U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2008)

U.S. Department of State

Remarks at the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs

John D. Negroponte, Deputy Secretary of State
Baltimore, Maryland
October 16, 2008

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One of the main challenges to a stable Afghanistan, and more broadly, to defeating global terrorism is the trajectory of Pakistan. Pakistan is a vitally important nation. It is the world's third most populous Muslim state. It is a nuclear power. It is situated in the strategically crucial neighborhood of India, Iran, Afghanistan and China, and it is a frontline state in the war on terrorism. United States and our allies face near-term challenges from Pakistan's reluctance and inability to roll back terrorist sanctuaries in the tribal region. And we must balance the need to address those challenges with our longer-run interest in partnering with Pakistan's moderate, civilian leaders to build an effective democratic state capable of co-opting or defeating its internal adversaries.

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Earlier this month, we achieved a milestone in our relationship with India when President Bush signed the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement into law. This agreement culminates eight years of steady progress, strengthening the natural bonds between our two countries. Such partnerships with fellow democracies are a platform for projecting influence and for cooperating on the full panorama of common interests. Those interests include long-term challenges of international governance, such as free trade and climate change. We cannot reach effective solutions to such challenges without consensus among both developed and developing major economies, especially India and China.

Building that consensus has not been easy. The Indians and the Chinese are understandably concerned about sustaining economic growth, and shielding their populations and industries from the dislocations of global trade. Indeed, many Americans have similar concerns. But as major stakeholders in the international system, especially in the global trading system from which they, as much as anyone, are benefitting, India and China should join us in leading the way towards a successful conclusion of the Doha trade round, that is to say the World Trade Organization round of talks, and the post-Kyoto framework on climate change. On trade especially, the United States Congress should exercise leadership of its own by ratifying our free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and South Korea.

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