WASHINGTON, DC -The
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission yesterday
unanimously elected a Chairman and Vice Chairman to lead
its third year of work for the Congress assessing the national
security implications of trade and economic ties between
the United States and the Peoples’ Republic of China.
The Commission elected C. Richard D’Amato,
Maryland attorney and former Delegate to the Maryland House
of Delegates, as Chairman. Mr. D’Amato, appointed
to the Commission by Senate Democratic Leader Daschle, has
served in the past as both Chairman and Vice Chairman of
the Commission. The Commission elected Roger W. Robinson,
Jr., President and CEO of Conflict Securities Advisory Group,
Inc. and a former Senior Director of International Economic
Affairs for the National Security Council, as Vice Chairman.
Mr. Robinson, appointed to the Commission by Senate Majority
Leader Frist, served as the Commission’s Chairman
during the prior reporting period. Complete bios for Chairman
D’Amato and Vice Chairman Robinson are available on
the Commission’s website (www.uscc.gov).
Chairman D’Amato said, “I
am honored to begin another term as Chairman of the Commission
at a time when many htmects of U.S.-China relations, particularly
those we are charged to look at by the Congress, are becoming
front burner issues in the U.S. policy arena. We are fortunate
in this third year of the Commission to be able to build
on such a solid foundation of work undertaken during our
first two years. I am confident that we can continue the
Commission’s record of identifying and assessing for
the Congress cutting-edge issues affecting U.S. economic
and security interests.”
Vice Chairman Robinson stated, “The
Commission will seek to stay ahead of the curve on the fast-moving
developments in U.S.-China relations and surface issues
in need of Congressional attention. Our 2004 Report catalogued
identified an array of problematic trends in the relationship
that we will continue to assess closely, enabling the Congress
to gauge year-to-year improvements or backsliding.”
The Commission released its second Annual
Report to Congress on June 15, 2004, and will begin its
2004-2005 hearing schedule in September. As in the past,
the Commission plans to hold an extensive series of public
hearings on a broad array of topics within its legislative
mandate, including field hearings this fall in Ohio and
Washington state to continue its examination of the industry
sector and regional impacts of U.S.-China trade and investment.
The Commission’s first two Annual Reports to Congress,
transcripts of its public hearings, research papers, and
translations of relevant Chinese-language materials are
available at www.uscc.gov. |
