Former Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) recently said in the summer 2013 issue of the Ripon Forum that the quality and success of relations between China and the United States is critically important to the global economy.
Dreier said resurgence of the U.S. and ascendance of the Chinese should not be mutually exclusive, and people who think they should be misunderstand the world’s problems and opportunities.
“America’s resources, education, culture (marked by adaptability and reward for risk-taking and innovation), and global alliances are key to our 21st century success,” Dreier said. “China’s growth, modern infrastructure, hard-working people, and economic scale are all vital factors in its advance.”
Drier said the two countries are challenged to adjust their policies in order to protect, use and draw attention to their individual strengths. He said directing the policies requires leadership to navigate different areas of competing political, economic and social interests.
“The U.S.-China bilateral relationship has huge potential to help or hinder these processes on which our future depends,” Dreier said.
For America to retain its global competitiveness, it must invest heavily in infrastructure. This new approach to Chinese participation would support long-term U.S. security and economic interest, Dreier said.
“Details include important and thorny issues like intellectual property and cyber security,” Dreier said. “But there are huge incentives for us both to address these and other obstacles to relations that will serve our interests well.”
Dreier served in the House of Representatives from 1981 to 2013.