Touting the Obama administration's foreign policy priorities, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Tuesday urged the Congress to support U.S. strategic investment in Afghanistan, Middle East and Asia-Pacific to sustain America's "leadership in the world" despite budgetary constraints.

Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing on the fiscal year 2013 international affairs budget, Clinton said the administration is "updating diplomacy and development for the 21st century and finding ways to work smarter and more efficiently."

Clinton explained that the budget of 51.6 billion U.S. dollars 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 for Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia, scaling back of construction of embassies and consulates, improved procurement to save money, and steps to lower costs, she said.

Clinton listed five priorities of the U.S. foreign policy, which is aimed at not only helping cement America's national and economic security, but also maintaining its "leadership" in the world. "And in this time, only the United States of America has the reach, resources, and relationships to anchor a more peaceful and prosperous world," she claimed.

Firstly, the U.S. will sustain its vital national security missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, where the temporary extraordinary costs of operating on the front lines are still high, the U.S. will support the ongoing transition, helping Afghans take responsibility for their own security and their own future, and ensuring that it is never again a safe haven for terrorists, Clinton said.

Washington remains committed to working on issues of joint interest with Pakistan, including counterterrorism, economic stability, and regional cooperation, while supporting U.S. civilians who are in the lead to help Iraq "emerge as a stable, sovereign, democratic power" after the U.S. pullout last year, the top U.S. diplomat said.

Secondly, the U.S. will pursue the 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.

To underscore America as a Pacific power, the Obama administration is "strengthening our alliances, launching new strategic dialogues and economic initiatives, creating and joining important multilateral institutions," even pursuing a possible opening with Myanmar, she added.

Thirdly, the U.S. is focused on the wave of changes sweeping the Arab world. The State Department is proposing a 770-million-dollar Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund to support credible proposals "from countries that make a meaningful commitment to democratic change, effective institutions, and broad-based economic growth."

Meanwhile, the U.S. will help Syrian people "survive a brutal assault and plan for a future without Assad," while continuing to assist in civil society and Arab partners in Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and elsewhere. It will also provide a record level of support for its ally Israel and impose "the toughest sanctions" against Iran through diplomacy at the UN and around the world.

The fourth priority of the U.S. foreign policy is the so-called economic statecraft, which refers to using diplomacy and development to create American jobs by helping American businesses connect to new markets and consumers overseas. As Russia entered the World Trade Organization, the U.S. will ensure that foreign competitors do not have an advantage over American businesses, Clinton said.

And finally, Clinton pledged the U.S. will continue to fight poverty, disease, hunger, and climate change that can destabilize societies and sow the seeds for future conflicts. The U.S. needs to make strategic investment in order to meet its traditional foreign policy goals in the future, through programs such as the Global Health Initiative and Feed the Future Initiative.

"These five priorities are each crucial to American leadership," said Clinton. "With so much on the line, from the Arab world to the Asia Pacific, we simply cannot pull back."