Hearing on China’s Views of Sovereignty and Methods of Access Control
Opening Statement of Jeffrey Fiedler, Commissioner
February 27, 2008
Washington, DC
Thank you. The Commission’s mandate from Congress requires us to closely monitor the economic and security dimensions of the U.S-China relationship. I’m pleased to co-chair this hearing on China’s views of sovereignty and methods of access control, which have significant implications for U.S. interests around the world and for international peace and security.
The purpose of this hearing is to assess China’s views of sovereignty, to examine China’s access controls of both a military and a non-military nature, and to determine the impact of those access controls on U.S. national security. As China’s economic power grows along with its political influence in global affairs, clearly understanding how Chinese views on sovereignty diverge with the views of the United States as well as the views of the broader international community is vital to our efforts to avoid potential conflict not just in Asia around the globe. With China’s continued military development and expanding global reach, it is vital that the United States play a positive role in encouraging China’s compliance with international standards and its cooperation in global security efforts.