The Congressional U.S.-China Security Review Commission Elects A New Chairman And Vice Chairman To Lead Its Second Year Of Work
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 18, 2002 |
Contact: |
Kathy Michels kmichels@uscc.gov Omar Aslam oaslam@uscc.gov Web site:www.uscc.gov |
Washington, D.C. - The U.S.-China Security Review Commission, established by Congress effective with the 107th Congress, has elected a new Chairman and Vice Chairman to lead its second year of work to assess and analyze the national security implications of trade and economic ties between the United States and the Peoples Republic of China. The Commission released its first Annual Report to Congress in July 2002 and will be announcing its 2002-2003 public hearing schedule shortly.
Commissioner Roger W. Robinson, Jr., President and CEO of Conflict Securities Advisory Group, Inc, and a former Senior Director of International Economic Affairs of the National Security Council, was elected Chairman of the Commission. Commissioner C. Richard DAmato, Delegate to the Maryland House of Delegates from Annapolis, MD, and the first Chairman of the Commission, was elected Vice Chairman.
Chairman Robinson said, "We are fortunate in this second year of the Commission to be able to build on such a solid platform of work established by our first comprehensive report to the Congress. This will be, as always, a dynamic and challenging period ahead in our relationship with China. I am confident that we can continue the Commissions record of identifying and assessing cutting-edge issues affecting the economic and security interests of the United States."
Vice Chairman C. Richard DAmato said, "We are particularly hopeful for changes in policy and practices that can be accomplished with a new generation of leaders taking power in China, in the expectation that the engagement between our two nations will become more truly a two-way street of cooperation instead of competition and confrontation. The members of the Commission have a wide range of expertise and backgrounds to conduct an extensive inquiry into the full range of factors, both economic and military, which affect Americas national security and the course of our long-term relationship with the Peoples Republic of China. The U.S.-China relationship is clearly the most important bilateral relationship America has today as our national interests shift strategically to the Pacific region and away from our historic cold war emphasis on Europe. The Congressional leaders created this Commission to secure regular in-depth assessments of the national security implications, including relevant economic and military factors driving the overall relationship."
The Commission undertook a great deal of new and original analysis and investigation during its first year of work and will expand on this during the next year in response to the wide-ranging mandate contained in its charter. The charter requires it to provide annual reports to Congress, together with any recommendations for legislative or administrative actions, in both classified and unclassified forms. The second report will build on the baseline for assessing changes in U.S.-China relations and the forty recommendations contained in its first Annual Report to the Congress. Future Commission Reports will measure and analyze the evolution of the issues discussed in the July 2002 Report to the Congress.
The Commission will continue to support new research, and will take testimony from the Executive Branch, business, academia, labor and other experts on Chinese military and trade issues.
The Commissions first Annual Report to Congress, transcripts of all public hearings, its research products and translations of relevant Chinese articles are posted on its interactive website (www.uscc.gov).
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