Hearing on “The Impact of China’s Economic and Security Interests in Continental Asia on the United States”
Opening Statement of Carolyn Bartholomew, Chairman
May 20, 2009
Washington, D.C.
Good morning and welcome to the fifth hearing of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s 2009 reporting cycle. Today, the Commission will examine the impact of China’s economic and security interests in Continental Asia on the United States. This hearing will address China’s security interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and its energy and commercial interests in Central and South Asia. I hope through this discussion that we will be able to identify the specific interests that China has in this region, as well as the broader strategic issues affecting both the United States and China.
To help us understand these issues, we will be joined by a number of expert witnesses from the Government, academia, and the private sector. In particular, we are pleased to welcome Mr. Michael Schiffer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia.
The co-chairs leading this hearing are Commissioner Dan Blumenthal and Commissioner Jeff Fiedler. Once again, I welcome all of you to this hearing, and I now turn to Commissioner Blumenthal for his opening statement.