Clinton, China fail to agree on key issues

China and the US remain divided after high-level talks on key global issues of how to stop fighting in Syria and resolve the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Reuters reported. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi nevertheless pledged to continue supporting positive relations between the countries. While China aims to resolve disputes in the South and East China Sea through talks with less powerful Asian claimants individually, the US has proposed a multilateral approach. In advance of Clinton’s visit, the state-owned People’s Daily published an article expressing suspicion of US motives in the South China Sea, saying it was attempting to “sow discord.” The countries similarly differ on discord in Syria, with China favoring regime change but unwilling to become involved in the conflict despite pressure from the US.