|
Growing chinese influence in economic forum Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060127/pl_afp/forumdavosuschinahttp://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060127/pl_afp/forumdavosuschina
US watches China's rising star with anxiety
Jan 27, 2006
55 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Top US officials, recognizing China's growing influence, say they are trying to persuade Beijing to act as a "responsible actor" on the world stage amid disagreements and rivalry between the two powers.
With China's rising star dominating the World Economic Forum in Davos, US representatives sounded a note of apprehension about Beijing's diplomacy.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was up to Washington and other powers to encourage China to act as a "stakeholder" in the international arena and not merely pursue its own economic interests.
"Now, the rise of China is something we don't only take note of, but we believe that there is an obligation by all of the powers, but perhaps particularly the United States, to engage in policies that will encourage ... the responsible stakeholder China, the China that sees it has an obligation in the international system to promote and, in fact, to defend peace and security," Rice said Thursday in a video conference at the Davos event.
"China is, after all, one of the permanent five members of the Security Council," Rice said.
Washington has been lobbying China to set aside its economic appetite for oil and back calls for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program.
A crucial meeting on the issue is set for February 2 when the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) convenes in Vienna.
But as the world's second biggest consumer of oil, China has remained reluctant given Iran's vast oil and gas reserves.
Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, who has been meeting Chinese officials this week, said that Beijing was not "taking the exact same route as the US" on the Iranian nuclear issue.
According to Rice, Beijing has played an important role in six-party talks with North Korea. This indicated that China "understands that it has a crucial role to play in not just commenting on security but actually promoting a more secure environment," she said.
As one of the biggest importers of raw materials from Latin America, China has made its mark in a region previously dominated by Washington.
China has signed a free trade agreement with Chile and brokered deals with Venezuela focused mainly on oil.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a vehement critic of the United States, sought to align his government with China when he said he rejected Taiwan's independence.
Bolivia's new leftist president, Evo Morales, travelled to China soon after his election victory, seeking to forge economic ties for his impoverished country with major natural gas reserves.
During his visit, Morales said that China was a "political and ideological ally of the Bolivian people."
In Africa, China's economic influence has raised concerns in Washington.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs Jendayi Frazer recently expressed regret that China's investments in Africa have focused exclusively on raw materials.
"Certainly when you look at where China has invested its resources in Africa, it's primarily in oil-producing countries and the other place is in South Africa," Frazer said.
"So one would hope that China's investment would be broader and that it would contribute not only to China's development and growth, which is at such a high pace ... but it would also contribute to Africa's growth and development."
|
|
