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Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the Vice President and Dr. Biden, and the Secretary of State, have invited him to a luncheon in honor of His Excellency Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China. Only about 10 Members of Congress were extended an invite to the luncheon which will be held at the Benjamin Franklin Room at the U.S. Department of State on January 19, 2011.
“I want to thank Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, Secretary Clinton, and especially His Excellency President Hu Jintao for this invitation,” Faleomavaega said. “Total trade between the U.S. and China has risen from $2 billion in 1979 to $459 billion in 2010. According to the Congressional Research Service, China is the second-largest U.S. trading partner, its third largest export market, and its biggest source of imports.”
“As the White House has stated, the U.S.-China relationship is one of the absolutely most important bilateral relationships in the world. Our relationship includes a wide range of issues like global security threats, energy, the environment, economics, human rights, and maintaining peace and stability in the Asia Pacific and in the Taiwan Strait.”
“While serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, I had the opportunity to meet with China’s top leadership in Beijing and discuss many of these issues. I also met with President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan, who is a personal friend of mine. The issue of Taiwan has been a sensitive one for many years until voters in Taiwan elected President Ma in 2008 at which time he moved quickly to improve cross-strait relations.”
“PRC President Hu Jintao and President Ma should be commended for their groundbreaking achievements resulting in direct charter flights, the opening of permanent offices in each other's territories, and PRC tourist travel to Taiwan. Today, China is Taiwan’s largest trading partner and Taiwan is China’s third largest source of foreign direct investment, not including Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands.
“In 2006, Chinese Premier Wen Jibao announced that the PRC would establish about a trust fund whereby Pacific island nations can obtain low interest loans to develop their agricultural, fishery, tourism, telecommunication and aviation needs. China will also be offering training opportunities for some 2,000 qualified persons from among island nations, and agreed to strengthen and improve trade cooperation.”
“I appreciate this assistance, and the assistance Taiwan has also provided, and I encourage the United States to do more in helping Pacific Island nations. I also remain hopeful that we will be able to work out our differences in the U.S.-China relationship.”
“I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow’s lunch where we can continue our dialogue with China and, once more, I thank Vice-President Biden, Secretary Clinton and President Hu Jintao for inviting me to participate in these important discussions,” Faleomavaega concluded.
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