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PacNet #17A – Can “stakeholder” hold U.S.-China relations?

Since Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick used the term of “stakeholder” in a speech on U.S.-China relations last September, it has triggered a lot of discussion in both countries. The Bush administration – from the White House to the Pentagon – has incorporated this concept into official documents such as the recent Quadrennial Defense Review and the National Security Strategy. At the recent summit in Washington, DC, top leaders in both countries also endorsed it. In his welcome remarks on the South Lawn of White House, President Bush used the term for the first time. President Hu Jintao’s remarks at the White House luncheon also mentioned “stakeholder,” although he quickly added that China and U.S. should also be “constructive partners.”