Minister Counsellor and Head of the Political Section for the Embassy of China, Weilin Kuang discussed “China’s Development and its Role in the World,” today at a Humanity Peace and Security meeting for the Korean Peninsula Issues in Washington D.C.

Weilin Kuang said in his opening remarks: “Over the last 30 years the economic progress China has made is truly remarkable…over 200 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty.”

However, despite China’s progress in the economic market, Kuang noted some challenges facing China: “Although we are the third largest economy in the world our GEP is behind the 100th largest economy in the world.”

Talking about the current economic crisis, Kuang said: “China is faced with very serious economic difficulties and challenges.”

Talking about China’s relations with the world, Kuang said: “After 30 years of reform China’s relations with the world has changed. China needs the world, and the world needs China.”

Kuang stated that maintaining and building on external relations is vitally important to help China get through this economically demanding period.

Speaking of hope for China, Kuang said: “I am confident that a rising, confident and more prosperous China will make positive contributions to the world…China hopes to increase its economic growth by 8 per cent this year and I am very hopeful.”

In regard to US-China relations, with the new Obama administration, he said: “We hope to see a continuation of these two dialogues…we have put our ideas to the US side, now its their turn, the ball is in their court…I am confident a formula can be formed to allow these two dialogues to continue…it is up to the United States to make a position.”

“We have seen positive signs from President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton…I hope more can be done to move forward and expand talks…face-to-face talks could be very helpful to help express mutual understanding,” he concluded.

Congressman Charlie Melancon tells Former Congressman Bob Ney he is “proud of America” and what he thinks will happen after the inauguration at Radio Row on January 19, 2009 (02:01).

 

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Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Obama’s nominee for secretary of State, affirmed that she will continue to be an ‘partner, ally, and friend’ to the world’s women during a luncheon with the political action committee EMILY’s List (1:04)

 

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During Hillary Clinton’s confirmation hearing for the Secretary of State position, Senator Richard Lugar suggested that Former President Bill Clinton’s organization, the Clinton Global Initiative, should stop accepting contributions from foreign donors. Lugar reasoned that foreign donations could give off the appearance of a conflict of interest that it would cost the State Department unwanted scrutiny (0:48)

 

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Barack Obama’s Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton{D-N.Y.) appeared for a confirmation hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and outlined the priorities she plans on tackling in the position.

The Senator discussed Iraq, reiterating the Obama administration’s plans for a practical withdrawal.

“Our men and women in uniform, our diplomats, and our aid workers are risking their lives in these countries. they have done everything we have asked of them and more,” said Clinton.

” But Over time our larger interests will be best served by safely and responsibly withdrawing our troops from Iraq, supporting a transition to full Iraqi responsibility for their sovereign nation, rebuilding our overtaxed military, and reaching out to other nations to help stabilize the region and employ a broader arsenal of tools to fight terrorism.”

Clinton also addressed other problems facing the Middle East, including Syria and Iran’s troubled relationships in the region and the crisis facing Gaza.

“As intractable as the Middle East problems may seem, and many presidents including my husband have spent years trying to work out a resolution, we cannot give up on peace.”

Clinton, who ran against Barack Obama during the Democratic primary, also discussed her commitment to combat terrorism through a number of avenues, including cutting off support for Al-Qaida, gathering up unaccounted for nuclear weapons, stopping the terrorist black market, and encouraging countries to reduce their nuclear stockpiles.

As first lady Clinton was a strong advocate for women’s rights on the international stage.Senator Clinton stated that she would use her position to further the cause.

“A particular concern to me is the plight of women and girls. They comprise the majority of the world’s unhealthy, unschooled, unfed, and unpaid,” said Clinton.

“If half the world’s population remains vulnerable to economic, political, legal, and social marginalization our hope of advancing democracy and prosperity is in serious jeopardy.”

President-elect Obama officially announced his nominees for important National Security positions.

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) will serve as Secretary of State; Defense Secretary Robert Gates will continue to serve in his position; Eric Holder, former Deputy Attorney General, will serve as Attorney General; Janet Napolitano, Governor of Arizona, will serve as Secretary of Homeland Security; Dr. Susan Rice, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in the Clinton administration, will serve as Permanent UN Secretary; and retired General James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, will serve as National Security advisor

“In their past service and plans for the future, these men and women represent all of those elements of American power, and the very best of the American example. They have served in uniform and as diplomats; they have worked as legislators, law enforcement officials, and executives. They share my pragmatism about the use of power, and my sense of purpose about America’s role as a leader in the world,” said Obama during a news conference at the Chicago Hilton hotel.

The President-elect responded to concerns over past ideological differences with some of his nominees, including Hillary Clinton, against whom Obama ran a heated campaign during the Democratic primary.

“I think if you look at the statements that Hillary Clinton and I have made outside the heat of the campaign, we share the view that America needs to be safe and secure and in order to do that we need to use military power with strengthened diplomacy.”

A former organizer for Hillary Clinton explains why he now supports McCain. He explains that some of the tactics he saw in the primaries, including Texas’s, turned him off to the Obama campaign. (1:40)

President Bill Clinton urges party unity, and expresses his strong support of Barack Obama:

Bill Clinton’s speech and at the Talk Radio News Radio Row

Lifetime’s Every Woman Counts campaign hosted a conference call to discuss the results of a new poll on how the women’s vote looks after Senator Hillary Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) candidacy. Toby Graff, the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Lifetime said neither Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) nor Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) have a majority in the women’s vote, so there is still a lot of room for the candidates to push to secure the female vote.

Celinda Lake, a pollster at Lake Research Partners, said Obama has a solid lead over McCain, with 49 percent, but 10 percent of female voters are still undecided. She said Obama does very well with black and hispanic voters, while McCain does best with white and older women. Obama is most liked for his personal attributes, such as his empathy and likeability, while McCain is most liked for his experience. 81 percent of self-described “democratic” female voters will vote for Obama, and independent female voters far prefer Obama as well.

76 percent of former female Clinton supporters now support Barack Obama, but 18 percent of them will instead vote for McCain. Kellyanne Conway, a pollster at the Polling Company, Inc., said former Clinton Supporters would be more supportive of Obama if he chose a female running mate. When asked why Clinton did not win the nomination, one in five women responded that it was because of her gender.