WASHINGTON - The United States will step up efforts to push for a more open, free and fair trade environment in the Asia-Pacific region, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.

In a speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Washington, she said "the United States is determined not just to re-engage but to lead. We have an ambitious agenda for delivering significant benefits to our people and our partners, and we are steadily carrying it out".

The US will host this year's APEC summit in Hawaii in November. Clinton called for the 21-member group to tackle rising food and fuel prices and create economic opportunities.

In order to create "an open, free, transparent and fair" environment in the Asia-Pacific region, she said, Washington has been trying to achieve congressional approval of the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.

She added the US is making progress in finalizing the Transpacific Partnership, a growing trade group that US officials have said could help establish free trade across the Asia-Pacific region.

China-US trade relations have been tense in recent years. Washington has blamed Beijing over its currency exchange rate, government subsidies and indigenous innovation policy.

It is also worried about China's growing power in the Asia-Pacific region. According to a report from Australia's ANZ Bank, trade between China and the Pacific Islands, which has an abundance of natural resources, has skyrocketed over the past decade, from $180 million in 2001 to $1.5 billion in 2010.

Last week, Clinton made a strong comment to the US Senate that the US is facing direct competition with China, especially within the Asia-Pacific region.

But China's Foreign Ministry said friendly cooperation between China and the Pacific Islands has not only brought benefits to both sides, but has also contributed to regional stability, development and prosperity.

China insists on offering genuine and selfless help to the Pacific Islands to help them independently develop.

APEC, which includes the US, China and Japan, account for about 40 percent of the world's population, 54 percent of global GDP and about 44 percent of world trade.

The Obama administration said the dynamic region will help jump-start the US' sluggish economy and double its export in five years.

After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the US reduced its presence in the region. After Obama took office in 2009, the US government launched a new strategy toward Asia. In addition to strengthening its ties with regional allies, such as Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and the Philippines, Washington has also reached out to new friends, including India, Indonesia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Mongolia and Malaysia.

But China is another major player in the region and Beijing has begun to inject more economic and political influence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Though the world's two largest economic powers have agreed to work together to maintain stability and prosperity in the region, direct competition for natural resources is inevitable and China's need for more control of the region will lead to more frictions, analysts said.

China Daily