Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International
Studies offers an insight into Chinese Foreign Policy strategy
following the recent
16th
National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
The 16th Party Congress hailed the mission to build a "well-off
society in an all round way" and push forward the development of a
modern society. This is recognized as defining the core issues of
public interest for the first 20 years of the 21st century.
Diplomacy abroad exists to serve the nation at home. Against this
backdrop, the role of China's foreign policy can be seen as
creating a favorable international environment within which these
domestic aims can be met.
The Win-win Diplomacy of Cooperation
Three main strands of cooperation can benefit everyone as
follows:
--Good relations with the major powers
First of all, China should devote itself to developing
long-lasting, stable, friendly and cooperative relations with the
major powers.
The positive, balanced and parallel development of Sino-Russian,
Sino-US, Sino-European and Sino-Japanese relations have a key role
to play in strengthening China's position within the international
community as it plays a greater role in world affairs.
Current joint efforts in the drive against terrorism represent a
key factor in maintaining unity and strengthening cooperation among
the major powers.
China and Russia have together established an anti-terror workshop
after first setting up a long-term counter-terrorist exchange and
cooperative mechanism conjointly with the United States. China has
since gone on to participate in significant exchanges of
anti-terror information with Pakistan, India, Britain, France and
Germany.
By
its untiring efforts to build a stable and cooperative global
structure, China is making a major contribution to the cause of
world peace and stability.
--World peace and development
Secondly, China should promote international dialogue and
cooperation, safeguard world peace and push forward common
development.
It
is good to see China playing a more and more active role in
multilateral diplomacy, especially through emphasizing the core
role of the United Nations in resolving global disputes. In fact,
multilateral diplomacy is becoming an important platform on which
China's influence is being built.
At
the same time, China has been active in calling for international
cooperation in the fields of economics, the environment and in
social affairs. All these are very consistent with the new way of
thinking on promoting security.
In
November this year, China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the South China Sea with the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN). This came at the end of the sixth
China-ASEAN Summit and clearly signaled China's willingness to
address its security concerns via multilateral diplomatic efforts.
This demonstrates that the new concepts on security are being put
into practice in the diplomatic field.
--Respecting different civilizations and cultures
Thirdly, China should actively promote dialogue and communications
among different civilizations and cultures.
For China's part, it believes the worth of interactive economic
coexistence and learning from each other should be accepted by all
nations. The same applies to different civilizations and cultures.
All should appreciate each other's merits and prosper together
instead of sinking into confrontation and hostilities.
Culture and civilization are the common heritage of the whole of
humanity. Their differences should be bridges for communication and
not the causes of conflict. Communication and dialogue are very
necessary if this is to be achieved.
Since September 11 the international community has given
unprecedented attention to the coexistence of different cultures in
its search for an understanding of the roots of global
terrorism.
The APEC ministerial meeting in Mexico last October was the setting
for its first conference on culture and civilization.
A Strategy of Neighborly Co-existence
China's foreign policy towards its neighbors both north and south
has borne fruit since the beginning of the new century:
Looking to its north, China seeks geo-political security entirely
through constructive cooperation.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has its roots in the
mid-1990s. It has now developed into an effective body for the
co-ordination of economic and political interests within the
region. Its activities embrace confidence building in border areas
and the close economic cooperation thought necessary to consolidate
China's security in its northwest.
To
its south, China is working hard to raise levels of cooperation in
the region. Two mechanisms are favored. One is the grouping known
as the 10+1 (ASEAN +China) which in turn could pave the way to an
enlarged 10+3 (ASEAN +China, Japan and South Korea).
In
recent years relations between China and ASEAN have advanced
through four important stages:
7
Full diplomatic relations were established or normalized.
7
China became a "full dialogue partner" of ASEAN in July 1996.
7
Jiang Zemin met with the heads of state of nine ASEAN countries at
an informal summit in 1997 thus establishing a friendly good
neighborly partnership with ASEAN in preparation for the new
century.
7
On November 4 this year when China signed the landmark Framework
Agreement on China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation it
marked a significant step on the road to a China-ASEAN Free Trade
Zone. It is a key example of finding a win-win solution in the face
of today's economic challenges.
In
the long run, a group of countries will hopefully emerge to share
peace and prosperity with China in its neighborhood.
Meanwhile China has also met with recent success at a more local
level of economic cooperation. Leaders from the six countries
through which the Mekong River flows have attended the first summit
meeting of the Greater Mekong Sub-region. This influential river
has its headwaters in southwest China where it is known as the
Lanchang. Their meeting to discuss development has profound
positive significance to peace and development in the area. This
project will create a favorable international environment for
economic development in western China.
Alongside the strengthened economic cooperation between China and
ASEAN, they have come active consultation on matters of security.
For example the recent joint issue by China and ASEAN of the
Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in
which China has agreed to resolve disputes in the South China Sea
through peaceful negotiation. China and ASEAN want to strengthen
their good neighborly partnership and preserve peace and stability
in the area of the South China Sea. This declaration has helped
bring political trust between China and ASEAN to a new high.
Currently though the world economy may be showing some signs of
recovery, it is not yet stable. The developing countries like China
are now playing an increasingly important role in helping the world
economy recover.
China's economic development and huge market have turned out to be
positive influences for the economic development of the South Asian
countries, which in turn form an integral part of the wider
Asian-Pacific economy.
China's economy is now closely connected with the economies of the
Asia-Pacific region through high levels of mutual interaction.
Against this background, China can play a constructive role by
contributing to the debate on how best to strengthen regional
cooperation. The success of China's cooperation with its neighbors
has demonstrated that they are able to rely on each other at a
strategic level.
Continuing Development Despite All Difficulties
Since the dawn of the new century, the international situation has
seen many ups and downs. The world is still feeling the aftershocks
of September 11. Terrorism is prevalent, regional hot spots spring
up one after another and power politics dominate the international
community.
The negative effects of an expansion of American unilateralism
coupled with a first-strike policy can only add uncertainty and a
measure of instability to international relations.
China's critics never seem to miss a chance to apply pressure by
exploiting any issue of nationality, religion, democracy or human
rights. Such activities serve to pose additional challenges for
China in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial
integrity.
In
addition there is what can be called a "turmoil curve" appearing
along Eurasia to the Pacific. It encompasses those areas of the
world that are most in conflict, have the greatest oil riches and
have the most important strategic bases.
The United States has won the war against terrorism in Afghanistan.
Now its saber rattles in the direction of Iraq. Here it can kill
two birds with one stone, not only reshaping the middle-east
situation but also gaining control over its oil.
At
the same time as the United States brought the Israel-Palestine
conflict into its anti-terror framework it has adopted a different
approach to the North Korean nuclear issue. While keeping up the
pressure on North Korea, it has opted for a policy of "Iraq first
North Korea second."
Once the United States has won the war against Iraq it might well
turn its attention eastwards to deal single-mindedly with North
Korea. If so the clouds of war could come to cast a dark shadow
over North East Asia.
As
for South Asia, the situation is as complicated as it is delicate.
There are many potential variables in the equation. Any sign of
trouble could result in the escalation of some pre-existing
disagreement.
In
terms of regional geo-politics, China has to be prepared to
anticipate any one of a number of different scenarios, each of
which could roll out quite independently. Consequently China must
remain alert in the face of any crisis which may arise
unintentionally and be fully prepared to deal with the
unexpected.
Looking to the future, September 11 has indeed changed many things.
For example, almost every country has revisited its strategy for
homeland security in the light of the international situation.
However, peace and development are still the key themes of our
current era. They take first place among the aspirations of today's
global society.
The emergence of multi-national cooperation and economic
globalization bring opportunities and create the right conditions
for world peace and development. This is the very environment that
China needs if it is grow and develop. The priority now is to
identify how to seize the moment and secure China's continuing
development.
The aim of Chinese foreign policy is to serve the cause of world
peace and to promote common development. The past 20 years of
development in China have seen a wealth of opportunities created
not only for its near neighbors but also for countries in other
regions.
China's stability was fully demonstrated during the Southeast Asia
Financial Crisis. It will show the world by its actions that its
vision for further development is founded on its role as a power
for peace. It will be active in the cause of world peace and
development.
(China.org.cn translated by Zheng Guihong December 18, 2002)