BEIJING (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the debate with China over human rights, Taiwan and Tibet cannot be allowed to interfere with attempts to reach consensus on other broader issues.

Shortly before arriving in Beijing on Friday on the last leg of her inaugural trip abroad as America's top diplomat, Clinton told reporters she would raise those contentious issues but noted that neither side is likely to give ground on them.

Instead, she said it might be better to agree to disagree on their long-standing positions and focus on instead on U.S.-Chinese engagement on climate change, the global financial crisis and security threats. Clinton made the comments in Seoul, South Korea before departing for Beijing.