"Our partnership with China, we view as one of great potential. It is one that is continuing to be defined, and we are convinced that both regional and global challenges that we face, China and the United Sates, when they can act together in concert with common purpose, have the opportunity to make a significant difference." -Secretary of State John Kerry
Secretary of State John Kerry met with Xi Jinping on Friday, and the U.S. top diplomat later told reporters that the two men held constructive talks on a host of issues, including the importance of nudging North Korea to end its nuclear weapons pursuit, emphasis on climate change and political soluitons to the civil war in Syria. After meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijings's Great Hall of the People, Kerry also met with China's senior leaders, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as reported by Voice of America.
"We spoke about the commitment that the United States and China share to achieve a denuclearized North Korea, as well as the special role that China can play in helping to make that goal a reality," Kerry told reporters. China is an ally of North Korea.
"We agree, along with our international partners, that the DPRK (North Korea) must take meaningful, concrete, and irreversible steps towards verifiable denuclearization, and it needs to begin now. I'm pleased that at every level in all of our conversations... China could not have more forcefully reiterated its commitment to that goal," Kerry added.
Human rights and "the free flow of information" are paramount for an open society, Kerry underscored in his meetings.
"We had a frank discussion about some human rights challenges and the role of rule of law and the free flow of information in a robust, civil society; the challenges of the cyber-world that we live in today," Kerry said.
"I emphasized that respect for human rights and the exchange of information in a free manner contributes to the strength of a society in a country. Recent arrests of peaceful advocates for reform run counter, in our judgment, to all of our best interests and the ability to make long term progress. I emphasized that the United States remains concerned about these situations here in China, human rights situations - especially with respect to the Tibetan and Uighur areas," the secretary of state added.
Kerry arrived in Beijing early Friday after visiting South Korea where he met with President Park Geun-hye. The meetings represented the highest level of talks between the two countries in seven years. North Koreans quit the six-nation talks in 2009, and has since rebuilt some of its nuclear facilities, alarming a host of regional and Western government with several underground nuclear tests.
The Asia trip represents Kerry's fifth visit to the region since becoming the U.S. Secretary of State. He will visit Indonesia on Saturday where climate change will be high on the agenda in talks, according to the State Department. From Jakarta, Kerry will head to the United Arab Emirates to meet with Gulf leaders about Iran nuclear talks, the civil war in Syria and the Mid East peace process.
"We hope that 2014 will be will be a year of concrete progress in defining the new modern relationship, managing our differences effectively, and finding a way to cooperate practically wherever possible," Kerry said on Friday.
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