In Shift, China Greets U.S. Empty-Handed

BEIJING, Dec. 10 -- If there's one thing the United States has come to expect before high-level diplomatic meetings with the Chinese, it is gifts. At the end of 2006, before the first strategic economic dialogue with Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., China let its currency rise in a nod to U.S. pressure. In May, before the second session, China bought an estimated $32.6 billion of American products from 24 states.

With the third round of economic talks scheduled to begin here Wednesday, there has been much anticipation about what gesture of goodwill China -- which is deeply conscious of the symbolism of its actions -- would make.

So far there has been nothing.

"The United States is attacking China every day about this and that. How is it possible that China would still want to buy?" said Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, which is affiliated with the Commerce Ministry.

The lukewarm reception the U.S. delegation is receiving this time around illustrates how much things have changed since Paulson and his Chinese counterpart, Vice Premier Wu Yi, launched the talks to great fanfare a year ago.

Since then the two countries have been engaged in a global public relations war over food and product safety. The United States has accused China of exporting poisonous pet food, lead-laced toys and exploding tires. China has responded by publicizing what it says are U.S. exports of tainted meat and nuts and, most recently, potato chips with a banned additive that had to be "destroyed."

In a telephone interview, Paulson said that while the forum was set up to discuss long-term economic issues, it also exists to keep the relationship between the two countries on an "even keel during times of tension."

To that end, food safety will be "the No. 1 agenda item" for this round of the strategic economic dialogue, Paulson said. "Food safety, product safety, the integrity of trade -- that wasn't on the radar screen when we put this in place. . . . In May this was an issue that was very important. It's become more important since then."

In conjunction with the talks, memorandums of understanding between the two countries on the safety of drug and medical devices and food are expected to be signed in Beijing on Tuesday afternoon. The documents provide a framework for collaboration among both countries' safety-monitoring agencies and customs officials.

The United States and China are also expected to announce a certification process for China's exports. During a visit to a juice factory outside Beijing on Tuesday, Mike Leavitt, U.S. secretary of health and human services, said China has agreed to share information about the production, processing and inspections of food and food products.

With this new system, U.S. food safety officials will be able to trace the contents of a bottle of orange juice "all the way back to an orange sitting on a tree," he pledged. "This will provide great comfort to American consumers."

The United States will also begin to post health inspectors in China and other parts of the world, Leavitt said, and would apply border-protection measures designed to prevent terrorism for screening of imports.