Rice: China has an important role to play
(chinadaily.com.cn/Agencies)
Updated: 2006-01-29 09:15

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is obviously embracing the "responsible stakeholder role" for China on the world stage, a phrase that is the brain child of his deputy Robert Zoellick.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks from Washington to participants of the session "The Guiding principles and values for US policies" at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Top US officials, recognizing China's growing influence, say they are trying to persuade Beijing to act as a "responsible actor" on the world stage amid disagreements and rivalry between the two powers. [AFP]

Secretary Rice said in the weekend during a live telecast to the Davos annual economic forum that it was up to Washington and other powers to encourage China to act as a "stakeholder" in the international arena, while the Asian rising star is creating its economic success story.

"Now, the rise of China is something we don't only take note of, but we believe that there is an obligation by all of the powers, but perhaps particularly the United States, to engage in policies that will encourage ... the responsible stakeholder China, the China that sees it has an obligation in the international system to promote and, in fact, to defend peace and security," Rice said in a video conference at the Davos event.

"China is, after all, one of the permanent five members of the Security Council," Rice said.

Washington has been lobbying China to set aside its economic interests and back calls for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council over its nuclear program. A crucial meeting on the issue is set for February 2 when the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) convenes.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick speaks at a news conference summing up his week long trip to Southeast Asian nations Tuesday May 10, 2005 in Singapore. Zoellick said any policy to contain China's influence would be foolish and ineffective. [AP]

In a speech in New York on Sept. 21, 2005, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick proposed that the United States step up efforts to make China a "responsible stakeholder" in the international system.

Zoellick did not falter when asked repeatedly during his recent China visit about the real meaning of the word "stakeholder". On the contrary, he says he is "very pleased" to see a small word can trigger such a big discussion about bilateral relations.

"The fact that it does not have a clear definition in Chinese has actually been positive from my point of view, because it led to a debate about what the concept should be," Zoellick said.

To many experts in international studies, the United States was to set a standard by which the two nations can work together on global issues.

Zoellick said he was very encouraged that China has played a positive role in issues like Iraq and Afghanistan, suggesting that China could continue to "play a very positive role in the international system."

However, he stressed a "stakeholder" concept does not mean the two countries are in agreement on all topics, adding that the United States has never taken identical views with any country on all topics. "So we use this (stakeholder) system to manage some of the issues (where there are differences)," Zoellick.

Zoellick said he understood the view of some experts that by calling China a "stakeholder", the United States overemphasized the international responsibilities it wants China to shoulder, but neglected the fact that China is still a developing country and is facing many challenges on the road of development.