DAS CAMPBELL OUTLINES U.S. SECURITY POLICY TOWARD ASIA-PACIFIC
(U.S. engagement in region is act of self-interest) By Peggy Hu
USIA Staff Writer

Washington -- The U.S. engagement in the Asia-Pacific region rests on America's unilateral commitment to the region's peace and security, bilateral relationships, and multilateral dialogue, according to Kurt Campbell, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific affairs.

"At the basis of our strategy is this unilateral commitment, this philosophy that our involvement in the Asian Pacific region is critical both for our well-being and for the peace and stability of the Asian Pacific," Campbell said at a March 14 briefing at USIA's Foreign Press Center. "Our involvement, our engagement in the Asian Pacific region is not some selfless act; in fact, it is also because it is clearly in the interests of the United States."

Bilateral relationships, particularly America's relations with China, are also critical to the peace and stability of the region, according to Campbell.

"I know of no other country in the international community that has a greater interest in developing a positive relationship with China than the United States," Campbell said. "I think we have very real interests in seeing China's emergence as a great power, well-integrated into international economic and political fora. I would say that is one of the most important challenges of American foreign policy, and I think that if you look at the statements by our leaders -- Secretary Albright, President Clinton, Vice President Gore -- you see a powerful commitment to engage China."

The United States also maintains a very strong relationship with Taiwan and meets its commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act, Campbell said. These commitments include regularly assessing the security situation in the Taiwan Straits, communicating this security assessment to Taiwan, providing defensive equipment and technology to Taiwan, and maintaining a strong presence in the region.

"The most important commitment made in the Taiwan Relations Act -- which is often overlooked -- is the fact that the United States will remain as a powerful force in the Asian Pacific," he said. "That's one of the reasons why we are so determined to remain forward-deployed at about 100,000-strong."

Campbell said that the United States hopes China and Taiwan will resume cross-Strait talks this year and eventually achieve a peaceful resolution to their situation.

Multilateral dialogue is also essential to improving confidence, promoting transparency, and ultimately maintaining the peace and security of the region, according to Campbell.

"My own view is that ultimately peace and stability in the Asian Pacific region rests on the fact that relations between Japan, the United States, and China must be good, and that we must not revert to the negative trilateralism whereby there's an outside leg," he said. "We have a very strong interest in strong relations between Beijing and Tokyo, and one of the things we very much want to see is relations improved between those two capitals during 1997."

Multilateral dialogue also enhances transparency, Campbell said.

"We think that the United States has a very real interest in imparting goals of transparency, not only for the United States, but for the Chinese people and for the people in the surrounding region," he said. "We believe that transparency efforts toward releasing more information about defense budgets, other kinds of confidence-building measures, are the best steps that China can take to engage the region -- not just the United States, but the other security partners in the Asian Pacific region."

"There is concern in the international community any time a power arises suddenly on the scene, and at times such as this, with China's import so clear to the United States, to Japan, to Korea, to the rest of Southeast Asia, we think it is very important that China take steps to reassure countries of its interest in playing a supportive and peaceful role in the international community," Campbell said. "I am very hopeful that the process of dialogue -- not just with the United States and China, but with China and Japan, with China and Korea, with China and Southeast Asia -- will lead to a better security environment in the twilight years of this century and beyond."