A recent popular movie focused hundreds of millions of ordinary Chinese and Americans on a cartoon character, Kung Fu Panda. It was a story set in ancient China about a panda bear who aspires to be a kung fu master. Although the movie and character did not necessarily represent Chinese culture, it increased the already intense interest in the US on all things Chinese.

The visit this week to Beijing by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton may not garner as much attention and adoration from ordinary people as Kung Fu Panda, but it is an historic visit nonetheless. It will be watched closely by people around the world. They will be watching for signs of leadership, signs of partnership and signs of a common commitment to end both the most serious economic crisis the world has faced in decades and the most profound environmental crisis humanity has ever faced: global warming.

This year is significant for many reasons, among them the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China; the 30th anniversary of the late leader Deng Xiaoping's visit to the United States; and the first year in office of an already historic US President.