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U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy
Title: U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy
Date: May 7, 2009
Author: Shirley A. Kan
Institution: CRS
Bibliographic Entry: Kan, Shirley A. “U.S.-China Counterterrorism Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Policy. CRS Reports. May 7, 2009. http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33001_20090507.pdf (Accessed June 24, 2009)
Electronic Link: http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/RL33001_20090507.pdf
Key Words: People’s Republic of China, Operation Enduring Freedom, counterterrorism coalition, Uighur, arms transfers, weapons nonproliferation, port security, military-to-military contacts, Central Asia, Iran
Summary of Key Points, Issues, Conclusions:
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States faced a challenge in enlisting the full support of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the counterterrorism fight against Al Qaeda. This effort raised short-term policy issues about how to elicit cooperation and how to address PRC concerns about the U.S.-led war (Operation Enduring Freedom). Longer-term issues have concerned whether counterterrorism has strategically transformed bilateral ties and whether China’s support was valuable and not obtained at the expense of other U.S. interests. The extent of U.S.-China counterterrorism cooperation has been limited, but the tone and context of counterterrorism helped to stabilize—even if it did not transform—the closer bilateral relationship pursued by President George Bush since late 2001. China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has not participated in the counterterrorism coalition. Still, for almost four years after the attacks on September 11, 2001, President Bush and other administration officials tended to praise the PRC’s diplomatic and other support for the war against terrorism.
Since 2005, however, U.S. concerns about China’s extent of cooperation in counterterrorism have increased. In September 2005, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick acknowledged that “China and the United States can do more together in the global fight against terrorism” after “a good start,” in his policy speech that called on China to be a “responsible stakeholder” in the world.
Congress has oversight over the closer ties with China and a number of policy options. U.S. policy has addressed: law-enforcement ties; oppressed Uighur (Uyghur) people in western Xinjiang whom China claims to be linked to “terrorists”; detained Uighurs at Guantanamo Bay prison; Olympic security in August 2008; sanctions that ban exports of arms and security equipment; weapons nonproliferation; port security; military-to-military contacts; China’s influence in Central Asia through the SCO; and China’s arms transfers to Iran.
Name of Researcher: Laura Spencer
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University
Date Posted: June 24, 2009