China's global emergence is a natural consequence of its economic growth and development and need not be seen as a threat to the United States, a senior U.S. official said Thursday.

The United States welcomes the emergence of a China that is peaceful and prosperous and that actively participates in and contributes to international institutions, Thomas Christensen, deputy assistance secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said in a written testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, quoting remarks by President George W. Bush to Chinese President Hu Jintao in April.

The United States and China are working closely on the diplomatic front, engaging on an extremely broad range of issues in which the two countries have common interests, he said during a two-day hearing on China that started Thursday.

The U.S. engagement with China takes place in many different forums, both bilateral and multilateral, and at different levels, said Christensen.

The United States works actively with China in most major international organization, such the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, and regional organizations such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, he said.

Bilaterally, he said, the two sides meet regularly to discuss issues concerning economy, nonproliferation, counterterrorism cooperation, law enforcement cooperation, and global issues from environment to health, and science and technology cooperation.

"In engaging China and expanding our cooperation on areas of mutual interest, we are in effect encouraging China to act as a responsible shareholder," he said.

The concept of China as a responsible global shareholder "is not only our objective, but a framework for a process that involves building an important and mutually beneficial relationship" between the countries, he said.

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission was created in October 2000, to monitor, investigate, and submit to the Congress an annual report on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and China, and to provide recommendations to the Congress for legislative and administrative action.