US and China wrap up Latam talks http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-04-14T132201Z_01_PEK347363_RTRUKO
Fri Apr 14, 2006
BEIJING (Reuters) - China and the United States wrapped up on Friday their first formal talks on Latin America, traditionally Washington's sphere of influence but now a target for energy and resource-hungry Beijing. Thomas Shannon, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs, said he had held two days of talks with Chinese officials on Latin America, the first such consultations between the nations.
The two sides discussed regional stability and agreed to create a mechanism for regular consultation about a region that some analysts fear could be a site for rivalry.
"What we focused on was not a desire by either party to lock-down resources or lock-down the market," Shannon told a news conference in the Chinese capital.
"Quite the contrary. What we focused on was how to work within the region ... to ensure political stability and ensure the right kind of economic decisions are made."
The right decisions were those that helped create environments conducive to investment and trade, as China increased its commercial activities in the region, he added.
The United States has long been closely involved in the region politically and economically, despite periodic resentment there of the domineering presence to the north.
But China's rapid growth has fed an appetite for resources from around the world, and led to bids for Venezuelan oil, Chilean copper and soybeans from Brazil and Argentina.
The Beijing discussions also covered energy cooperation, and democracy.
"Our Chinese counterpart made clear their engagement in the region was focused primarily on economic and trade issues and was not political in nature," Shannon said.
The United States was very attentive to Chinese military activity in the region, he added, but described Beijing's involvement as "pretty light". Asked if Latin America was on the agenda for a meeting later this month between Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. counterpart George W. Bush, Shannon said it could be.
"It would not surprise me if it was raised, it's an important region of the world for both countries."
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