While the Chinese government made it clear it was unhappy about the possibility that the US could default on its debt, it was also clear that China's concerns are not a major factor in US politics.
Beijing's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate was slower than the rest of the country in the first half of this year. But this should not be seen as a sign of an economic slowdown.
For more than a year the European Union has been faced with a sovereign debt crisis, which its leaders have failed to resolve so far. The impacts of this crisis are being felt in economies across Europe, and China cannot count on escaping its influence.