U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says America must make economic concerns central to its foreign policy.

In a speech Friday at the Economic Club in New York City, Clinton told business leaders that emerging powers like Brazil and India have made economics key to their foreign policies. She urged the U.S. to take the same approach.

Clinton criticized China for its alleged currency manipulation, saying that policy costs the United States and other countries jobs.

The secretary of state said the U.S. must reach across the Pacific to build stronger economic ties with Asia, noting Washington is creating a “cutting edge” trans-Pacific economic deal. She said strong cross-Atlantic ties that Washington has with Europe must be duplicated in Asia.

Clinton said the merger of economic and foreign policy must also be applied to the changing situation in the Middle East. She said “the Arab political awakening must also be an economic awakening.”

Secretary Clinton said the U.S. is committed to imposing more than sanctions against hostile regimes. She said Washington is planning “more sophisticated financial measures” to cut off countries such as Iran from the insurance and banking industries.