U.S.-China Relations
James A. Kelly, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Washington, DC
September 11, 2003
Good Morning. Thank you Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to address the SFRC on
one of the most important bilateral relationships of the 21st century -- the
U.S.-China relationship.
As the world's most populous country, with a huge and rapidly growing economy,
and a permanent seat in the UNSC, China is well on its way to becoming a major
force in global affairs. In some respects, it is already there; in others, it
has aspirations to leadership that can complement -- or potentially conflict
with -- our nation's objectives. Managing our relationship with this dynamic
and evolving country and ensuring that the U.S.-China relationship is a force
for peace, security, and prosperity is a task as critical as it is complicated.
Many have tried to sum up the United States' relationship with China in a catch
phrase -- friend or enemy, good or bad, strategic competitor or strategic
partner. Such characterizations are neither useful nor accurate. Our
relationship with the P.R.C. and its 1.3 billion citizens is too complex,
varied, and fast changing to be reduced to sound bites. And so today, avoiding
broad generalizations and overly simplistic judgments, I want to give you
specifics on where we stand on a whole range of issues with the P.R.C after the
first 2 years of this Administration.
President Bush, Secretary Powell, and all of us in the administration have
worked hard over the last two-and-a-half years to forge a candid, constructive,
and cooperative relationship with China. In the spirit of dealing
straightforwardly with our differences and building on common interests, the
President has met with China's leader an unprecedented four times since taking
office. He visited China twice in his first 13 months in office, hosted
President Jiang Zemin in Crawford last October, and met the new Chinese
President Hu Jintao in Evian, France this June.
While not minimizing the differences that remain over human rights,
nonproliferation, and Taiwan, I can report to you that the administration's
approach to China has resulted in a U.S.-China relationship that is, on some
fronts, the best it has been in years. It is marked by complementary -- and
sometimes common -- policies on a broad range of issues that are critical to
U.S. national interests: the war on terrorism and critical regional security
issues are just two examples.
Both China and America understand that what we need -- what is in both of our
interests -- is a relationship that is pragmatic, based on mutual respect, and
focused on furthering peace and stability in the world.
By pragmatic, I mean that we maintain and strengthen our core interests or
values. Yes, we have real and important differences with China and we must
continue to encourage China's evolution as a responsible global power that
contributes to the solution of global problems and respects its international
obligations in areas such as nonproliferation, trade, and human rights. Our
goal is to develop a relationship with the P.R.C. that furthers bilateral
cooperation on a range of critical issues while staying true to U.S. ideals and
principles.
I was recently in Beijing for 6-party talks aimed at the complete, verifiable,
and irreversible termination of North Korea's nuclear programs. China played a
critical role in getting the D.P.R.K. to the table and arranging the talks, and
in letting Pyongyang know that North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is not
simply a bilateral issue between the U.S. and the D.P.R.K., but is a matter of
great concern to its neighbors in the region.
It bears remembering that 50 years ago the U.S. and the P.R.C. were fighting on
opposite sides of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Today, by contrast, we
share a common goal in preventing North Korea's further development of weapons
of mass destruction. China's appreciation of the need to bring North Korea back
into compliance with its international commitments is significant indeed. As
P.R.C. chair of the talks, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, said at the
conclusion of the talks, that China would continue to do its part to seek a
peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue and a lasting peace in the Korean
Peninsula. We will continue working with the Chinese and our other partners to
find a peaceful, diplomatic solution to this complicated and difficult issue.
Today marks the 2-year anniversary of the tragic attacks of September 11th. The
swift Chinese condemnation of those attacks and the subsequent enhancing of our
bilateral counterterrorism cooperation have shown that we stand united in our
fight against those who wish ill to the United States, and the security and
stability of the world. The P.R.C. voted in support of both UN Security Council
resolutions after the September 11th attacks. Within two weeks of 9/11, we
initiated a U.S.-China counterterrorism dialogue to improve practical
cooperation, and have subsequently held two rounds of those talks and are
looking toward a third round. China supported the coalition campaign in
Afghanistan and pledged $150 million -- a significant amount measured against
China's historical foreign aid commitments -- to Afghan reconstruction
following the defeat of the Taliban and our successes in disrupting and setting
back al Qaeda. This July, China joined the Container Security Initiative,
enabling joint efforts to target and pre-screen cargo being shipped to the U.S.
from Chinese ports. This means that Chinese and American customs officials will
be working together on the ground in China to keep Americans safe at home.
We have also had a useful dialogue on Iraq. China voted for UN Resolution 1441
authorizing renewed weapons inspections in Iraq, and publicly decried Baghdad's
attempts to play games with the UN Security Council. We are looking for ways to
engage China further in reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Iraq.
Clearly, China and the U.S. do not have identical perspectives on world
affairs. Taiwan is one example. Our abiding interest is in a peaceful
resolution of cross-Strait differences; we continue to tell China clearly that
its missile deployments across the Strait from Taiwan and refusal to renounce
the use of force are fundamentally incompatible with a peaceful approach.
Let me assure you that this Administration takes seriously its obligations
under the three U.S.-China communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act. We will
continue to adhere to our "one China" policy. We will also consider the sale of
defense articles and services at an appropriate level to allow Taiwan to
maintain its ability to defend itself.
However, we can say that on some of the most important international issues of
the day, China and the United States have overlapping, if not identical,
interests, and that the areas of shared interest and cooperation are growing in
both scope and intensity.
I want to highlight today the profound importance of China's extraordinary,
ongoing economic transformation. In a clear move away from a moribund communist
economic system, China has implemented market-oriented reforms over the past
two decades and unleashed individual initiative and entrepreneurship. While
substantial development challenges remain, the result has been the largest
reduction of poverty and one of the fastest increases in income levels ever
seen. China's economic growth has reportedly averaged 9% since 1979, and is
expected to remain strong in 2003 despite the setbacks of the SARS outbreak and
a sluggish global economy.
China's economic relations with the United States and the world have also been
transformed. In general, trade relations in East Asia are undergoing
significant restructuring; for example, South Korean exports to China in July
exceeded their exports to the U.S. These trends are likely to accelerate as
intraregional trade in East Asia continues to expand.
Largely closed to foreign firms until 1980, China is now the world's
fourth-largest trading nation, with total trade over $600 billion. Trade
between the U.S. and China has led the way, reaching more than $148 billion in
2002. China is America s fourth-largest trading partner, sixth-largest export
market, and fourth-largest source of imports. If current trends continue, China
may pass Japan as our third-largest trading partner by the end of 2003. In the
process, China has also become the world's largest recipient of FDI. U.S. firms
have invested over $25 billion in China, in key areas ranging from energy
development to automotive and telecommunications technology. U.S. economic
engagement with China can -- and should -- promote prosperity in both countries
and throughout the world.
The United States is currently running a large bilateral trade deficit with
China. We want to eliminate any and all unfair trade practices that contribute
to this deficit and are working with China to open its markets further,
insisting that our trade relationship be based on a shared commitment to open
markets and to playing by the rules. Maintaining domestic support for open
markets to China will become increasingly difficult without demonstrated
support in China for open markets to U.S. goods and services. I should note
some encouraging signs on that score: our exports to China are growing at a
nearly 25% pace this year. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement.
China's full and timely implementation of its WTO commitments is key to
expanding market opportunities for U.S. firms in China and ultimately creating
more jobs for American workers and farmers. We are working with our Chinese
counterparts to hasten that process, and believe China's WTO implementation
will accelerate China's economic reform through the creation of a more
rules-based and market-driven economy. While China has made great strides in
reforming its economy and moving toward a market-based economy, lowering
tariffs in the process, we still believe more needs to be done.
We have serious concerns with China's WTO compliance in certain areas --
particularly in agriculture, intellectual property rights, the services sector,
and the cross-cutting issue of transparency -- and are insisting that the
Chinese address these concerns. I want to emphasize that monitoring and
enforcing China's implementation of its WTO commitments are top priorities for
the U.S. Government. We also look forward to working with the P.R.C. on key
economic issues in the current Doha Round, including a move to reduce
agricultural subsidies, which inhibit the trade of goods in which the United
States and China are both competitive.
I should also note that with the end of the textile quota system in 2004 the
explosive growth of China's textile industry will pose increasing challenges,
not simply to our domestic producers, but to the legion of developing economies
that rely on textile exports. Navigating this process will require some
sensitivity by China as others adjust.
I know that many members of Congress are concerned that China is deliberately
maintaining an undervalued currency to gain an unfair advantage in trade.
Treasury Secretary Snow, in his recent visit to Beijing, reiterated to Chinese
officials our belief that the best international economic system is one based
on free trade, free capital flows, and market-determined exchange rates. We are
encouraging China to accelerate trade liberalization, permit the free flow of
capital, and take steps to establish a floating exchange rate. I understand
that you will have many questions about the currency issue and I defer to my
colleagues at the Treasury to address this issue in more detail.
Some of our most serious disagreements with China today relate to the nature of
China's political system and its internal policies. Although access to
information from outside China and the imperatives of economic reform have made
it increasingly difficult for the Communist Party to control social and
political thought or activities, China remains a one-party system where the
people who rule and who make the rules are by and large not accountable to the
general population. The abuses that such a system invites are manifest in
China's lack of respect for the rights of its citizens. Any individual or group
the regime sees as threatening -- whether they be democracy activists, Falun
Gong practitioners, Christians worshiping in home or unregistered churches,
Tibetans, Muslim Uighurs, journalists investigating corruption, laid-off
workers protesting, or even university students venting on the internet -- any
of these people run the risk of detention or worse if they cross an ill-defined
line.
Despite reform, China's legal system remains seriously flawed, and often
provides little or no due process to those accused of crimes, particularly
political crimes. There is simply no other way to put it - ongoing gross
violations of human rights are a serious impediment to better relations and
undermine the goodwill generated by individual releases or other steps.
We have been particularly disappointed by backsliding on human rights this
year, after a year of incremental, but still unprecedented, progress in 2002.
It is important that China take steps to modernize its criminal and civil
jurisprudence system and we intend to press these issues in our bilateral
meetings with China.
There are also steps that need to be taken with regard to nonproliferation. The
Chinese have expressed their desire to stem the proliferation of missiles and
WMD, and we are heartened by recent steps taken in the right direction. Under
Secretary for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton was recently
in Beijing for the second round of a semi-annual security dialogue aimed at --
among other key issues -- halting the spread of these deadly weapons and
technologies. Although China recently issued updated regulations on the export
of chemical and biological agents, as well as missile-related export controls,
full implementation and effective enforcement are still lacking. We continue to
see disturbing cases of proliferation activities by certain Chinese firms. As
you know, the Administration has not shied from sanctioning such activities, as
required by U.S. law. China must realize that this kind of proliferation not
only damages its relationship with the U.S., but also ultimately hurts its own
interests and security.
Let me return to where I started. The U.S.-China relationship has come a long
way since just a few years ago, and has moved beyond some rocky moments --
notably the accidental bombing of China's embassy in Belgrade, and the EP-3
crisis -- to begin to build a more mature relationship: one defined as much by
our common efforts in support of shared interests as by our differences.
Contrast those difficult moments with where we are today -- four presidential
meetings in 2 years, a common stand on some of the most pressing matters of the
day, and a relationship that across a number of different dimensions is
enormously robust.
I do not underestimate the challenges of our relations with China, and we must
continue to speak frankly and forcefully on issues that concern us. A
U.S.-China relationship that is candid, cooperative, and constructive, is both
necessary and possible today. It is also in the interests of our mutual
prosperity and peace and that of Asia-Pacific region and the world. Thank you.
Released on September 11, 2003
James A. Kelly, Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Washington, DC
September 11, 2003
Good Morning. Thank you Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to address the SFRC on
one of the most important bilateral relationships of the 21st century -- the
U.S.-China relationship.
As the world's most populous country, with a huge and rapidly growing economy,
and a permanent seat in the UNSC, China is well on its way to becoming a major
force in global affairs. In some respects, it is already there; in others, it
has aspirations to leadership that can complement -- or potentially conflict
with -- our nation's objectives. Managing our relationship with this dynamic
and evolving country and ensuring that the U.S.-China relationship is a force
for peace, security, and prosperity is a task as critical as it is complicated.
Many have tried to sum up the United States' relationship with China in a catch
phrase -- friend or enemy, good or bad, strategic competitor or strategic
partner. Such characterizations are neither useful nor accurate. Our
relationship with the P.R.C. and its 1.3 billion citizens is too complex,
varied, and fast changing to be reduced to sound bites. And so today, avoiding
broad generalizations and overly simplistic judgments, I want to give you
specifics on where we stand on a whole range of issues with the P.R.C after the
first 2 years of this Administration.
President Bush, Secretary Powell, and all of us in the administration have
worked hard over the last two-and-a-half years to forge a candid, constructive,
and cooperative relationship with China. In the spirit of dealing
straightforwardly with our differences and building on common interests, the
President has met with China's leader an unprecedented four times since taking
office. He visited China twice in his first 13 months in office, hosted
President Jiang Zemin in Crawford last October, and met the new Chinese
President Hu Jintao in Evian, France this June.
While not minimizing the differences that remain over human rights,
nonproliferation, and Taiwan, I can report to you that the administration's
approach to China has resulted in a U.S.-China relationship that is, on some
fronts, the best it has been in years. It is marked by complementary -- and
sometimes common -- policies on a broad range of issues that are critical to
U.S. national interests: the war on terrorism and critical regional security
issues are just two examples.
Both China and America understand that what we need -- what is in both of our
interests -- is a relationship that is pragmatic, based on mutual respect, and
focused on furthering peace and stability in the world.
By pragmatic, I mean that we maintain and strengthen our core interests or
values. Yes, we have real and important differences with China and we must
continue to encourage China's evolution as a responsible global power that
contributes to the solution of global problems and respects its international
obligations in areas such as nonproliferation, trade, and human rights. Our
goal is to develop a relationship with the P.R.C. that furthers bilateral
cooperation on a range of critical issues while staying true to U.S. ideals and
principles.
I was recently in Beijing for 6-party talks aimed at the complete, verifiable,
and irreversible termination of North Korea's nuclear programs. China played a
critical role in getting the D.P.R.K. to the table and arranging the talks, and
in letting Pyongyang know that North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is not
simply a bilateral issue between the U.S. and the D.P.R.K., but is a matter of
great concern to its neighbors in the region.
It bears remembering that 50 years ago the U.S. and the P.R.C. were fighting on
opposite sides of a conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Today, by contrast, we
share a common goal in preventing North Korea's further development of weapons
of mass destruction. China's appreciation of the need to bring North Korea back
into compliance with its international commitments is significant indeed. As
P.R.C. chair of the talks, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, said at the
conclusion of the talks, that China would continue to do its part to seek a
peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue and a lasting peace in the Korean
Peninsula. We will continue working with the Chinese and our other partners to
find a peaceful, diplomatic solution to this complicated and difficult issue.
Today marks the 2-year anniversary of the tragic attacks of September 11th. The
swift Chinese condemnation of those attacks and the subsequent enhancing of our
bilateral counterterrorism cooperation have shown that we stand united in our
fight against those who wish ill to the United States, and the security and
stability of the world. The P.R.C. voted in support of both UN Security Council
resolutions after the September 11th attacks. Within two weeks of 9/11, we
initiated a U.S.-China counterterrorism dialogue to improve practical
cooperation, and have subsequently held two rounds of those talks and are
looking toward a third round. China supported the coalition campaign in
Afghanistan and pledged $150 million -- a significant amount measured against
China's historical foreign aid commitments -- to Afghan reconstruction
following the defeat of the Taliban and our successes in disrupting and setting
back al Qaeda. This July, China joined the Container Security Initiative,
enabling joint efforts to target and pre-screen cargo being shipped to the U.S.
from Chinese ports. This means that Chinese and American customs officials will
be working together on the ground in China to keep Americans safe at home.
We have also had a useful dialogue on Iraq. China voted for UN Resolution 1441
authorizing renewed weapons inspections in Iraq, and publicly decried Baghdad's
attempts to play games with the UN Security Council. We are looking for ways to
engage China further in reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Iraq.
Clearly, China and the U.S. do not have identical perspectives on world
affairs. Taiwan is one example. Our abiding interest is in a peaceful
resolution of cross-Strait differences; we continue to tell China clearly that
its missile deployments across the Strait from Taiwan and refusal to renounce
the use of force are fundamentally incompatible with a peaceful approach.
Let me assure you that this Administration takes seriously its obligations
under the three U.S.-China communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act. We will
continue to adhere to our "one China" policy. We will also consider the sale of
defense articles and services at an appropriate level to allow Taiwan to
maintain its ability to defend itself.
However, we can say that on some of the most important international issues of
the day, China and the United States have overlapping, if not identical,
interests, and that the areas of shared interest and cooperation are growing in
both scope and intensity.
I want to highlight today the profound importance of China's extraordinary,
ongoing economic transformation. In a clear move away from a moribund communist
economic system, China has implemented market-oriented reforms over the past
two decades and unleashed individual initiative and entrepreneurship. While
substantial development challenges remain, the result has been the largest
reduction of poverty and one of the fastest increases in income levels ever
seen. China's economic growth has reportedly averaged 9% since 1979, and is
expected to remain strong in 2003 despite the setbacks of the SARS outbreak and
a sluggish global economy.
China's economic relations with the United States and the world have also been
transformed. In general, trade relations in East Asia are undergoing
significant restructuring; for example, South Korean exports to China in July
exceeded their exports to the U.S. These trends are likely to accelerate as
intraregional trade in East Asia continues to expand.
Largely closed to foreign firms until 1980, China is now the world's
fourth-largest trading nation, with total trade over $600 billion. Trade
between the U.S. and China has led the way, reaching more than $148 billion in
2002. China is America s fourth-largest trading partner, sixth-largest export
market, and fourth-largest source of imports. If current trends continue, China
may pass Japan as our third-largest trading partner by the end of 2003. In the
process, China has also become the world's largest recipient of FDI. U.S. firms
have invested over $25 billion in China, in key areas ranging from energy
development to automotive and telecommunications technology. U.S. economic
engagement with China can -- and should -- promote prosperity in both countries
and throughout the world.
The United States is currently running a large bilateral trade deficit with
China. We want to eliminate any and all unfair trade practices that contribute
to this deficit and are working with China to open its markets further,
insisting that our trade relationship be based on a shared commitment to open
markets and to playing by the rules. Maintaining domestic support for open
markets to China will become increasingly difficult without demonstrated
support in China for open markets to U.S. goods and services. I should note
some encouraging signs on that score: our exports to China are growing at a
nearly 25% pace this year. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement.
China's full and timely implementation of its WTO commitments is key to
expanding market opportunities for U.S. firms in China and ultimately creating
more jobs for American workers and farmers. We are working with our Chinese
counterparts to hasten that process, and believe China's WTO implementation
will accelerate China's economic reform through the creation of a more
rules-based and market-driven economy. While China has made great strides in
reforming its economy and moving toward a market-based economy, lowering
tariffs in the process, we still believe more needs to be done.
We have serious concerns with China's WTO compliance in certain areas --
particularly in agriculture, intellectual property rights, the services sector,
and the cross-cutting issue of transparency -- and are insisting that the
Chinese address these concerns. I want to emphasize that monitoring and
enforcing China's implementation of its WTO commitments are top priorities for
the U.S. Government. We also look forward to working with the P.R.C. on key
economic issues in the current Doha Round, including a move to reduce
agricultural subsidies, which inhibit the trade of goods in which the United
States and China are both competitive.
I should also note that with the end of the textile quota system in 2004 the
explosive growth of China's textile industry will pose increasing challenges,
not simply to our domestic producers, but to the legion of developing economies
that rely on textile exports. Navigating this process will require some
sensitivity by China as others adjust.
I know that many members of Congress are concerned that China is deliberately
maintaining an undervalued currency to gain an unfair advantage in trade.
Treasury Secretary Snow, in his recent visit to Beijing, reiterated to Chinese
officials our belief that the best international economic system is one based
on free trade, free capital flows, and market-determined exchange rates. We are
encouraging China to accelerate trade liberalization, permit the free flow of
capital, and take steps to establish a floating exchange rate. I understand
that you will have many questions about the currency issue and I defer to my
colleagues at the Treasury to address this issue in more detail.
Some of our most serious disagreements with China today relate to the nature of
China's political system and its internal policies. Although access to
information from outside China and the imperatives of economic reform have made
it increasingly difficult for the Communist Party to control social and
political thought or activities, China remains a one-party system where the
people who rule and who make the rules are by and large not accountable to the
general population. The abuses that such a system invites are manifest in
China's lack of respect for the rights of its citizens. Any individual or group
the regime sees as threatening -- whether they be democracy activists, Falun
Gong practitioners, Christians worshiping in home or unregistered churches,
Tibetans, Muslim Uighurs, journalists investigating corruption, laid-off
workers protesting, or even university students venting on the internet -- any
of these people run the risk of detention or worse if they cross an ill-defined
line.
Despite reform, China's legal system remains seriously flawed, and often
provides little or no due process to those accused of crimes, particularly
political crimes. There is simply no other way to put it - ongoing gross
violations of human rights are a serious impediment to better relations and
undermine the goodwill generated by individual releases or other steps.
We have been particularly disappointed by backsliding on human rights this
year, after a year of incremental, but still unprecedented, progress in 2002.
It is important that China take steps to modernize its criminal and civil
jurisprudence system and we intend to press these issues in our bilateral
meetings with China.
There are also steps that need to be taken with regard to nonproliferation. The
Chinese have expressed their desire to stem the proliferation of missiles and
WMD, and we are heartened by recent steps taken in the right direction. Under
Secretary for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton was recently
in Beijing for the second round of a semi-annual security dialogue aimed at --
among other key issues -- halting the spread of these deadly weapons and
technologies. Although China recently issued updated regulations on the export
of chemical and biological agents, as well as missile-related export controls,
full implementation and effective enforcement are still lacking. We continue to
see disturbing cases of proliferation activities by certain Chinese firms. As
you know, the Administration has not shied from sanctioning such activities, as
required by U.S. law. China must realize that this kind of proliferation not
only damages its relationship with the U.S., but also ultimately hurts its own
interests and security.
Let me return to where I started. The U.S.-China relationship has come a long
way since just a few years ago, and has moved beyond some rocky moments --
notably the accidental bombing of China's embassy in Belgrade, and the EP-3
crisis -- to begin to build a more mature relationship: one defined as much by
our common efforts in support of shared interests as by our differences.
Contrast those difficult moments with where we are today -- four presidential
meetings in 2 years, a common stand on some of the most pressing matters of the
day, and a relationship that across a number of different dimensions is
enormously robust.
I do not underestimate the challenges of our relations with China, and we must
continue to speak frankly and forcefully on issues that concern us. A
U.S.-China relationship that is candid, cooperative, and constructive, is both
necessary and possible today. It is also in the interests of our mutual
prosperity and peace and that of Asia-Pacific region and the world. Thank you.
Released on September 11, 2003
Comment