also reflective of the larger trade deal we are negotiating with China and my personal relationship with President Xi.”

May 14, 2018: Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton visits Beijing for bilateral consultations with Chinese officials.

May 15-19, 2018: Chinese trade delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He visits Washington for consultations with US counterparts. He meets President Trump.

May 15, 2018: President Trump tweets “Trade negotiations are continuing with China. They have been making hundreds of billions of dollars a year from the U.S., for many years. Stay tuned!”

May 16, 2018: President Trump tweets “The Washington Post and CNN have typically written false stories about our trade negotiations with China. Nothing has happened with ZTE except as it pertains to the larger trade deal. Our country has been losing hundreds of billions of dollars a year with China…We have not seen China’s demands yet, which should be few in that previous U.S. Administrations have done so poorly in negotiating. China has seen our demands. There has been no folding as the media would love people to believe, the meetings…haven’t even started yet! The U.S. has very little to give, because it has given so much over the years. China has much to give!”

May 17, 2018: House Intelligence Committee holds a hearing on “China’s Worldwide Military Expansion.”

May 18, 2018: China ends its anti-dumping investigation into US imports of sorghum, calling it an act of goodwill.

May 21, 2018: President Trump tweets “I ask Senator Chuck Schumer, why didn’t President Obama & the Democrats do something about Trade with China, including Theft of Intellectual Property etc.? They did NOTHING! With that being said, Chuck & I have long agreed on this issue! Fair Trade, plus, with China will happen!”

May 21, 2018: President Trump tweets “China has agreed to buy massive amounts of ADDITIONAL Farm/Agricultural Products – would be one of the best things to happen to our farmers in many years!”

May 21, 2018: President Trump tweets “On China, Barriers and Tariffs to come down for first time.”

May 21, 2018: President Trump tweets “China must continue to be strong & tight on the Border of North Korea until a deal is made. The word is that recently the Border has become much more porous and more has been filtering in. I want this to happen, and North Korea to be VERY successful, but only after signing!”

May 21, 2018: President Trump tweets “Under our potential deal with China, they will purchase from our Great American Farmers practically as much as our Farmers can produce.”

May 22, 2018: Senate Banking Committee approves an amendment with a 23-2 vote that would block President Trump from easing sanctions on ZTE without first certifying to Congress the company is complying with US law.

May 22, 2018: President Trump puts blame on Xi Jinping for the delay or cancellation of his summit with Kim Jong Un, saying “I will say I’m a little disappointed, because when Kim Jong Un had the meeting with President Xi in China . . . I think there was a little change in attitude from Kim Jong Un. So I don’t like that.”

May 23, 2018: President Trump tweets “Our Trade Deal with China is moving along nicely, but in the end we will probably have to use a different structure in that this will be too hard to get done and to verify results after completion.”

May 23, 2018: United States launches a national security investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 on whether vehicle and parts imports threaten the US industry’s health and ability to research and develop new advanced technologies.

May 23, 2018: In response to China’s continued militarization of islands in the South China Sea, the Pentagon disinvites the PLA Navy from the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.

May 23, 2018: Secretary of State Pompeo and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet and discuss cooperation on North Korea, the militarization of the South China Sea, and US-China bilateral relations and trade.

May 23, 2018: House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats holds a hearing on “Chinese Investment and Influence in Europe.”

May 27, 2018: Two US Navy destroyers, the USS Higgins and the USS Antietam, conduct a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) near Tree, Lincoln, Triton, and Woody Islands in the Paracels.

June 1, 2018: Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis criticizes China’s militarization in the South China Sea and accuses China of “intimidation and coercion” in his remarks at the plenary session of the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

June 2, 2018: Secretary of Commerce Ross meets Vice Premier Liu He in Beijing to discuss China’s willingness to buy US exports. The meeting follows US threats of raised tariffs toward exports from China.

June 3, 2018: Secretary of State Pompeo releases annual remarks commemorating the 29^th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square, urging China to make a “full public accounting” of the demonstrators killed.

June 4, 2018: President Trump tweets “Farmers have not been doing well for 15 years. Mexico, Canada, China and others have treated them unfairly. By the time I finish trade talks, that will change. Big trade barriers against U.S. farmers, and other businesses, will finally be broken. Massive trade deficits no longer!”

June 7, 2018: Secretary of Commerce Ross announces a $1.4 billion settlement with ZTE Corporation, which also requires ZTE to undergo monitoring by the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

June 12, 2018: US Department of Commerce launches an investigation into steel propane tank imports from China to determine whether China illegally dumps the tanks in US markets and if Chinese tank producers receive unfair state subsidies.

June 13-16, 2018: Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Wang Chen visits the US. He discusses US-China ties with congressional members, including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

June 14, 2018: Secretary of State Pompeo meets President Xi, Politburo Member Yang Jiechi, and Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi in Beijing. In a press availability, Pompeo states that the US wants a “constructive relationship” with China.

June 14, 2018: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson has a video teleconference (VTC) with Vice Adm. Shen Jinlong, People’s Liberation Army (Navy) Commander. They exchange views on Navy-to-Navy and bilateral military relations.

June 15, 2018: Trump administration announces plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods that are considered “industrially significant technologies” in response to concerns about US intellectual property rights.

June 15, 2018: China’s Ministry of Commerce announces that China will impose tariffs on $34 billion of US goods, including soybeans and other agricultural products.

June 15, 2018: Secretary of Defense Mattis compares China’s “One Belt, One Road” to the Ming Dynasty in his remarks at the US Naval War College commencement, stating that China is “demanding other nations become tribute states, kowtowing to Beijing” and “attempting to replicate on the international stage their authoritarian domestic model.”

June 18, 2018: Secretary of State Pompeo criticizes China’s economic expansion in his remarks at the Detroit Economic Club, calling China’s push for globalization a “joke.”

June 21, 2018: Ministry of Commerce spokesperson Gao Feng, in a regular press briefing in Beijing, remarks that the US has been “capricious” and is responsible for provoking a trade war. He states, “The US is accustomed to holding ‘big sticks’ for negotiations, but this approach does not apply to China.”

June 27-28, 2018: Secretary of Defense Mattis visits Beijing and meets separately with President Xi, Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe, Central Military Commission Vice Chairman General Xu Qiliang, and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.

June 28, 2018: Secretary of State Pompeo makes a phone call to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss denuclearization in North Korea.

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US - China

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Chronology of US - China Relations

April 1999 — June 2018

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Putin’s War Further Strains US-China Ties

US and Chinese Leaders Jaw-Jaw

The Descent Continues