The United States attempted to downplay a recent confrontation between Chinese and US naval vessels while engaging in high-level talks to address economic growth and address North Korea's nuclear program. Tensions escalated following an incident in the South China Sea, where Chinese ships clashed with a US Navy survey vessel near China's Hainan island. The US claims its ship was in international waters, but China argues otherwise, citing a violation of their sovereignty. Despite this disagreement, it is unlikely to disrupt broader discussions on political and economic issues such as the global financial crisis, security threats, and climate change. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed various issues, including recent incidents, with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. They both agreed on the importance of preventing such incidents in the future. They also talked about human rights, North Korea, Iran, and the global economy. Clinton commended China's efforts to stimulate its economy and praised them as a positive step. President Obama is set to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao next month to discuss coordinated efforts to boost growth and address the banking crisis. She emphasized the importance of the G20 meeting producing unified action to stimulate global recovery. Regarding North Korea, Clinton mentioned various options, such as UN Security Council intervention, that could be taken if Pyongyang were to test a long-range ballistic missile, which she described as a provocative action. North Korea recently announced its plans to launch a satellite using one of its rockets, suspected to be a trial of its longest-range missile, the Taepodong-2. This missile, intended to target Alaska, failed in its only test in 2006, breaking apart after just a few seconds of flight. North Korea has faced U.N. sanctions for previous missile tests and is prohibited from conducting further trials. It is argued that the missiles are a component of the peaceful space program and that the country has the right to launch satellites into orbit. The statement also called for North Korea to return to negotiations to discuss an aid-for-disarmament agreement, expressing regret that Pyongyang did not allow the new envoy, Stephen Bosworth, to visit. Addressing criticism from human rights groups, the U.S. Secretary of State emphasized the importance of human rights in their discussions with China, including Tibet on the 50th anniversary of an uprising against Chinese rule. Clinton stated that human rights are a crucial aspect of their overall dialogue. "It is not a matter of taking a front, back, or middle seat," she told reporters. "It is one of the many issues we are discussing, but it is crucial to establish a platform for actually seeing results from our human rights efforts." The US House of Representatives passed a resolution 422-1 acknowledging the 50th anniversary and urging Beijing to find a lasting solution. "If advocates for freedom worldwide do not advocate for human rights in China and Tibet, then we lose the moral high ground to address it elsewhere," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated on the House floor prior to the vote.