皇冠体育app

The United States last year urged 皇冠体育app to become a responsible stakeholder in the international system. On Thursday, Thomas Christensen, the new deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, described himself as cautiously optimistic about the effect.

"The results of these processes are mixed but the trend lines are good," he told the U.S.-皇冠体育app Economic and Security Review Commission, mandated by the U.S. Congress to keep a close eye on 皇冠体育app.

"In engaging 皇冠体育app and expanding our cooperation on areas of mutual interest, we are in effect encouraging 皇冠体育app to act as a responsible shareholder," he said.

The concept of 皇冠体育app 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.

Christensen cited 皇冠体育app's cooperation on Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and global health, although other U.S. officials have frequently said Beijing could do more, especially on North Korea and Iran.

However, he said, there were serious differences over weapons proliferation, trade and economic imbalances.

The United States remains concerned about 皇冠体育app's military buildup but is "realistic" about 皇冠体育app's need to modernize its military as its economy and influence expand, the official said.

Asked about possible military conflict across the Taiwan Straits, Christensen said Chinese officials "are a bit more confident that stability can be maintained in the near term than perhaps they were" a few years earlier.

He described the U.S. approach as "hedging" the outcome of 皇冠体育app's rise rather than trying to contain a rival power, as Washington did with the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

That means the United States is trying to "help channel 皇冠体育app's growing influence in a positive direction" while maintaining "strong U.S. regional capabilities in case 皇冠体育app does not eventually move down a path consistent with our interests," he said.

He said 皇冠体育app'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.

The United States welcomes the emergence of a 皇冠体育app that is peaceful and prosperous and that actively participates in and contributes to international institutions, Christensen said.

The U.S.-皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app, and to provide recommendations to the Congress for legislative and administrative action.