BEIJING - As the United States is making an "unprecedented" effort to build a strong network of relationships in the Asia-Pacific region, analysts reminded Washington to choose a proper way to play a constructive role in regional stability and prosperity. 

According to Xinhua News Agency, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Congress to support the Obama administration's investment in Afghanistan, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific to sustain the US' "leadership in the world" despite budgetary constraints. 

Clinton touted the Obama administration's foreign policy priorities, including pursuing so-called forward-deployed diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific, when testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing on Tuesday on the fiscal year 2013 international affairs budget of $51.6 billion, said Xinhua.

The robust economies in the region have attracted the Obama administration's attention as the US' domestic economy is struggling to recover, but Washington's strengthened alliance with some countries in the region has strained its ties with Beijing. 

The US should try to ease the concerns of regional countries, said Niu Xinchun, a researcher on US studies with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. "Cooperation between the two countries is indispensable for stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region."

During the hearing, Clinton said the administration is "updating diplomacy and development for the 21st century and finding ways to work smarter and more efficiently", according to Xinhua.

Clinton explained that the budget of $51.6 billion for the State Department already reflects the tough economic times the country is facing, as it has already "made difficult tradeoffs and painful cuts".

The cuts included 18 percent less spending in Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia, scaling back the construction of embassies and consulates, improved procurement to save money, and steps to lower costs, she said.

Clinton listed five priorities of US foreign policy - Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Asia-Pacific and the Arab world.

She said the US will pursue so-called forward-deployed diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. 

"The administration is making an unprecedented effort to build a strong network of relationships and institutions, because we believe, in the century ahead, no region will be more consequential to our economic and security future," Clinton said.

"The heart of the economy of the 21st century lies in the Asia Pacific," Niu said, considering the importance of the area's economic position as the world is still slowly recovering from the financial crisis.

"It is reasonable for the US to increase its presence here, but the crux of the problem is how the US is focusing on the region," said Niu, recalling that in 2011 the US tried to strengthen its alliance with regional countries and form a Trans-Pacific Partnership. 

During the past two years, the US has also tried to back up some regional countries in their disputes with China over some islands and waters in the South China Sea.

"The US' way of boosting its presence in the region has damaged China's relations with surrounding countries. The US should have played a role in easing tensions and concerns, but it acted in the opposite way in making use of such concerns to expand its presence in this region," Niu said. 

Difficulties in its domestic economy have also resulted in cuts to the US defense budget. 

The Pentagon's forthcoming $613.4 billion funding request for next year outlines a series of significant cuts, but also reveals a shift of focus to the Asia-Pacific region while reducing the US' presence in Europe.

On his visit to the US in February, Vice-President Xi Jinping urged the US to respect the interests and concerns of China and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

"As the interests of China and the United States converge most closely in the Asia-Pacific than anywhere else, this region should naturally become an important area where China and the United States engage in positive interactions and pursue mutually beneficial cooperation," Xi said. 

Fan Jishe, a researcher with the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said China expects a cooperative Sino-US relationship in this region, where room for cooperation and differences co-exist. 

Maintaining regional peace and stability especially on the Korean Peninsula, promoting regional economic prosperity, and dealing with issues including disaster relief, maritime search and rescue and humanitarian aid are all good areas for the two countries to cooperate, Fan noted. 

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