Chronologies
US - China
Chronology from Jan 2005 to Mar 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.
: U.S. Pacific Commander Adm. William J. Fallon expresses concerns about China’s military buildup in an Associated Press interview in Manila, Philippines.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: Rice visits Beijing and meets with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, FM Li, Vice Premier Wu Yi, and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan.
: 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.
: Secretary Rice delivers an address at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, in which she discusses China.
: 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.
: U.S. House of Representatives passes a resolution by a vote of 424-4 condemning China’s anti-secession law.
: Chinese VP Zeng Qinghong talks with counterpart VP Dick Cheney over the phone to exchange views on issues relating to the World Bank.
: 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.
: 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.”
: 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.
: China’s Lenovo Group wins U.S. government clearance for its $1.25 billion purchase of IBM’s PC unit, overcoming national security concerns.
: 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.
: 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.
: Washington calls on Beijing to reconsider passage of its anti-secession law, calling it unhelpful.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: FM Li and Secretary Rice discuss China-U.S. relations over the phone and exchange views on furthering constructive and cooperative bilateral relations.
: China issues its annual report on human rights in the U.S., accusing Washington of committing widespread rights violations.
: 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.
: 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.
: : 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: Chinese FM Li talks with Secretary Rice over the phone, exchanging views on the North Korean nuclear issue.
: 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.
: 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.
: House passes resolution urging the EU to maintain its arms embargo on China by a vote of 411-3.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.”
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.
: 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.