Lawmakers scrutinize US foreign aid to China (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Republicans and Democrats are criticizing the U.S. government's development agency for providing aid to Washington's main foreign creditor, China.

The House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia on Tuesday is putting under the microscope a $4 million tranche of proposed assistance, mostly for promoting clean energy.

The panel's chair, Republican Donald Manzullo of Indiana, said the aid would boost the competitiveness of Chinese manufacturers at the expense of U.S. manufacturers.

Democrat Rep. Brad Sherman of California said the U.S. could not afford to provide aid to China, and to think it could was "an insult to the American people."

Nisha Biswal, the assistant administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, said the aid supports U.S. values and interests.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111115/ap_on_go_co/us_us_china_aid

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