by edonkey » 2011-01-17 8:49
美大使称胡锦涛访美意义非凡 行程包括视察中文教学
中国国家主席胡锦涛将 从1月18日开始对美国进行为期四天的国事访问。据英国媒体1月15日报道，美国国务卿希拉里当地时间14日表示，中美关系目前正处于关键时刻，下周举行 的胡奥峰会需要就贸易平衡、气候变化、朝鲜局势等“真正的问题拿出真正的行动”。而美国驻华大使洪博培则在离京飞往华盛顿前透露，胡主席这次出访将是中美 关系的“历史性转折点”。
希拉里当天在华盛顿就对华关系发表演讲时说：“两国都需要将高层在一系列峰会和国事访问中的承诺转化成实 际的行动，就真正存在的问题展开实际的工作。”英国媒体的评论说，虽然中美在胡锦涛访问期间将铁定签署大量经贸协议，但是两国在人民币汇率、经贸关系、对 台军售、稀土出口等一系列问题上依然存在分歧，这也将是胡奥会谈的讨论重点。
华盛顿此次将以最高礼遇接待胡锦涛，有美国政治分析师 甚至将这次访问当成中美30年以来最重大的事件。美国驻华大使洪博培已经于1月14日下午飞往华盛顿准备迎接胡锦涛抵达。在离开北京前，洪博培表示这次访 问是自1997年江泽民访美后中国国家元首第一次对美国进行国事访问。他指出1997年之后世界已经变化太多，中美这两个全球最大的经济体需要在一系列问 题上加强合作，这次访问具有两国关系“历史性转折点”的意义。
胡锦涛的行程中除了在华盛顿参加密集的活动外，还将访问芝加哥。芝加 哥市长理查德·戴利任市长20年间相当重视跟中国各层发展长期友好的关系。芝加哥市府已经为胡锦涛访问做了精心安排。据当地媒体的消息，由于芝加哥在汉语 推广上的成绩相当出彩，胡锦涛抵达后将前往当地学校视察中文项目。
美国皮尤中心的最新调查显示，有将近47%的美国人认为亚洲是对 美国最重要的地区，认为欧洲最重要的占到37%，这样的排序跟10年前的调查正好相反。另外有47%的人认为中国是全球第一大经济体，31%的人坚持美国 才是世界经济的领导者。尽管不少美国人都觉得中国经济的快速发展对美国构成了强有力的挑战，但是58%的受访者认为中美建设更紧密的关系对两国来说非常重 要。
Chinese President Hu Jintao is to visit Chicago next week. (Larry Downing, Reuters / January 12, 2011) |
The president of
will launch a two-day visit to Chicago next Thursday after a state visit to
,
announced Wednesday.
‘s tour of Chicago Jan. 20 and 21 will represent the Chinese leader’s only stop outside of the nation’s capital during his U.S. visit, Daley said.
"It is a big deal," Daley told reporters. "Big, big, big, big. Big deal."
Hu has never before visited the city, Daley said, and the journey might allow Chicago to establish itself as one of China’s economic gateways to America.
Hu, 68, has led China since 2003. He arrives in this country Tuesday and departs next Friday, said Xueyong Yu, consul for political and press affairs at the Chinese consulate in Chicago.
Daley, who has visited China several times, said Hu "will highlight the importance of expanding the cooperation between Chicago and China. He will focus on education, our second-language program — Chinese — and economic development."
In Chicago, Hu will meet the leaders of Chinese businesses, tour
College Preparatory High School and attend a gala dinner at the Hilton Chicago hosted by Daley and his wife, Maggie. The dinner is being put on with private money, the mayor said.
The Chicago stop will follow a state visit hosted by
and first lady
on Wednesday. Hu will not be accompanied by his wife while in the U.S., Yu said.
In addition to bilateral meetings, the state visit will feature an arrival ceremony for Hu and a review of U.S. troops on the
‘s South Lawn. There also will be a joint news conference. The day will end with a formal state dinner, only the third of the 2-year old Obama administration.
Hu’s visit reciprocates Obama’s state visit to China in November 2009.
Daley often speaks with admiration for the Chinese government’s planning and major construction projects. He met last week with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to pave the way for Hu’s visit.
Daley highlighted the significance of the Confucius Institute in Chicago, a cultural education center housed at Walter Payton Prep. "It’s the first of its kind in America, around the world, in a high school," he said.
He also noted that
has a program on Chinese culture and language. "This is the largest public school system (Chinese) language program in the country," Daley said, "and that is amazing."
Among those who have been invited to the gala dinner in Chicago is Nancy Tom, executive director of the Center for Asian Arts and Media at
. She praised Daley for being "very, very supportive of interactions with China" and said they foster business and cultural relationships and mutual understanding.
At the Chicago
Chamber of Commerce, executive director Chi Can To said Wednesday that the chamber applauds a visit from any world leader. He’s not sure Hu will drop in the neighborhood, but "our community would be thrilled if he did."
The New China News Agency, reporting on last week’s meeting between Daley and the Chinese foreign minister, quoted the mayor as saying Chicago hopes to make itself the "friendliest U.S. city to China."
Katherine Skiba reported from Washington, with Hal Dardick in Chicago.