Newsletter: July 30, 2009
International Scene: U.S. — China Strategic and Economic Dialogue
The first meeting of the U.S. — China Strategic and Economic Dialogue was held in Washington on July 27 and 28. Originally announced by Presidents Barack Obama and Hu Jintao in April, the summit’s goal is to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
The S&ED meeting consisted of two tracks: economic and strategic. Discussions at the Economic Track focused on ways to promote a sustainable recovery and to ensure that future growth results in a more balanced global economy; foundations for strong financial systems; trade and investment issues; and the role of international financial institutions.
In her remarks, Secretary Solis discussed the Administration’s priorities for recovery and future growth, including policies to strengthen enforcement of labor laws, generate employment opportunities, provide job training, and strengthen social safety nets for American workers. She recognized that China had recently raised minimum wages and made other reforms to its labor laws. She stressed that these are important policy tools to raise household incomes in China and to help balance economic growth going forward.
At the conclusion of the S&ED, the two countries agreed to further bilateral cooperation, including undertaking a dialogue between the U.S. Department of Labor and China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
(Photo Credit/ZunoPhoto.com)
Secretary Solis addressed a crowd of more than 2,000 at the National Council of La Raza annual conference in Chicago. Under the theme "A New Era of Responsibility: Community, Unity, Purpose," the conference served as a meeting ground for the largest gathering of its kind in the Hispanic community, with more than 20,000 leaders, members, corporate executives, advocates, volunteers and elected/appointed officials attending. Other speakers included Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
