Clinton forecast to take hard-line stand on China

As former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton embarks on her second presidential bid, observers believe she will adopt a hard-line stance toward China, at least during the campaign.

If she wins the nomination and captures the White House, this stance will change as she takes a more pragmatic approach to dealing with the high-stakes relationship, they added.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Beijing did not comment directly on Clinton's bid on Monday, saying it is "an internal affair of the US", but that China is ready to work with the US to push forward the relationship.