2011 report to congress - U.S.-China Economic and Security Review ...

dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with $$_JOB19relationship with Iran undermines international efforts to curtailIran’s pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and support of internationalterrorism.Despite the improvement in economic and diplomatic relationsacross the Taiwan Strait, China deploys some 1,200 short-rangeballistic missiles against the island. In response to the U.S. sale toTaiwan of a new $5.8 billion package of upgrades to its aging fleetof F–16 fighter jets, China indicated that it may suspend a seriesof military-to-military engagements. To the consternation of itsneighbors, China asserts its expansive territorial claims in theSouth and East China Seas. China is increasingly capable of pursuingits own interests at the expense of regional, perhaps evenglobal, stability.China’s opaque intentions complicate our understanding and responseto its rise as a world power. China’s stated desire to maintainstable and peaceful international relationships conflicts withsuch actions as harassing vessels operating in international watersoff the Chinese coast, aggressively pressing unrecognized territorialclaims in the East and South China Seas, and supporting NorthKorea in the aftermath of unprovoked acts of aggression againstSouth Korea. In fact, the People’s Republic of China’s official messagesmay be a cover for China’s actual foreign policy goals. Inaddition, internal power struggles among Chinese foreign policymakersmake it difficult to understand the decision-making processin China, increasing the chance of miscalculating China’s foreignpolicy.The next few years will illustrate how China wishes to embracethe international order and the manner in which it will use its increasingpower. China is faced with a choice. It can either join thecommunity of nations in the existing international order based onthe rule of law, or it can aggressively assert its own interests withoutregard for the concerns of other states and face growing oppositionfrom the global community. The latter is not in anyone’s interest.By welcoming China into the WTO and other internationalbodies, the U.S. government has demonstrated that it wants theChinese government to be a responsible international stakeholder;however, until China more fully complies with international norms,the United States must be more forceful in asserting its own nationalinterests. Insisting on reciprocity in our economic relationshipand respect for international laws and norms in ourgeostrategic relationship is a start. This would not only benefitU.S. citizens but also demonstrate to the world that the UnitedStates is still the standard-bearer for stability and rule of law. Weare in a global competition with China, and U.S. policies shouldflow from this premise. The United States should insist on reciprocityand mutual benefit as guiding principles of the U.S.-Chinarelationship. It is clear is that China will pursue its own narrowgoals unless international pressure is brought to bear to modifyany objectionable behavior.While effectively responding to China is not an easy task, theCommission’s 2011 Report is an outline that we believe will behelpful to Congress in addressing China’s rise. The Commissionrecommends that Congress, through legislation, require the presidentto assign the National Security Council to conduct an agency-VerDate Nov 24 2008 13:46 Nov 10, 2011 Jkt 067464 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 G:\GSDD\USCC\2011\067464.XXX 067464