Between exchanging pleasantries and posing for photo ops, President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao appear to be coming to some kind of understanding on clean energy cooperation. I'm not sure if President Obama is going to heed my advice to let China subsidize the solar industry, but China's borders do seem to be opening up for other U.S. technologies.

Deal making in Washington
The U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center is moving forward with at least $150 million of private and public funds. The agreement defined participants including government agencies, academics, and businesses in the consortiums. To this Fool, the Center looks more like an olive branch than a silver bullet for clean technology, but I hope I'll be proven wrong.

General Electric (NYSE: GE) and China Huadian Corporation confirmed a joint venture on gas turbines for China, accounting for $350 million in U.S. exports. GE also announced a deal with Shenhua to develop coal gasification technology in China. GE looks like a big winner this week, signing five agreements including locomotive and aviation export deals.

Alcoa (NYSE: AA) also signed an agreement with China Power Investment Corp. this week to work on aluminum and clean energy projects in China. The deal could lead to a $7.5 billion investment in China and other parts of the world.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) are joining a consortium with Babcock & Wilcox to develop new "clean coal" equipment that could cut pollution. The term "clean coal" may still be an oxymoron to those of us who follow clean energy, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

China looks to be opening its borders to U.S. technology, and that could allow U.S. companies to export more products and create more joint ventures in Asia. The agreements may not represent a tectonic shift in our respective clean technology priorities, but slight improvements are better than any potential steps backward.

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