Representative Rick Larsen is a co-founder of the US-China Working Group, which provides information to the US Congress on issues about China.

WASHINGTON - The man intent on educating the US Congress about China believes the passage of time is essential for the United States to develop its relationship with its major trading partner.

"Maybe by the end of this century, there will still be a lot of twists and turns (in the US-China relationship), but as long as these twists and turns keep things moving forward, I am comfortable with them," Representative Rick Larsen, a Democrat from Washington, said recently.

Larsen, serving his sixth term in the House of Representatives, co-founded the bipartisan US-China Working Group in 2005 with Republican Senator Mark Kirk from Illinois. The group provides information to Congress on issues about China and often holds meetings with Chinese leaders.

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Larsen has been instrumental in bringing the two sides together to at least discuss, and sometimes act on, trade and diplomatic issues. But in light of President Hu Jintao's visit this week, the group could play a more important role because of its familiarity with China and its leaders.

The group has hosted meetings with top members of the Chinese leadership, including Hu, National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

The group has conducted three missions to China, focusing on the global recession, consumer product safety, intellectual property rights (IPR), establishing a defense telephone link, energy cooperation and climate change. Larsen said there may be another trip to China by June.

Last year, the group reintroduced the "US-China Competitiveness Agenda", composed of four bills promoting US exports, energy cooperation and Chinese language instruction.

He said the Obama administration has moved forward on at least one element of the agenda: a program to send 100,000 American students to China by 2013.

Naturally, the congressman is thrilled about Hu's visit to the US this week.

"It is a very exciting time right now to have this meeting between the leaders," said Larsen, who added that after relations became tense last year, they have "picked back up quite a lot".

"Despite all the concerns about the containment of China, the currency issue or intellectual property rights protection, the two leaders of the two great countries meeting and talking about the concerns will build a foundation to make the relationship stronger," he said. "I look forward to strong deliverables from this meeting on issues such as North Korea, Iran, IPR enforcement, indigenous policies, currency, and expansion of cultural and educational exchanges."

In preparation for Hu's visit, Larsen met Foreign Minister Yang two weeks ago. Both agreed that the two countries could become partners in tackling global challenges.

"I think we can get there," he said, "though it will take some push and pull between Washington and Beijing to make it happen."

One reason for the group's genesis was Larsen's conclusion in 2005 that the most underdeveloped relationship the US Congress has with other major countries was with China, despite the fact that the two countries established official diplomatic ties in 1979.

"We concluded that if we didn't do our part trying to help with the relationship, then it will be detrimental to the US," he said. "We needed a space in the House where we can talk about US-China relations, a place to educate ourselves about China, a place to bring people together talking about it."

As the 112th session of the Congress gets under way, Larsen said he is unsure how the new Congress will deal with US-China ties. He said Congress should not underestimate concerns over the currency issue.

"The book is still getting written on US-China relations because there was a huge turnover in Congress from the last session, so we are still trying to find out what exactly the new Congress members know about China, think about China," he said.

In 2010, the two chambers held several hearings on the Chinese currency. As a result of the meetings, the House passed a currency bill in late September addressing its concerns. The bill was killed in the Senate.

"I personally voted against the bill and I don't think it's a positive approach to deal with the currency issue," Larsen said. "I think it is a hammer when we need a lighter touch. But it is very possible that the currency bill will be reintroduced in the 112th session."

China Daily

(China Daily 01/19/2011 page2)