During her first visit to Asia on Feb. 21-24, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton left a dusty trail of confusion over the Barack Obama administration?s priority for human rights violations as a defining issue in the revision of its foreign policy with the region.

Asia-Pacific countries, especially the Philippines, whose leadership has been ostracized by the new White House, have been watching closely for signals from Clinton?s statements that may provide them with clues to improve their relations with Washington.

There are no signs that the Obama White House is thawing the deep frost between Manila and Washington.

On Feb. 25, at the end of Clinton?s trip, the US State Department released its annual report on human rights violations.

The report made pointed references to human rights violations in the Philippines and China, as well as the ?campaign of terror? in Zimbabwe, ?arbitrary killings? by security forces in Congo, ?abysmal? reports from North Korea, and declines in respect for human rights in Russia, Egypt and Iran.

The references to the Philippines and China are particularly important because Clinton made her first overseas visit to Asia as secretary of state of the new administration?a visit that was expected to outline the contours of Obama?s Asia-Pacific policy.

In its strong criticism of China, the report said Chinese authorities ?committed extrajudicial killings and torture, coerced confession of prisoners and used forced labor.? The report noted spikes in human rights abuses around the time of the August Olympics and protests in Tibet.

In the section on the Philippines, the report described the ?culture of corruption? in government agencies and the judiciary as among the reasons why violations of human rights persisted in the country.

?The law provides criminal penalties for official corruption,? it said. ?However, the government did not implement the law effectively and officials engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.?

The report noted that extrajudicial killings by both state security forces and antigovernment insurgents persisted even though their numbers dropped in 2008, due to reforms amid domestic and international pressure on the government.

No US pressure on Arroyo

What this means to the Philippine government is that the Obama administration is not expected to put pressure on the Arroyo administration to improve its record as a condition for the lifting of its pariah status in Washington.

Human rights groups cannot expect that the Obama government would do a better job of putting pressure on the Arroyo administration to bring to justice those responsible for the killings than the George W. Bush administration.

In her introduction to the report, Clinton said: ?The promotion of human rights is an essential piece of our foreign policy. We will make this a global effort that reaches beyond government alone.?

In her visit to China, she signaled that she was watering down the human rights issue.

She said giving it top priority risked undermining efforts to combat the global economic crisis. ?We have to continue to press them on human rights,? she said, ?but our pressing on these issues can?t interfere with the global economic crisis, the global climate-change crisis and the security crisis.?

The publication of the US State Department report that had harsh words for China provoked a sharp reaction from the Chinese foreign ministry.

Ma Zhou, the ministry spokesperson, said, ?We urge the US to reflect on its own human rights problems, stop acting as a human rights guardian and stop interfering in other?s internal affairs by issuing such human rights report.?

Global recession

In her meetings with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Clinton and Yang acknowledged that the United States and China were dependent on each other in combating the global recession.

Beijing is the world?s largest holder of US Treasury instruments. Clinton said, ?I appreciate greatly the Chinese government?s continuing confidence in United States Treasuries. I think this is well-grounded confidence.?

Amnesty International expressed shock at Clinton?s remarks downgrading the human rights violation issue in her talks with the Chinese foreign minister.

T. Kumar of Amnesty International USA said the global rights lobby was ?shocked and extremely disappointed? by her remarks that the United States would not let human rights concerns hinder cooperation with China.

?The United States is one of the only countries that can meaningfully stand up to China on human rights issues. But by commenting that human rights will not interfere with other priorities, Secretary Clinton damages future US initiatives to protect those right in China.?

Clinton?s Asian trip?which visited only Japan, China, South Korea and Indonesia?revealed the hierarchy of Asia-Pacific countries most important to the United States under the Obama administration.

Most important US ally

Close on the heels of Clinton?s Asian trip, Obama made a clear reference to Japan as the United States? most important ally in Asia-Pacific. He received at the White House on Wednesday Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso.

Taro was the first foreign leader to visit the Obama White House. Obama said the invitation to Aso ?is a testimony to the strong partnership between the United States and Japan.? He described Japan as the cornerstone of US security policy in Asia as a major economic partner.

?The friendship between the United States and Japan is extraordinarily important to our country,? Obama said. ?We think we have an opportunity to work together, not only on issues related to the Pacific Rim but throughout the world.?

Obama invited Aso despite the fact that he is struggling to stay in power. Aso has faced single-digit approval ratings, demands from his own party to resign and the worst Japanese recession in 50 years.

Michael Austin, a Japan specialist with the American Enterprise Institute think tank, points out that the invitation of Aso is a broad signal to the Japanese establishment the Obama administration is going to work with whoever is there.

Obama will not work with whoever is there in the Philippines until 2010. He will just ignore whoever is there.