A rchive Date
[ 21-01-2004 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ U.S ]
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[ http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov/uscn/others/2000/0524a.htm
World Economic Forum
Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen on China
Transcript: Cohen Remarks on Globalization of Business
Following is the Defense Department transcript of Cohen's remarks, as delivered:
(begin transcript)
Remarks as Delivered By Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building, Washington, D.C. Wednesday, May 24, 2000
[ ...Intervening Text... ]
There are two or three other issues I will touch upon. I don't know how much time you have for questions, but I'd like to touch upon what we're doing now from a diplomatic point of view in terms of trying to engage two major countries: Russia and China.
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As you know, there's a vote coming up on China today. And it is my hope and, I would say, expectation, but it's only a hope at this point that the House and the Senate will approve Permanent Normal Trading Relations with China. I believe it's in our security interests. I think the economics speak for themselves, and perhaps you had Charlene Barshefsky already address those issues. But clearly the economic issues favor the United States on this vote.
From a national security point of view it also favors us, because I have found that when we have a constructive engagement with China, willing to challenge them on issues where we differ, but also willing to find areas of compromise where we can, that that also solidifies our bilateral relations with virtually every other country in the Asia-Pacific region.
And so if they see that we have great tensions with China that are caused by arbitrary policies or policies that they do not see as being rational, responsible, then it causes some reduction in the strength of those relations with all of the Asia- Pacific countries. And so it is in our national security interest to engage China in a positive way.
From my perspective, given the economic arguments that are made on behalf of this vote, a rejection would send a very strong signal that we intend to treat China as a potential adversary and as the new cold warrior of the 21st Century. That will not be in our national security interest to do so.
I will sum up the strategy that we have for our military. Our national security strategy is captured in three words: shape, respond, prepare. We try to shape the political international environment in ways that are favorable to the interests of the United States and that of our allies by being forward deployed. That's why we have the 100,000 in
Asian Pacific and why we have the 100,000 in Europe and why we are deployed in the Gulf and also maintaining strong bilateral relations with Australia and others.
[ ...Intervening Text... ]
(end transcript)
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
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