That's a change of strategy that moves in the right direction.

We've always been very close. But right now I feel there needs to be a change in the direction from where our national administration has taken us and where the Republicans in state government want to take us.

Whether it's air quality, or water quality or availability, or land degradation, China's facing a very serious set of problems.

I think President Bush was speaking to an audience at home and to other countries in the region that want to see that the U.S. is still committed to human rights reforms in China. The bilateral discussions will be trade, currency exchange rates and more trade, with some side issues like avian flu and energy.

Industry has expanded, agriculture has expanded and the population has boomed. But there has been no thought given to how to manage the resources of the Yellow River.

We see lots of bluster from the PLA (People's Liberation Army) and the Pentagon. But at the very top levels of government on both sides there is a consistent acknowledgement that this is one of the most important relationships for global stability.