Rudd urges Govt to pursue US over China

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The Federal Opposition says the Government should use the visit to Australia this week of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to urge greater engagement with China.

The Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer will hold talks with Dr Rice and Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso in Sydney. Ahead of the meeting, Dr Rice expressed concern about the rising economic and military power of China.

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says China is likely to become the world's largest economy and containment is not an option.

"We need to engage China through the international institutions, both the economic and political institutions and the strategic institutions which govern the world order," he said. "That's the way in which we bring China into a positive, constructive role in dealing with the world's problems."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1589937.htm