Since the beginning of 2012, over 250 elephants have been killed in Cameroon. Adults are being slaughtered for ivory to be used for jewelry, ornaments, and traditional medicine; young juveniles and infants are being killed indiscriminately or left orphaned to die without the protection of their mothers. Having lived in Kenya and Tanzania earlier in my life, I experienced firsthand the wonder of African elephants in their native habitats. That's why I feel a personal sense of outrage at the senseless and immoral killing of wildlife. We should all feel outrage -- even those who have not had the privilege to see elephants close up -- because the conservation of our planet's wildlife is an moral obligation we all share. The U.S. government has consistently been among the leaders in the efforts to protect elephants and other wildlife, but to be effective it's vital that all governments… more »
Touring a city with a group of students, parents, siblings, and teachers could be conceived as a relatively ordinary experience, except that I was touring the Forbidden City with American high school students studying abroad in China on the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program. The parents and siblings were members of their Chinese host families and the teachers are from their international high school, Beijing 80, known for its excellent academics and offering a unique cultural experience for its 3,000 students. The American students, who represent all corners of the United States, are perfecting their Mandarin skills, taking advantage of after school activities, living with host families, and learning about China's… more »
In Beijing May 3-4, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner joined their Chinese co-chairs, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, for the fourth joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED). In a joint statement, the two countries described the talks as "candid, in-depth and constructive discussions" in which both sides "decided to advance practical cooperation between the… more »
Today, State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland provided an update on Chen Guangcheng. In a press statement, Spokesperson Nuland said:
"The Chinese Government stated today that Mr. Chen Guangcheng has the same right to travel abroad as any other citizen of China. Mr. Chen has been offered a fellowship from an American university, where he can be accompanied by his wife and two children.
"The Chinese Government has indicated that it will accept Mr. Chen's applications for appropriate travel documents. The United States Government expects that the Chinese Government will expeditiously process his applications for these documents and make accommodations for his current medical condition. The United States Government would then give visa requests for him and his immediate family priority attention.
"This matter has been handled in the spirit… more »
Today, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner joined their Chinese co-chairs, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, for the fourth joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED). Secretary Clinton said, "Our relationship has grown closer and more consequential, and the web of connections that link our nations is increasing."
She continued, "As a result, this dialogue is… more »
Today, U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke spoke with reporters about his experiences with Chen Guangcheng while he was in the embassy and leading up to his decision to depart it. Ambassador Locke said:
"Let me just say that I and the Embassy have long had interest in Mr. Chen Guangcheng, and of course, the U.S. Government has long had an interest, and we've mentioned him in so many of our human rights statements, and have advocated for his humane treatment ever since for many, many years.
"Last week, under most unusual extraordinary circumstances, he contacted us, we went out and met with him, and given the fact that he has a -- he's blind, he was injured, we took the extraordinary step in a very unusual situation, exceptional situation, to bring him into the Embassy. I have spent sometimes five hours during the day with him almost every day, two to three,… more »
Today, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke with Chen Guangcheng. Following their conversation, the Secretary released the following statement:
"I am pleased that we were able to facilitate Chen Guangcheng's stay and departure from the U.S. Embassy in a way that reflected his choices and our values. I was glad to have the chance to speak with him today and to congratulate him on being reunited with his wife and children.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is on travel to China, Bangladesh, and India, departing Washington, D.C. on April 30.
In Beijing May 3-4, Secretary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will join their Chinese co-chairs, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, for the fourth joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED). As with earlier S&EDs, this year's event will be a "whole-of-government" dialogue that brings together cabinet members and agency heads, as well as other… more »
The Asia-Pacific is home to half the world's population, more than half the world's GDP and nearly half of its trade. It is home to key allies and emerging powers. It is also home to booming middle classes and growing economic opportunities and is a region experiencing reductions in poverty without parallel in human history.
I recently traveled to the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, where I saw firsthand how, in the words of Secretary Clinton, "It's becoming increasingly clear that in the 21st century, the world's strategic and economic center of gravity will be the Asia-Pacific."
While this region is experiencing many gains, there are also many challenges, including arms proliferation, piracy, trafficking and smuggling, natural disasters and regional tensions between powerful countries. A top priority for our Bureau's engagement with partners… more »
Last month, I traveled to Beijing and Xi'an with Matt McMahon, the Fulbright Chief for East Asia. It was the first time I had been to China, and I was excited to see firsthand Fulbright and other Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs exchange programs at work. Overall, we shared an informative and enlightening week with insightful and generous hosts, and we're proud of the work that ECA and its program participants are doing there.
We arrived in a snowy Beijing and met with officials from the Chinese Ministry of Education and later representatives from Hanban, a Teachers of Critical Languages Program partner. With the upcoming Consultation… more »
May 23: The State Department, through its office of the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), is pleased to announce $1.5 million in funding to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to support open governance and political participation in the Middle East and North Africa. more »
May 23: Today, Russia was invited to join the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) at a ceremony hosted by its parent body, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. ã more »
![Elephants walk across the Taita Hills Game as the sun sets after a day long's walk in Kenya, Feb. 5, 2011. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0523_elephants_m.jpg)
![Deputy Assistant Secretary Lee Satterfield tours the Forbidden City with NSLI-Y students, their host families, and teachers from their host school, Beijing 80, May 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0514_china_students_m.jpg)
![From left, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chinese President Hu Jintao, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, pose together before a meeting at the Great Hall of the people in Beijing, May 4, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0502_us_china_sed_m.jpg)
![Chen Guangcheng with his family at a hospital in Beijing, China, on May 1, 2012. U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, James Brown, and Regional Medical Officer Wayne Quillin are also pictured. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0504_chen_statement_m.jpg)
![U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke, right; with Chen Guangcheng, center; at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China, on May 1, 2012. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0502_chen_china_m.jpg)
![Secretary Clinton boards plane in Beirut, Lebanon, April 26, 2009. [State Department Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0716_clinton_departs_m.jpg)
![Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro is greeted by naval officials during his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on February 15, 2012 [U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0425_shapiro_m.jpg)
![School children bundled up in winter clothing inside their classroom at a school in a Beijing suburb, China, Nov. 12, 2009. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0414_students_china_m.jpg)
