China's global emergence is a natural consequence of its economic growth and
development and need not be seen as a threat to the United States, a senior U.S.
official said Thursday.
The United States welcomes the emergence of a China that is peaceful and
prosperous and that actively participates in and contributes to international
institutions, Thomas Christensen, deputy assistance secretary of State for East
Asian and Pacific Affairs, said in a written testimony before the U.S.-China
Economic and Security Review Commission, quoting remarks by President George W.
Bush to Chinese President Hu Jintao in April.
The United States and China are working closely on the diplomatic front,
engaging on an extremely broad range of issues in which the two countries have
common interests, he said during a two-day hearing on China that started
Thursday.
The U.S. engagement with China takes place in many different forums, both
bilateral and multilateral, and at different levels, said Christensen.
The United States works actively with China in most major international
organization, such the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and
regional organizations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation forum, he said.
Bilaterally, he said, the two sides meet regularly to discuss issues
concerning economy, nonproliferation, counterterrorism cooperation, law
enforcement cooperation, and global issues from environment to health, and
science and technology cooperation.
"In engaging China and expanding our cooperation on areas of mutual interest,
we are in effect encouraging China to act as a responsible shareholder," he
said.
The concept of China as a responsible global shareholder "is not only our
objective, but a framework for a process that involves building an important and
mutually beneficial relationship" between the countries, he said.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission was created in October
2000, to monitor, investigate, and submit to the Congress an annual report on
the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic
relationship between the United States and China, and to provide recommendations
to the Congress for legislative and administrative action.