Contents - cpapd.org.cn · Web viewIn a word, features of the current international situation and changes in the international configuration have brought rare opportunities for

Peace 2006 Serial No.81

Contents

FEATURE ARTICLESChina’s Peaceful Development Road

and International Strategy…………………….....2

From “Diplomacy of Peace” to“Diplomacy of Harmony”……...…...…..….

…..13Some Thoughts on Building

a Harmonious World…………………………...19

China, Never Be the Leader in Asia……….

……...23The Intention of the New U.S.

National Space Policy………………………….26China-Africa Cooperation

for a Common Future…..………….…………...29

DOMESTIC NEWSA Brief Overview on the Developmnet ofChina’s NGOs from 2002 to 2005…..…....….…

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INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGESCPAPD Vice-President Meets with Ethiopian Friends……….

………………...32CPAPD representative attends the 59th

Annual Conference of the DPI/NGO.………….32

The First International Peace Forum of Nanjing was held……….……………….…..32

A Japanese Buddhist delegation visits China..…...32

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Peace

December 2006 Serial No. 81

(Cover photo: Return with a good catch of fish)

NOTE: The academic papers published in the PEACE quarterly are mainly the authors’ own observations, which do not necessarily reflect those of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament.

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FEATURE ARTICLES

China’s Peaceful Development Road and International Strategy

Kang Shaobang, Executive Deputy Director,Institute of International Studies, the Central Party School

Taking a road of peaceful development is China’s domestic development strategy as well as international strategy initiated in the early 21st century. It is also a solemn commitment by the Chinese people and leaders to the whole world.

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The third plenary session of the 11th

CPC Central Committee took China into a new historical period of reform, opening up and building socialist modernization. Since then, with rapid and steady economic growth and overall progress in various social undertakings, the comprehensive national strength of China has been continuously increased and people’s living standard has witnessed a historical leap forward from basically meeting the need of food and clothing to moderate affluence. From 1978 to 2005, China’s economy registered an annual average growth of over 9%, GDP increased from US$147.3 billion to

US$2.26 trillion, foreign trade rocketed from US$20.6 billion to US$1.6trillion, and foreign exchange reserve surged from over US$10 billion to more than US$800billion. The economic aggregate of China now ranks fourth in the world, with its foreign trade volume the 3rd largest in the world. According to the report of UNDP, the development index of China in 2000 is 0.726, 1.53 times that of 1980, signifying that China is among the fastest growing nations in this period.

China’s development has caused strong repercussions in the international community, both positive and negative. For the former, there are views such as “China’s development makes a big contribution, brings huge opportunities, or has saved other economies” so on and so forth. A World Bank report released in September of 1997 suggested that China is the fastest growing economy of the world with its per capita income quadrupled since 1978. Within 20 years, China has achieved what other countries need to achieve in a century. For a country with a population larger than that of sub-Sahara

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Africa and Latin America combined, China’s development stands out as the most remarkable achievement of the times. While for the latter, there are rhetorics like “China threat”, “China exports inflation”, “China’s statistics are inaccurate”, “China is going to collapse” etc. Among them, the fallacy of “China threat” is most damaging.

In order to ease the apprehensions about China’s rapid growth in the international community and flesh out and further develop China’s international strategy according to the changing domestic and international situation, on January 30th of 2003, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Hu Jintao pointed out the necessity of studying the subject regarding the path of China’s peaceful rise. In November of the same year, Executive Vice-President Zheng Bijian of the CPC Central Party School delivered a speech titled “The New Path of China’s Peaceful Rise and the Future of Asia” at the Boao Forum for Asia. Since then, the concept of “the new path of China’s peaceful rise” has become public. During his visit to the United States in December 9, Premier Wen Jiabao emphasized in his speech, “China’s rise is peaceful rise and China will rely on its own strength to develop itself.” This was the first time that a Chinese leader publicly expounded the concept of peaceful rise to the international community. On the seminar marking the 110th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong on December 26th, Hu Jintao elaborated China’s peaceful development road and clearly stated that adhering to the road of building socialism with Chinese characteristics is to firmly follow a development road of peaceful rise.” On March 14th of 2004, Premier Wen further explained the basic

connotations of China’s peaceful rise when meeting with the press, “Firstly, in promoting China's peaceful rise, we must take full advantage of the very good opportunity of world peace to endeavor to develop and strengthen ourselves, and at the same time safeguard world peace with our own development. Secondly, the rise of China can only be based on our own strength and on our independent, self-reliant and hard efforts. It also has to be based on the broad market of China, the abundant human resources and capital reserves as well as the innovation of our systems as a result of reform. Thirdly, China's rise could not be achieved without the rest of the world. We must always maintain the opening up policy and develop economic and trade exchanges with all friendly countries on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. Fourthly, China's rise will require a long period of time and probably the hard work of many generations of Chinese people. Fifthly, the rise of China will not stand in the way of any other country or pose a threat to any other country. China does not seek hegemony now. Nor will we ever seek hegemony even

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after China becomes more powerful.”

On the basis of that and after soliciting opinions from various quarters, on August 22nd of 2004, General Secretary Hu clearly defined that China would follow the road of peaceful development in his speech at the meeting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Deng Xiaoping. On November 9th of 2005, during his visit to Britain, President Hu systematically expounded the meaning and significance of China’s road of peaceful development. He said, “China’s development is peaceful, open and cooperative development. China's adherence to the road of peaceful development is based on both its real development needs and historical reasons. It is an inevitable choice based on China’s national conditions, historical and cultural tradition, as well as the present world development trend.” In December of the same year, the State Council Information Office issued the white paper on China's Peaceful Development Road, explaining this concept from five aspects including peaceful development is the inevitable way for China’s development; promoting world peace and development through China’s own growth; developing by relying on its own strength, reform and innovation; seeking mutual benefit and common development with other countries; building a harmonious world of sustained peace and common prosperity.

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Following the road of peaceful development is a correct choice of China after it summed up experience and lessons of the development of China and the

world, and both the theory and practice of reform, opening up and modernization, and combined Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Important Thought of the “Three Represents” with the features of the times, the current world situation as well as the mission of building a moderately prosperous society in an all round way. Following the road of peaceful development means adhering to the socialist road with Chinese characteristics, and upholding the line, principles and policies adopted by the CPC since the inception of reform and opening up. In response to the call of the times and with an innovative spirit, the concept of taking the road of peaceful development has boosted the development of China’s international strategy.

1. China’s peaceful development road is an integration of the national conditions, Chinese civilization and the trend of the times.

China suffered untold humiliation and subjugation inflicted upon by the capitalist powers in the 100 plus years after the Opium War. Thus the Chinese people have been imbued with a persistent aspiration for a war-free, peaceful, independent and prosperous country in which they can live a happy life. Despite of remarkable progress, today’s China has yet to completely change its economic and technological backwardness. China is still the largest developing country in the world. Promoting economic and social development and constantly improving people’s livelihood continue to be the central task of China’s modernization drive.

The Chinese nation believes in peace and honors commitment. The Chinese culture has always advocated that harmony is most valuable. In their long history of

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more than 5,000 years, the Chinese people have pursued amicable and good-neighbourly relations with other countries, and worked to foster harmonious relations without sameness. Six hundred years ago, Zheng He, the famous navigator in China's Ming Dynasty, commanded the most powerful fleet in the world at that time, and made seven voyages to the Western Seas, reaching more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa. However, his expeditions were not for conquering others or looting wealth, but for making friends and spreading peace. In its modern history, China repeatedly suffered foreign invasion and enslavement, and the Chinese people understand profoundly how valuable peace is. Since the founding of the People's Republic, we have been committed to an independent foreign policy of peace, developing friendship and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and living in peace and harmony with all countries. China has always been a staunch force for safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

Pursuing peace, development and cooperation represents the common aspiration of peoples around the world as well as the irresistible trend of history. World multipolarization and economic globalization are growing in depth, bringing new opportunities to world peace and development. As long as all countries join hand and make common efforts, it is possible to enjoy a relatively long period of peaceful international environment and build a harmonious world of shared prosperity. Since the inception of reform and opening up at the end of the 1970s, China has successfully embarked on a road of peaceful development that tallies with its national conditions and the features of

the times. Along this road, the Chinese people are now vigorously build China into a prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious modern country, and at the same time making greater contributions to the progress of the entire mankind through China’s development.

2. China’s peaceful development road reflects the unity of safeguarding peace and promoting development.

Peace and development remain to be the theme of the times. Following a peaceful development road for China means to seize the first 20 years of 21st

centaury as period of strategic opportunities and make full use of the favorable world situation featuring overall peace and stability to concentrate on promoting economic growth as its central task, and realizing comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable social development.

China adheres to peaceful means of development and always upholds an independent foreign policy of peace. The objectives of its foreign policy are to safeguard world peace and promote common development just like what Deng Xiaoping declared to the world at the UN in 1974 that China would never seek hegemony. Since the inception of reform and opening up, China has on many occasions stated that it didn’t and doesn’t seek hegemony, nor will it do so when becoming strong. Honoring its commitments to the world while abiding by its international obligations, China has actively associated itself with the international system and participated in international affairs by playing a constructive role. It earnestly dedicates itself to treating other countries as equals and engaging in friendly relations with

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them on the basis of the Five Principle of Peaceful Coexistence.

China’s development needs peace and, at the same time, contributes to the stability of its surrounding areas, to lasting world peace and common development of all countries. It will not pose a threat to anyone instead it will only bring more development opportunities and broader market to the world. Facts have proven that China’s economic growth is serving as an important driving force for the economic growth of the Asian Pacific region or the world at large. China’s peaceful development is a precondition for friendly and win-win cooperation between China and its neighbors as well as between China and the whole world.

3. China’s peaceful development road represents the unity between domestic development and opening to the outside world.

Taking a peaceful development road requires China to combine domestic development with opening up, link China’s development with that of the world, and integrate the fundamental interest of Chinese people with the common interest of other peoples in the world. China adheres to harmonious development internally and peaceful development externally. Close combination or integration of the two is generally conducive to lasting peace, common prosperity and world harmony.

To take the road of peaceful development, China mainly relies on its own strength. Adherence to peaceful development means adhering to the principle of self-reliance and independence. China will rely on the superiority of its socialist system, make full use of the stable political situation of unity, fully tap large domestic market and

abundant labor resources and capital supply. It will also rely on innovation in ideas under the guidance of the Important Thought of “Three Represents”, on institutional innovation fuelled by deepened reform, scientific and technological innovation prompted by implementing the strategy of rejuvenating the nation through science and education, and on the collective wisdom and efforts of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, so as to achieve sustained, rapid and steady economic growth and comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable social development.

While mainly relying on its own strength, China does not reject economic and technological cooperation with the rest of the world. We will take advantage of the achievements of new science and technology revolution, conform to the trend of economic globalization and promote world multipolarization; we will give full play to our comparative advantage and late-start advantage, and vigorously participate in international competition and cooperation; and we will fully utilize both domestic and foreign resources and markets to develop ourselves. China is ready to stand together with other countries to not only share the achievements of human civilization, but also jointly settle disputes and problems standing in the way of cooperation on the basis of respecting and caring other’s interests, and work in concerned efforts to realize win-win cooperation and common development.

4. China’s peaceful development road is of world and historical significance.

First, following a peaceful development road, China will, of course, not repeat the old way of rise of previous

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powers. “Rise” is referred to as the result of rapid increase of one county’s comprehensive national strength, a process that exerts great impact on power balance in the region or the world, as well as on world order and international system. In the class society of human being, especially since the establishment of modern international system, the rise of big powers has all been accompanied by tearing down the already established political configuration and world order and set up new hegemonic position and world order though means of military expansion and aggressive war such as the war between Britain, Spain and Netherlands for maritime hegemony in 16th and 17th

century, the war between Britain, France, Russia and other European powers for colonies overseas and hegemony in Europe in 18th and 19th century. Germany’s rise in the early 1900s triggered the outbreak of WWI, and then the rise of Germany and Japan resulted in WWII. After the end of WWII, the contest between the U.S. and Soviet Union for world dominance led to half century’s cold war. The old way of big power’s rise brought grave catastrophe to human kind. In contrast, China, as a responsible big country in the world, has resolutely rejected the old way of rise based on aggression, expansion and war, but embarked on a peaceful development road. It is blazing a new trail for the rise of big powers, one that dose not challenge the existing world powers and world order, instead, brings about development through peaceful means.

Second, China’s peaceful development road adds positive factors to human kind’s lofty cause of peace and development. Although the world has witnessed economic rejuvenation of Germany and Japan, and rapid economic growth of the

four East Asian tigers after the mid-1900s, in terms of their world historical significance, none of them can be put on a par with China’s peaceful rise, for China is the biggest developing country in the world. Its peaceful development can directly benefit 1/5 of the world total population , 1/4 of population in the developing world and almost 3/5 of population living in lower middle-income countries. The beneficiary population is 2.52 times that of all upper middle-income countries and 1.33 times that of all high-income countries.

Third, China’s peaceful development road can create good business opportunities and huge market. China actively takes part in the world division of labor and cooperation, a move conducive to rational allocation of global resources. China enjoys strong economic complementarities with many countries. Among China’s export to the U.S., Japan and the EU, 70% are labor-intensive products, while over 80% of China’s imports from them are capital-intensive, technology-intensive and knowledge-intensive. Chinese goods with competitive price and good quality have not only met the market demand of import countries, but also eased their expenditure and inflation pressure, and brought real benefits to their consumers. For example, in the past 10 years, Chinese products have saved more than US$ 600 billion for American consumers. Expanded foreign trade of China has not greatly benefited China alone, but other countries as well. In 2004, China became the third largest importer only next to the U.S. and Germany. The EU, United States and Japan have become China’s top three trade partners and major source of foreign investment. Tremendous market in China

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has provided enormous investment opportunities to international capital so that investors worldwide can share the benefits of China’s rapid economic growth. From 1990 to 2004, remitted profits by foreign investors from China accumulated to US$250.6billion. At the same time, Chinese investment abroad has also expanded, creating conditions for economic and social development of the recipient countries. By the end of 2004, the total volume of China’s direct non-financial investment abroad reached US$ 44.8 billion, covering 149 countries and regions. Among them, US$ 33.4 billion went to Asian countries and regions. It is estimated that by 2020, the size and demand of Chinese market will quadruple that of 2000. Through mutually beneficial cooperation with China, other countries have found their own development opportunities, thus fuelling economic growth of the whole world.

Fourth, China’s peaceful development road is of great significance to the world’s socialist movement. The first socialist country—Soviet Union rapidly became a world power after the Second World War. Due to its excessive military build-up aimed at contesting with the U.S. for world hegemony, its economy developed disproportionately. The collapse of the Soviet Union and dramatic changes in East European countries at the end of the 1980s and the early 1990s unprecedentedly frustrated the world socialist movement. By adhering to a peaceful development road and building socialism with Chinese characteristics, China has registered remarkable achievements in reform, opening up and modernization drive. This will have great influence over scientific socialist theories and the world’s socialist movement.

Along the road of peaceful development, China is facing and will face in a period of time to come not only opportunities and possibilities, but also difficulties, risks and challenges.

China’s peaceful development is faced with opportunities.

First, the comprehensive national strength of China constitutes the foundation for its peaceful development. The history of big power’s rise has shown that economic strengthen is the basis of comprehensive national strength and the rate of economic growth as well as the share of one’s economy in the overall world economy represent decisive factors that give rise to rebalance of world power or even rise and fall of a country. From 1978 to 2005, Chinese economy grew at over 9% annually, one of the fastest of the world. Its share in the overall world economy has also increased from 2% in the early days after the founding of the PRC to about 7% now. China has successfully accomplished two historical leaps, from poverty to adequate food and clothing and then to moderate prosperity. The first two strategic steps of its modernization drive have been realized, and if the third step is accomplished by 2020, China’s economic aggregate will take up 15% of the world total. Then, the material foundation for China’s peaceful development will be more solid.

Second, the basic national conditions in China have advantage for realizing peaceful development. Enjoying long history and rich cultural background, China is the largest developing country in the world with a huge population, vast territory, not fully tapped market, and highly competent but inexpensive labor resources. This has provided national conditions for China’s peaceful

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development. More importantly, the Communist Party of China has adhered to reform, opening up and institutional innovation in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. As a result, the party’s ruling capability and government’s mobilization capacity has been constantly improved, which in turn has enhanced political stability and national unity. This has provided political guarantee and institutional support for China’s peaceful development. The guidance of advanced thinking like Marxism and Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the Important Thought of “Three Represents” and its profound traditional culture have strengthened the identity and cohesion of 1.3 billion Chinese people. This has provided theory guarantee and spiritual support for China’s peaceful development. Thanks to the independent foreign policy of peace, as well as the deepening of reform and opening up and improvement of China’s comprehensive national strength, the international standing and influence of China have been elevated constantly. This has provided guarantee and support from the perspective of international relations and diplomatic practice for China’s peaceful development.

Third, the current international situation is conducive to China’s peaceful development. After the end of the Cold War, the world situation has changed dramatically. Especially after the 9/11 incident, new contradictions and problems have cropped up in international relations. However, generally speaking, the overall trend of international situation remains basically unchanged. In the 21st century, multipolarization has made some new progress regionally and globally covering political, economic, cultural and other fields. Consequently, China’s peaceful

development has obtained more leeway and strategic space. The expansion of economic globalization has become the major driving force and outstanding symbol of world economic growth. Because it has deepened linkage of economic activities of different countries and regions, strengthened their cooperation and interdependence, and accelerated the flow of factors of production like human resources, capital, technology and information, products and services around the globe. Once integrated with China’s unique advantage in resources and policies, they have made it all the more possible for China to tap its late-start advantage, and embark on a new road of industrialization driven by information technology. In a word, features of the current international situation and changes in the international configuration have brought rare opportunities for China’s peaceful development.

China’s peaceful development is also faced with challenges.

First, China’s development is still on a long and uphill journey. Although its GDP aggregate is No. 4 in the world, its GDP per capita ranks below No. 100. American scholar Joseph S. Nye estimates that even if China and America continue to grow at the current speed, the level of China’s per capita income can’t be a peer of America’s by the end of the 21st century. Imbalance in China’s economic and social development will be a chronical problem. The widening gap between urban and rural areas, among different regions, and between the rich and the poor has not been reined in. Social progress is not on a par with economic growth. Imbalanced relations between man and nature have led to ecological degradation and environment pollution. Relative scarcity of resources

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has become the bottleneck for China’s development. The per capita amount of water, arable land, petroleum, natural gas, copper, and aluminium of China is 25%, 40%, 8.3%, 4.1%, 25.5% and 9.7% respectively of the world average standard. China is at an industrialization stage of high resource consumption, whose extensive economic growth has been gravely restrained by resource supply.

Second, the unification cause has not been completed yet. The successful handover of Hong Kong and Macao represents an important headway for China’s endeavor in striving for complete unification of the motherland. However, Taiwan question remains unsolved. In 2000, the pro-independence DPP came into power. In 2004, Chen Shuibian was re-elected by hitting below the belt, and pro-independence forces got further development. They deny the one-China principle and the “1992 Consensus”, relentlessly push for “constitutional reform through referendum”, and Taiwan’s “de jure independence”, and strengthened military cooperation with the U.S. with the purpose of “resisting unification through military forces”. Chaotic political situation on the island plus instability cross the straits has made the task of unification more arduous.

Third, there are also international security threats for China’s peaceful development. Plagued by regional turmoil, conflict or even war time and again, today’s world is not tranquil. Traditional and non-traditional security threats are interwoven together. It is especially worthy noting that the only superpower practices unilateralism, ceaselessly propagates “China threat theory”, and always takes China as the major target of its military and security strategy. It has

beefed up its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and the surrounding areas of China to exert military pressures on China, and set obstacles to China’s unification. At the same time, new signs of arms race and developing nuclear weapons have emerged in the surrounding areas of China, especially the politically and militarily ambitious Japan, who is bending on rewriting its pacifist constitution, and building up its military strength. This plus its erroneous attitude towards its past military aggression, as well as over the territorial questions of Diaoyu Island and the East China Sea has worsened the China-Japan relations, and disrupted the stability around China and in the rest Asia.

Fourth, risks from the world economy are challenging China’s peaceful development too. Economic globalization is a double-edged sword. As Western developed countries dominate the process economic globalization, the economic interests and security of developing countries can hardly be secured. With China’s opening-up and external economic activities deepening, protectionism has raised its head again in Western developed countries, who have consequently intensified anti-dumping sanctions against China. Recent years have witnessed duel pressure, both economic and political, over China’s import of resources and energy. Currently, China is now at the later stage of the grace period of WTO accession, hence is pressured by its commitment to market access in financial, insurance, commerce and service sectors.

Fifth, there are also political, cultural and ideological challenges to China’s peaceful development. The world socialist movement is at a low ebb currently. Although China does not draw line according to ideology and social system in

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its foreign affairs, the contest and struggle between socialism and capitalism remain protracted and complicated. The United States and other Western developed countries have intensified their strategy of westernizing and dividing China, and interfering in China’s internal affairs regarding democracy, human rights, ethnic and religious questions. By using their advantage in cultural industry, they have infiltrated Western capitalist values and corrupted ideology into China to challenge the Marxist ideology and socialist culture of China. The report of the 16th congress of the CPC Central Committee pointed out that the first 20 years of the 21st century is an important period of strategic opportunities that China must seize and could make achievements. Such an important judgment shows that China’s peaceful development road is faced with both opportunities and challenges, and the former outweighs the latter in general. Only by facing those difficulties and challenges squarely can we avoid pitfalls, turn risks into opportunities and unswervingly advance along the road of peaceful development.

The peaceful development road is a new development strategy and international strategy that China has identified in the early 21st century.

The CPC always pays attention to proceeding from both domestic and international conditions so as to correctly and scientifically size up the situation before it formulates the line, principles and policies. Since the CPC came into office, China’s international strategy and diplomatic policies have undergone several major readjustments according to the changing international situation and realignment of international powers. In the

new century, the new CPC collective leadership with Hu Jintao as the General Secretary has proposed a road of peaceful development in light of the changes of the international situation and demands of the domestic development. This signifies another major readjustment of China’s development strategy and international strategy.

The peaceful development road, as China’s development strategy and international strategy, is consistent with the trend of economic globalization and world multipolarization and conforms to such major principles as the five principles of peaceful coexistence, themes of the times featured by peace and development, the independent foreign policy of peace, state-to-state relations based on national interest, advocacy for non-confrontation, non-alliance, not targeting at a third country, seeking no hegemony and playing one’s due role etc.

The peaceful development road includes many new thinkings: China’s self-recognition has been shifted from the “victim of century old humiliation” to a rising power, thus more confident in international relations. With a greater sense of responsibility, China has become more active in participating in international affairs and order. Putting into practice the new security concept, China is creating the framework of a security cooperation mechanism in its surrounding areas and promoting regional economic integration. As a result, China’s influence in Asia has been on the increase. While carrying out bilateral diplomatic activities, China has strengthened its multilateral diplomacy, and is playing more and more important role in the international arena.

Taking Marxism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the

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Important Thought of the “Three Represents” as guiding ideology, the peaceful development road also uses the rational part of the international strategy of Western countries for reference and draws on the rich and colorful Chinese traditional culture. Consequently, the theory of China’s international strategy has been established on basis of practice.

The peaceful development road has clearly defined the content and priority of China’s national interests, which is determined by its national conditions and strength. Nowadays, China’s most vital national interests includes security interest, political interest and economic interest. The fundamental interest of the Chinese people at the current stage is to vigorously develop social productivity, speed up economic development and build a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. Therefore, China’s international strategy must subordinate to and serve this main objective, and constantly create favorable surrounding and international environment for China’s endeavor of reform, opening up and modernization drive so that China will always firmly hold the initiative of development among complicated international situation and fierce competition.

To follow the peaceful development road and adhere to the independent foreign policy of peace, it is imperative to hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, actively take part in the building and improvement of international rules, world order and international institutions, and vigorously engage in bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activities with major powers, neighboring countries, developing countries, political parties and peoples. It is also necessary to

be an active part of international economic and technological cooperation and competition, comprehensively open itself to the rest of the world, gradually increase the technological content of China’s export products, and diversify China’s import of energy and important raw materials. At the same time, China should advocate the diversity of the world, draw on the experience of other cultures and civilizations, keep a low profile while playing its due role, and maintain stability in its surrounding areas and peace in Asia and the world. It should always put national security as top priority, raise the security awareness of its people and intensify its efforts in building up a modern army and the national defence capacity so as to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the motherland.

In the long-term view, China’s peaceful development signifies the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China’s economic and cultural strength once led the world for a quite long period of time from 200 BC to the mid-1800s. However, its comprehensive national strength declined sharply and it was reduced to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal country under the plunder and subjugation of capitalist powers in modern history. In 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded and socialist system under the leadership of the CPC established, which began a new historical process for China to win a place in the international community. Reform and opening up initiated at the end of 1978 have greatly emancipated and boosted China’s social productive forces. As a result, its comprehensive national strength has been rapidly enhanced, and the pace of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been remarkably accelerated. With its feet

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firmly planted in the reality and looking into the future, China will certainly realize peaceful, open, cooperative and harmonious development through long-term hard work, and will succeed in

promoting the building of a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity through concerted efforts with people all around the world.

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From “Diplomacy of Peace” to “Diplomacy of Harmony”

Xiao Feng, Guest Researcher of the CPAPD

Since President Hu Jintao made the speech entitled “Build toward a Harmonious World of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity” at the United Nations Summit Meetings commemorating the 60th

anniversary of the UN in September 2005, the word “harmony” has occurred frequently in China’s high-level diplomatic activities and become a keyword reflecting the new contents and new features of China’s diplomacy. This means that China will always closely link its development with the common advancement of mankind, making full use of opportunities brought about by world peace and development to develop itself and in turn better safeguard world peace and promote a shared development. Therefore, China’s development will not be in the way of anyone else or threaten anyone. It will only be conducive to world peace, stability and common prosperity. Meanwhile, all this not only reflects the resolution and will of China in its adherence to a path of peaceful development, but also the fact that on the basis of the traditional “diplomacy of peace”, the foreign policy of China has demonstrated new contents and features

regarding the concept of “diplomacy of harmony”.

The Continuation and Development of the Policy of “Diplomacy of Peace”

Since its founding, China has always followed its foreign policy of peace which is basically characterized by the “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” initiated in the 1950s, namely “mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non interference into each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence”. The “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence” is the core of China’s foreign policy which remains unchanged over the past century. As Deng Xiaoping said, “The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence provides the best way to handle the relations between nations. Other ways—thinking in terms of “the socialist community”, “bloc politics” or “spheres of influence”, for example—lead to conflict, thus sharpening international tensions. Looking at the history of international relations, we find that the Five Principles

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of Peaceful Coexistence have a potentially wide application.” This is why China’s foreign policy of peace characterized by the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence will remain unchanged.

But this does not mean that the policy is immutable. It is constantly enriched and developed with the changing world situation. It needs to be readjusted and enriched and will have different emphases and features along with the evolution of the situation at different times. In the early 1950s, the US adopted a policy of hostility, blockade, encirclement and military threat against the nascent China who had no other choice but to “lean” on the Soviet Union to safeguard its national independence and world peace. At that time the essence of its “diplomacy of peace” was very clear. China-Soviet Union relations went sour in the late 1950s and in the late 1960s the Soviet Union also adopted the strategy military encirclement and threat against China. The international situation forced China to give top priority to its own “security” and “preparation for war”. Though these precautionary moves were slandered as “belligerent”, it was apparent that China was only trying to “defend itself” and prevent war and safeguard peace. That intention was clearly shown in some of the strategic slogans at that time, which included “build deep air-raid shelters, store more grain and seek no hegemony”. In the 1970s, following the strategy based on the concept of the three worlds, China emphasized its opposition to hegemonism to safeguard world peace. When China-US relations were improved after Nixon came across the Pacific Ocean to visit China, China came to adopt a strategy of “one line, one vast area” to cope with the threat from the north, i.e. the hegemonism of the Soviet Union. In the

1980s, in light of new changes in the international situation, China readjusted its above-mentioned diplomacy and focused on “independence” and “the foreign policy of peace”.

The Three Readjustments in China’s Foreign Policy Since the 1980s

Since the 1980s, China’s foreign policy has witnessed two major readjustments and is now undergoing the third.

The major readjustment made in the 1980s focused on “the objective of its external strategy”. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Party Congress and redressing the wrongly judged cases, China scrapped its external strategy undertaken during the Cultural Revolution, including “subordinating diplomacy to revolution”, “supporting the left and fighting against revisionism”, “down with imperialists, revisionists and reactionaries” and “supporting the world revolution”. China successfully shifted its external work onto the track of serving its domestic construction and creating a peaceful international environment for socialist modernization drive. The public expression of such a change appeared in the talks held between Deng Xiaoping and guests from the US in 1981. At that time, Deng Xiaoping stressed that he wanted to clarify one perception, that is, there were some people believing “the ideology the Chinese government was following is designed to destroy other countries’ governments such as that of the US”. Deng Xiaoping earnestly pointed out that “this view is neither of the 1970s nor of the 1980s, but rather a viewpoint prevalent prior to the 1960s”. His words explained explicitly that China’s international

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strategy after the 1980s was greatly different from that in the previous days. Its strategic task was no longer aimed at destroying governments such as that of the US.

The remarks made by Zoelick, US Deputy Secretary of State before the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations in September 2005 showed that the Americans have realized China is different from the former Soviet Union, it is wrong to put China on a par with the Soviet Union. “China does not seek to spread radical and anti-US ideologies”. “It does not see itself in a death struggle with capitalism. And most importantly China doesn’t believe that its future depends on overturning the fundamental order of the international system. In fact, quite the reverse: Chinese leaders have decided that their success depends on being networked with the modern world.” Based on such an understanding about China, Zoelick defined China as a “stakeholder” in the international system. This demonstrates the readjustment of China’s external strategic goals in the new period of 21st

century has been recognized or accepted by at least some reasonable Americans. This will also help us to gain a peaceful international environment.

After the collapse of the socialist governments in the former Soviet Union and the Eastern European countries, China again made a readjustment in its foreign policy and formulated the strategic principle of “maintaining a low profile” and took the strategic move to “integrate itself with the international system”. When the situation was so critical “like dark clouds bearing on the city” and threatening to overwhelm it, Deng Xiaoping made an in-depth analysis of the complex international situation and initiated such

strategic principles and national policies as “maintain a low profile”, “refrain from taking the lead”, “be afraid of nobody and offend nobody” and “seize the opportunity to develop China”. These strategic decisions helped China to gain strategic initiatives and a favorable international environment. Later, when Comrade Jiang Zemin presided over the work of the Party, China again made important strategic decisions like accession into the WTO, merging with the tide of the economic globalization and entering into the current international system. The practice of the past ten years has showed that these strategic principles and decisions are correct and crucial to China’s development, because they have been testified by China’s fast economic growth and the development of world situation.

The current readjustment and development is the third round. In the new century, the development of China has stepped into a new phase, and the international arena has witnessed new changes. At this juncture, China emphasized the diplomatic concept of harmony. With its rapid development, China is becoming more and more influential in regional and international affairs. This has caused doubt and worries of certain forces, and various versions of “China threat” theories are running rampant. To dispel these theories of “China threat” China must adhere to the principle of “maintaining a low profile”, letting the world understand China’s path and orientation of development, and realize that the development of China means opportunities not threats. Exactly under such a situation, China, in its foreign policy, combines its old “philosophy of harmony” with the New China’s foreign policy tradition of “peace”, and

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emphasizes the diplomatic concept of “harmony”. Thus the concept of “diplomacy of harmony” has been put into practice.

New Contents and New Features of the Concept of “Diplomacy of Harmony”

What is the concept of “diplomacy of harmony”? Literally, the difference lies only in the two words:” harmony” and “peace”. But they differ quite a lot in content. “Diplomacy of peace” usually means peaceful ways and means or the policy of non-violence and not resorting to war in solving problems. Whereas, there are more connotations in “diplomacy of harmony”. It includes the content of “relations” and the function of “coordination” namely, it will not limit itself to the level of peaceful coexistence, non-violence but also strives for “harmony” through “coordination”. The Chinese tradition of “harmony” and “peaceful coexistence” requires peace among nations, amicability among peoples and harmony between man and nature.

In terms of content, the traditional Chinese foreign policy, i.e. “diplomacy of peace”, as mentioned above, contains the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, while “diplomacy of harmony”, undoubtedly, is the comprehensive upgrading and innovation of this policy. Admittedly, it contains the previous connotation, but at the same time, it combines the traditional Chinese philosophy of harmony with the modern concept of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.

In his April speech at Yale University, President Hu Jintao emphasized the Chinese traditional philosophy of

harmony. He said, “The Chinese civilization has always given prominence to social harmony and mutual assistance. Back in the early days of the Chinese nation, the Chinese already advocate that “harmony is most valuable”. They strove for harmony—between man and nature, among people and between man’s body and soul, and yearned for a ideal society where “everyone loves everyone else, everyone is equal and the whole world is on community.” In his speech in France December last year, Premier Wen Jiabao gave a brief yet precise explanation of China’s traditional philosophy of harmony. He said, “Since the ancient times, the Chinese people have believed that harmony is most valuable and generates all things. We believe in harmony without uniformity. Harmony is most valuable, that’s why solidarity, mutual assistance and friendly coexistence are the loftiest goals of relations between different countries, nationalities and between different people. Harmony without uniformity means that a country or a nationality can tolerate the existence of a different civilization without t losing its own tradition of fine culture. Harmony generates all things means that only when different cultures draw upon the strengths of each other can new ideas be created and new advances be made. Harmony is the foundation of traditional Chinese culture and also an ideal goal after which this whole nature is pursuing.”

China’s concept of “diplomacy of harmony” is a combination of the traditional Chinese philosophy of harmony with the modern idea of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, with “the new concepts of world order, security, development and civilization” advocated by China in recent years, and is an overall

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improvement and innovation of various policies and principles of diplomacy of China in the new period of this century.

It must be emphasized that China will always connect its development with the common advancement of mankind, making full use of the opportunities brought about by world peace and development to develop itself. In turn, China will be in a better position to safeguard world peace and promoting common development, through its own development. Therefore, China’s development will not hamper or threaten anyone, but will only be conducive to world peace, stability and common prosperity. China’s development attaches more importance to harmony, emphasizes harmony and promotes harmony. China sincerely hopes to join hands with other countries to build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity. Such a good ideal and desire reflect the requirements of China's road of peaceful development and also are in line with the fundamental interests of the peoples of the world. It has thus strong affinity, attraction and appeal. In a word, the concept of "diplomacy of harmony" is a comprehensive improvement and innovation of the policy of "diplomacy of peace" carried by the New China, the most fresh embodiment of Deng Xiaoping's strategic principle of "keeping a low profile" and represents a new development of marking significance in China's diplomatic thinking and ideal.

The Image of China and the Improvement in "soft power"

The image of a country is not only related to the reputation, prestige and integrity of the country, but more

importantly it is an "intangible asset and resource" of the country, an indispensable "power of the country" and an integral part of the overall national strength. “The image of country” is an old question included in the term “soft power” of a country as defined by Joseph Nye in his books. What is “soft power”? according to Joseph Nye, every country needs two kinds of powers “hard power” and “soft power”. The former means military power and the latter implies “the ability to move people by persuasion and enticement rather than threat or military power”, “Soft power includes cultural influence, diplomatic cooperation, joint economic benefits, and attraction of development models, ideology and values.”

Soft power constitutes an integral part of the comprehensive national strength. When a country loses all its soft power, no matter how strong is its hard power its comprehensive national strength means nil. A classical example is the Soviet Union. By end 1991, the military power of the Soviet Union was still comparable to that of the US, and its economic power was also bigger than most developed countries. But its government had lost its ability to exercise its influence either domestically or internationally, which caused the Soviet Union to disintegrate and cease to exist. Thus it can be seen that the survival, development and rise of a country cannot go on without the support of “soft power”. When the soft power of a country is lost or seriously weakened, it cannot be saved from decline and defeat no matter how strong the military or economic power it possesses. The US has always paid a lot of attention to “hard power” (military), and is also good at wielding its “soft power”. About ten years ago, it brought the Soviet Union down by

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using its “soft power” and reaped a huge “peace dividend”. However, since “9/11” it has only focused on “hard power”, which has seriously damaged its image. Now the US is paying a price for its neglect of “soft power”.

The foreign policy of China is not only different from that of the former Soviet Union but also that of today’s US, this is appealing to the whole world. This is because China has always practiced an “independent foreign policy of peace”, never seeks hegemony and treats others equally. Foreign commentators say that China never tries to impose its ideology and moral concepts on other countries nor does it promote its political system in other countries. China never attaches any political strings to its foreign economic assistance, never seeks to resolve disputes

through use of force. Recently, a senior researcher with the Brookings Institution made some comments to the effect that in foreign affairs, China is capable of properly handling its problems with neighbors and it plays the role of a mediator on the nuclear issues of the Korean Peninsula and of Iran. China is good at solving conflicts between nations by using “harmonious” and “non-violent” measures. And this is exactly what the leaders of the US need to learn. It seems that the initiation of the concept of “diplomacy of harmony” has added new contents and new features to China’s diplomacy not only in terms of diplomatic conception but also in terms of diplomatic practice. This will certainly help to enhance China’s international image and its soft power.

(Continued from Page 25) differences, peaceful coexistence, one country two systems, “setting aside disputes while engaging in joint exploration and development”, the outlook on development and the new security concept-equality and mutual trust, mutual benefit and collaboration, and win-win cooperation etc. Not only do these policies and ideas avoid many unnecessary wrangles, but also put the benefits of development through cooperation into practice. All of this is far away from control, domination, exclusion and the idea of hegemony.

Certainly, that China will not be the leader in Asia doesn’t mean it would give up its responsibilities and contributions. It is only because China believes that the Asian affairs should be handled by collective efforts of all Asian countries. The outside world should not on the one hand require China to play a constructive role, and on the other hand consider China’s active role of promoting progress as an attempt to seek a leadership position in this region.

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Some Thoughts on Building a Harmonious World

Li Xinwei, Researcher with the Research Center of Contemporary World

After he made his speech on building towards a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity at the 60th

anniversary of the establishment of the UN, General Secretary Hu Jintao further elaborated on the thoughts of “a harmonious world” in his 2007 new year message, his speeches in Yale University, before the Chamber of Commerce of Saudi Arabia, at Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and at CICA--Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. These elaborations have aroused extensive interest and positive response from both home and abroad. The profound thinking of building “a harmonious world” provides an important guidance to China’s diplomacy in the new period of 21st

century.

IThe Theory of “a harmonious

world” is a rich and profound system of theory drawing upon the achievements of outstanding civilizations of both the ancient and modern times, and from both China and abroad.

Approaching from the traditional Chinese culture and the internationally recognized norms governing state-to-state relations, the theory of “a harmonious world” encompasses the core values and basic spirits of equality, cooperation, openness and tolerance. By thoroughly exploring the thinking of “harmonious coexistence” in the traditional Chinese culture, the theory combines beliefs like “harmony is most valuable”, “harmony without uniformity” and “harmony is productive” with internationally recognized norms governing modern state-to-state relations like “peaceful coexistence”, “consultation on equal footing” and “mutually beneficial cooperation” and enriches the thinking of “harmony” with brand new characters of the times. “A harmonious world” captures the internal connections between tradition and reality, brings home the main contradictions and their causes in today’s world, and thus provides guidance for properly handling the relations between different countries, religions and cultures. “A harmonious world”, on the basis of upholding the belief of peaceful co-

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existence, goes further to show that different social systems, ideologies and modes of development can learn from each other, and realize harmony without uniformity and win-win cooperation.

“A harmonious world”, on the basis of respecting diversity of the world, advocates the common aspiration of mankind, and thus reflects the harmony between diversity and uniformity. “A harmonious world” emphasizes the recognition of and respect for world diversity and differences in particular. Today’s world has over 60 billion people, over 200 countries, 2500 plus nationalities and over 6000 languages. “Cultural diversity is the basic characteristic of human society and also an important motive force behind the advancement of human civilization.” “A harmonious world” believes that all civilizations should be treated equally, the rights of different peoples in choosing their social system and mode of development should be respected. It using differences in social systems and civilizations to create contradictions and confrontations, and imposing certain ideology and social systems on others. At the same time, “a harmonious world” holds high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, calls for harmonious coexistence of different countries, a harmonious development of different economies and a harmonious advancement of different civilizations. It has enabled people to acquire a deeper understanding and a broad consensus over the common ideal and goal the establishing “a world of lasting peace and common prosperity” among peoples of different countries.

“A harmonious world” points out the approach and ways of building a world harmony from different aspects

and different angles, thus forming a comprehensive and well-knit theoretical system. “A harmonious world” sets forth not only the values and goal of the common endeavour, but also specific ways and means of pushing ahead on various fronts. Politically, it is necessary to strengthen the building of an international system with the UN at the core and promote the democratization of international relations; economically, it is a must to actively promote mutually beneficial cooperation and the trade system construction, and push globalization in the direction of more balance, more coordination and universal benefits; in terms of security, countries should uphold multilateralism, support solutions of international disputes through negotiation and consultation and oppose power politics and terrorism; culturally, nations should carry out dialogues and exchanges on an equal footing, advocate openness and tolerance and realize common advancement by seeking common ground. “A harmonious world” also combines and further develops the new views raised in China’s diplomatic practice on the world order, security, development and civilization, thus forming a whole set of theory against the Cold War mentality and the “West-centered mindset”. It has broken down the old stereotype and established a new concept. “A harmonious world” shows that China’s development is “peaceful, open, cooperative and harmonious”, makes clear the purpose that on the one hand China devotes itself to building a peaceful international environment to develop itself, on the other hand, it will promote international peace through its own development, echoes the theoretical systems of “a peaceful development path”, “a harmonious

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society” etc., and demonstrates a complete and coherent internal logic.

II

“A harmonious world” has summed up the general thinking of the ruling party of China and the Chinese Government over the development of today’s world, and is a Chinese version of the “program for global governance”.

“A harmonious world” transcends various theories of international relations and plans for “global governance”. It is unique in theory and is strong in terms of inclusiveness and comprehensiveness. Tremendous changes have taken place on the international arena since the end of the Cold War. The world is at a time of major changes and transition. Different schools of theories on international relations are trying to prove their view on the theme of our times and the orientation of the development of the international community. Major powers have consecutively put out their plans and blueprints for world configuration, international order and modes of development as new diplomatic banners with a view to seizing the moral high ground and the right to having a say internationally, thus enhancing its influence on the adjustment of international rules of the game. Under the banner of “democracy and freedom”, the US is promoting the American system and values globally; Europeans are propagating their models, preaching such concepts as “multi-lateralism”, “the third road”. All are trying to demonstrate their own political features and diplomatic styles by offering a set of comprehensive and

integral plans for the development of the world, and gain initiative in the new round of political rivalry. But the above-mentioned theories and plans are hued with “the West-centered theories”, neglecting the concerns of most countries. With serious internal defects they have met with setbacks in practice. The theory of “a harmonious world” not only answers the question of “whither the world”, but also the question of “whither China”. It provides an answer to the question on the relations between the development of China and that of the world. “A harmonious world” advocates “lasting peace and common prosperity” and “multilateralism”, “win-win cooperation” and “mutual tolerance”, which are the goal of the whole human race and the code of conduct internationally recognized. They provide the guidance to the development of all countries. “A harmonious world” is, strategically, of a higher level than the Western version of “global governance”, in a better position to answer the common concerns of the international community, and is thus easier for the majority of countries to understand and accept. It therefore is expected to be a “plan of global governance” with Chinese characteristics."

“A harmonious world” does not approach from idealism but is based on how to solve various conflicts and problems of today’s world and is pragmatic and efficacious. “A harmonious world” does not put forward a beautiful concept or an initiative, but is aimed at dealing with the reality of “disharmony” in the current world, the theory directly offers “a plan of governance” and a strategic way of thinking. “A harmonious world” initiative is based on two preconditions: first, “the

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main theme of our times is peace, development and cooperation”, “mankind is faced with unprecedented opportunities of development”; second, there has been “an increase in unstable and uncertain factors hampering peace and development”, “human society is facing severe challenges”. This shows that Chinese leaders have a thorough understanding of the profound changes of the international situation and have made a comprehensive and dialectic analysis of the real world where there exist both opportunities and challenges and harmony and disharmony. The proposition of building “a harmonious world” put forth by General Secretary Hu Jintao in his speeches are all aimed at these realities; regional wars and conflicts are escalating; the gap between North and South is widening and problems of a global scale are becoming more prominent. These propositions have also offered measures and solutions in terms of politics, economy, security and culture for realizing harmonious coexistence of various countries, harmonious development of global economy and harmonious advancement of different civilizations.

“A harmonious world” is both a concept of values and also a methodology. It shows the advantage

and characteristics of a Chinese way of thinking. It provides a strong sense of direction and guidance. Western values and policy measures are often separated from each other. But strategy means the measures taken to achieve an end. But in Chinese way of thinking, ends are in unity with means. “A harmonious world” defines, what kind of world to be built and, how to build it. This shows the unity between ends and means. “ A harmonious world” is not the wonderful vision similar to “A World of Great Harmony”, nor is it a specific measure for dealing with a certain conflict or contradiction. Instead, it is a combination of ideal and reality, and the unity between a general direction and different phases in the process of reaching that direction. “A harmonious world” grasps the trend of development and advancement of the whole world, and also pays attention to individual conflicts and questions. When China raises the topic of “a harmonious world”, it also makes it clear that this is a long-term arduous historical process that cannot be achieved overnight or by one or two countries, but can only be realized with the efforts of all members of the international community and with the understanding and consensus reached gradually by all countries.

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China, Never Be the Leader in AsiaWang Fan, Director of the Institute of International Relations,

Foreign Affairs University

Concerning Sino-U.S, Sino-Japan relations and a series of question of cooperation and development in East Asia, a noticeable and sensitive question will be raised, that is, would China seek for the leadership of Asia in the future? The answer is no.

History gives China a profound

enlightenment

Since China’s decline in modern times, it has given up its China-centric theory which had been insisted on for thousands of years. Although China is a country of great influence in this region nowadays, it only considers itself an equal member of all the countries in Asia rather than a core one for development. Paying tribute to China was long left in the corner of history, while mutual benefit and win-win has been the primary choice of Chinese foreign policy. China, as major partner, will be playing the role of being a promoter or driving force, but will never make imprudent remarks or criticisms about other countries, and will never bully the weak. It has been firmly believed that China is truly and whole-heartedly seeking common development in Asia as China has followed the policy of fostering an amicable, peaceful and prosperous neighborhood.

Asia, once full of power politics, was the main battlefield for great powers’ rivalry for hegemony, which brought great disasters to most of the Asian countries including China. Always bearing in mind the hardships and lessons, China never wants to be a player in power politics and opposes the game of balance of power among big powers. China has never allied with the U.S or Japan to resist the other, never associated with powers, never helped a villain do evil or used its strength to bully the weak. In the whole community of Asia, China wants to be a faithful and justice upholding brother rather than an arrogant leader. China treats all the countries, big or small, in Asia equally. In addition, China’s development strategy includes nothing about conquering, annexing or controlling its neighbours. China treats all the countries equally, and insists on faith, friendliness, and cooperation. China knows too well that power politics is unpopular, and its peaceful development can’t be carried out in the atmosphere of fear, suspicion, opposition, hostility and anxiety.

China, an increasingly developing country once experienced over a hundred years of humiliation, feels proud or elated but has never become arrogant towards its past rivals or enemies. On the contrary, it makes concessions on many issues for the sake of peace. Although China’s forbearance, restraint and defensiveness often face so much pressures from various

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sides, it insists on solving problems in a rational and cautious way. It isn’t because China bears humiliation willingly, but because it takes the interests of the region into account, and knows the great value of peace and development for all the countries in Asia including China itself.

China’s development propels common development in Asia

China is becoming stronger, but has no intention or desire to be a single power. Peaceful development includes not only the process, but also the subsequent results. The future of Asia will not be decided by the development of a few individual countries but by the degree of common development of all countries. China is not a member of the developed-country club now. Even if it will become a member someday in the future, it will strive to maintain the balance between rights and obligations, and has no desire to maximize its interests nor minimize its obligations, for China's concept of development requires it to take a sustainable and harmonious development road. And the core of this development idea is to let one hundred flowers bloom rather than one single flower bloom in terms of development, let alone seeking development at the expenses of the underdevelopment of other countries. That is to say, to realize the common development for all countries and regions in Asia.

Therefore, by extension, China’s peaceful development will not result in the traditional change or shift of power in the world, or in a single nation’s rising, but will promote the rising of a group of countries, and at the same time, not do any harm or damage to the development of other nations, which has never been seen

in history. Thus China’s peaceful development strategy is of profound and broad significance. China not only cooperates with the developed countries for mutual benefit, but also let the developing countries enjoy the benefits from its development, which demonstrates China’s significant contribution to the peace of the world. Only with the common development of groups of countries, can an individual country realize a long lasting development. The salient feature of China’s road of development lies in paying more attention to maintaining comprehensive balance in the process of development, focuses on gradual advance and win-win cooperation, and puts emphasis on giving more benefits to other countries with a view to promoting their development.

Never to be a regional leader is the definite result from China’s new idea of development. A country basing itself on sharing mutual benefits, giving more consideration to the interests of other countries and taking common development in the region as its main goal has the possibility of becoming very influential, but would not be necessarily a regional leader.

China never cashes in on sensitive

issues

Asia doesn’t need a dominator, since its collective centripetal force is promoted by sharing common objectives and developed by enhancing the confidence building, rather than by having a leader.

Historically, most Asian countries suffered from wars for a long time, so they are sharing a common understanding of

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peaceful development. Economically, although some countries in Asia have gained economic leap-forward, the region as a whole is still lagging behind in the global development configuration. Since the unbalanced development and intricate historical background tend to make peaceful development different to move forward, and even sometimes give rise to tense situation, the dream of establishing a new East Asia Community is far from coming true. Therefore, the heavy responsibility of development is on every country’s shoulder, not just on big power alone.

China would never be the leader in the framework of ASEAN+3. And China is one of the six parties in Northeastern Asia security mechanism, as well as one of the members shouldering most responsibilities. In regional cooperation, China advocates open cooperation to accommodate and accept all the members contributing to the regional development; it opposes coercion, while supporting consultation on the basis of equality to find common resolutions; it dismisses hasty leap-forward, standing for pushing regional cooperation forward in a gradual way suitable for the regional development pace. China also cautiously and prudently keeps stability and harmony among nations in all regional affairs. All the regional organizations that China participated in and initiated are not exclusive, targeted at no specific country, but are aimed at addressing the problems and challenges faced by all Asian countries.

On sensitive issues in Asia, such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, conflicts between India and Pakistan, and anti-terrorism in the region etc., the peaceful influence of China has earned it a

great reputation. Neither China cashes in on chaotic situations, nor creates any troubles to gain benefits. On the contrary, it has chosen ways that are mostly conducive to regional peace. Concerning issues like the South China Sea, the Diaoyu Island and the East Sea, China has chosen to maintain the regional peace, rather than seeking the results that may benefit its own interests but not necessarily helpful for the regional peace. In terms of Sino-Japan relations, China has always been seeking for win-win cooperation. China does not want to see any conflicts and confrontations between it and Japan, or seek any revenge on the humiliation it suffered in the last a hundred years. For the sake of peace, China even faces squarely and accepts the historical realities in the region, and sees the external military presence-such as the presence of U.S. alliance in a constructive light. As long as it does not undermine peace, China will not be critical of it. Since the end of the Cold War, America has re-enforced its alliance strategy that extends from sea to land and envelops from two flanks, with the east expansion of NATO, the reinforcement of the US-Japan alliance and the move to establish a US-India coalition, but China has refrained from taking countermeasures, instead, it has taken the policy of observing the situation in calmness. China has no intention of joining or organizing any anti-America coalition, thus avoiding the emergence of a new sphere of influence in the region.

China will never lead Asia, let alone the world. Harmonious coexistence is China’s perspective of the region. Facts have shown that China is not a country believing in power politics, nor a country clinging to the Cold War mentality, or trying to seek regional hegemony. Instead,

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China believes in the power of ideas and the importance of cooperation and reconciliation. Referring to the regional development, China has been and will be

contributing to the idea of peaceful development: seeking common ground while reserving (Continued to Page 18)

The Intention of the New U.S. National Space Policy

Lu Yousheng, research fellow with the Strategic Studies Instituteof the National Defense University

The Washington Post reported on October 18 that the United States president George W. Bush has signed a new National Space Policy. In comparison to the policy of peaceful use of outer space presented in 1996 by the Clinton Administration, changes have taken place in the content of the American space policy. It is obvious, besides the economic factor, the military consideration has played important role in driving the U.S. to readjust its space policy. The readjustment reflects the U.S. long-term strategic intention of controlling outer space.

The new space policy focuses on occupying the commanding height of the future military competition. With the development of modern technology, the domain of war has extended to the computer field and outer space from land and ocean. The recent local wars demonstrate that space capability is closely related to military capability and space is increasingly important in military affairs. Recently, the U.S. was able to win several local wars, one of the important reasons is that the U.S. space satellites supported the major U.S. weapons systems in information and telecommunications.

Meanwhile, the wars also have enabled the U.S. to get further understanding about the information-based war and space capability. The U.S. Quadrennial Defense Review issued in 2001 points out that “space and information operations have become the backbone of networked, highly distributed commercial civilian and military capabilities. This opens up the possibility that space control – the exploitation of space and the denial of the use of space to adversaries – will become a key objective in future military competition”.

The Bush Administration is convinced that the U.S has the most powerful military technology in the world, and the future war is information-based, so the control of space is the linchpin to win an information-based war. Although military competition in the world has never stopped, and space technology has been already used for war fighting, no country has clearly announced that it takes space as a battlefield. The readjustment of U.S. space policy will give the green light to the militarization of space, pave the way for the deployment of weapons in space, enable the U.S. to occupy the commanding height and thus gain the initiative in future

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military competition. Because of the above-mentioned reason, the U.S. readjustment focused on ensuring its free access to operate in space, while preventing any country hostile to U.S. interests from entering space.

The intention to readjust the space policy is to seek the absolute military predominance. In 21st century, U.S.’s strategic goal is to build a century under the leadership of itself, and military power is the important guarantee to realize this goal. The Bush Administration believes that if the U.S. attempts to keep its long-standing military predominance in the 21st

century, it has to improve its traditional military structure and realize the transformation of the forces, and in this regard the core is to improve the combat capability of the U.S. forces. According to the U.S. National Military Strategy issued in 2005, the future development of the U.S. forces will follow the army building theory of “capability-based”, that is to say, the U.S. forces will attach greater importance to the operation which the adversary will take and the combat capability which the adversary will have, thus ensuring its capability of “the overwhelming military superiority”. Consequently, the U.S. raised the targets of ability building for its Army, Navy and Air Force respectively. While the Army should be further modularized, the Navy will have to improve its viability, capability of stealthy operation and endurance, and at the same time can simultaneously attack conventional targets around the globe. The Air Force should achieve a 50% increase in its capability of long-range attacks by the end of the year 2025, and have the ability to position and attack thousands of fixed and moving

targets simultaneously and swiftly around the globe.

The U.S. believes that the current revolution in military affairs provides an opportunity for it to extend its military predominance. The key of the revolution in military affairs is the capability of information-based war and space war. Therefore, the U.S. should seize the opportunity and take the advantage of its solid foundation in basic research to maintain and develop its technical edge in information and space, so as to raise its capability of information-based war and space war in future war fighting. So we may say the new U.S. space policy aims at further militarizing the space. The U.S. hopes that through deploying weapons system in space, it can further promote its combat capabilities and widen the military gap with other countries, thereby building a military force facing no challenges but with both offensive and defensive capabilities. Therefore, the U.S. forces can engage in various operations and fight different battles.

At present, joint and combined operations of military forces have become more and more important in the military field. Admittedly, the U.S. forces are most powerful in joint and combined operations all over the world, and one of the main reasons is that the U.S. has certain superiority in information and space technology. Judging from all sorts of U.S. strategic reports, joint and combined operations represent the trend of development for the U.S. forces. The U.S. national military strategy issued in 2005 proposed that it would build a dominant joint force. In 2006 the U.S. Quadrennial Defense Review brought forward that the “joint capability” was the pivot which the U.S. forces would build. The review

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required that all forces should change “from separate military service concepts of operations to joint and combined operations”, hence all operating troops can be interdependent from each other on manoeuvre. Through this way the U.S. forces can achieve the goal of seamlessly combined and integrated operations. The U.S. believes to realize this goal, it has to improve its perceptive ability in the battlefield, enable its troops to share information and then have the one-way transparency in the battlefield.

Consequently, the U.S. forces are energetically developing the “global information grid” and striving to establish an terminal-to-terminal information system of global communication. The system

enables policy-makers, fighters and the backup, according to their respective needs, to collect, process, save, distribute and control information. However, the linchpin to establish the global information grid is the infrastructure installed in space. In essence, to militarize space is to create more favorable conditions for the future joint and combined operations.

The new U.S. space policy indicates that it will accelerate its exploitation of space. Although some U.S. officials repeatedly reiterate that the goal of the new national space policy is not to exploit or deploy space weapons, the military intention is extremely evident. It can lead to a space arms race and is harmful to world peace and stability.

(Continued from Page 30) increase the number of Chinese government scholarships to African students from the current 2000 per year to 4000 per year by 2009.

China-Africa cooperation constitutes an important component of the international development cooperation. The efforts of China and Africa for common development will make vital contributions to world peace and development. The success of the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC has further deepened the traditional friendship between China and Africa, added new vitality to China-Africa cooperation, facilitated the mechanism building of the FACOC, introduced new thinking to

South-South cooperation and brought new prospects for China-Africa cooperation.

Looking at both the past record of China-Africa friendship and the bright future of China-Africa cooperation, one would naturally feel that the following remarks of President Hu are only too true, “Both China and Africa are cradles of human civilisation and lands of great promise. Common destiny and common goals have brought us together. China will remain a close friend, reliable partner and good brother of Africa. Let’s join hands and endeavour to promote development in both China and Africa, improve the well-being of our peoples and build a harmonious world of enduring peace and common prosperity!”

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China-Africa Cooperation for a Common Future

——A Brief Roundup of the Beijing Summitof the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)

From November 3rd to 5th, 2006, heads of states and governments as well as representatives from 48 African countries gathered in Beijing, the capital city of China, to attend the grand event for China-Africa friendship and solidarity—the Beijing Summit & 3rd Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Bearing in mind the principle of friendship, peace, cooperation and development, leaders from China and Africa reviewed the friendly and cooperative relations between China and African countries in the past 50 years since establishment of diplomatic ties, especially the achievements made in cooperation since the forum started. At the same time, the participants together mapped out a blueprint for pragmatic cooperation in the future, and carried out in-depth discussions over bilateral relations, China-Africa cooperation, and other issues of common interest. They jointly declared to build a new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa featuring “political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges”.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations five decades ago, China and Africa have always stood together, sympathizing and supporting each other both in the days of fighting for national

independence and liberation and in the course of safeguarding sovereignty and achieving national development. The following figures are best footnotes to the friendship and cooperation between China and Africa. According to the statistics, China-Africa two-way trade volume rocketed to US$39.7 billion by 2005, almost two folds that of 2000. In the first 9 months of 2006, the total trade volume increased to US$40.6billion, up 42% compared with the same period of last year. By the end of 2005, Chinese investment in Africa amounted to US$6.27billion in total. Until now, China has signed investment protection agreements with 28 African countries, and agreements on avoiding double taxation with 8 African countries. Chinese investment has brought advanced and applicable technologies and management expertise to Africa, and greatly boosted the local economic and social development. Within the framework of the FOCAC, China has undertaken 176 sets of projects in 42 African countries, including highways, schools, hospitals, stadiums and so on. When some African regions were hit by natural disasters, China immediately provided timely humanitarian assistance. China has also cancelled 10.9 billion yuan (1.38 billion U.S. dollars) debt owed by 31

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heavily indebted poor countries and least developed countries in Africa, signed 27 soft loan framework agreements, and trained more than 10,000 professionals of various kinds for African countries. Those assistance from China are all designed according to the real need of African countries, decided through mutual consultation, and have played a positive role in promoting Africa’s development.

In October of 2000, the FOCAC was founded under the joint initiative of China and Africa, an important event for both sides to deepen traditional friendship and enhance friendly cooperation. In the past 6 years, two ministerial conferences were convened successfully, first in Beijing and second in Addis Ababa. The FOCAC has thus become an important platform and effective mechanism for China and African countries to carry out collective dialogue, exchange views on state governance, deepen mutual trust, and promote practical cooperation. It is fair to say that the FOCAC Beijing Summit, which was held in a new period of economic development in both China and Africa, is a significant historical event of building on the past and preparing for the future.

The Beijing Summit was very fruitful, for it adopted the Beijing Declaration of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Beijing Action Plan, proclaiming to establish a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership and laying down a comprehensive plan for China-Africa cooperation in the coming three years.

In order to promote a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership and achieve a greater, boarder and higher level of China-Africa cooperation, Chinese President Hu Jintao put forward the following eight policy measures:

1. Double its 2006 assistance to Africa by 2009.

2. Provide US$3 billion of preferential loans and US$2 billion of preferential buyer’s credits to Africa in the next three years.

3. Set up a China-Africa development fund, which will reach US$5 billion to encourage Chinese companies to invest in Africa and provide support to them.

4. Build a conference centre for the African Union to support African countries in their efforts to strengthen themselves through unity and support the process of African integration.

5. Cancel debts in the form of all the interest-free government loans that matured at the end of 2005 owed by the heavily indebted poor countries and the least developed countries in Africa that have diplomatic relations with China.

6. Further open up China’s market to Africa by increasing from 190 to over 440 the number of export items to China receiving zero-tariff treatment from the least developed countries in Africa having diplomatic ties with China.

7. Establish three to five trade and economic cooperation zones in Africa in the next three years.

8. Over the next three years, train 15,000 African professionals; send 100 senior agricultural experts to Africa; set up 10 special agricultural technology demonstration centres; build 30 hospitals and provide RMB 300 million of grant for providing artemisinin and building 30 malaria prevention and treatment centres to fight malaria in Africa; dispatch 300 youth volunteers to Africa; build 100 rural schools; and (Continued to Page 28)

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DOMESTIC NEWS

A Brief Overview on the Development of China’s NGOs from 2002 to 2005

With the improvement of China’s market economy system, acceleration of the “reform and opening up to the outside world” , and further transformation of government functions, China’s non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are becoming stronger and stronger, and playing an important role in China’s development over the past years. They are exercising positive influence on boosting the national economic development, enhancing social progress and stability and building a harmonious society. Therefore, they have been an indispensable and important force in China’s economic and social development, even an organic and vigorous part of the harmonious society building endeavor.

According to the statistics, in 2002 China had 245,000 civilian organizations of various categories and there were 133,000 societies among them. By the end of 2005, China’s NGOs reached 320,000; among them there were 171,000 social organizations, 975 foundations and 147,600 non-enterprise civilian entities.

China’s NGOs are moving toward diversification. On the basis of growing numbers, they have been diversified into various categories, spread into different fields. The features of China’s NGOs development are as follows:

1. A NGOs’ system of different categories and fields has taken shape. China’s NGOs spread throughout the country, covering various aspects of social life, mainly in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, public health, environmental protection, etc. According to statistics, professional associations account for 29%, academic societies 25%, and umbrella groups 14% . Of all the NGOs, 52% of them goes to education, 20% to public health, 8% to labor security, 7% to social welfare and charity, 4% to science and technology, and 3% to physical education.

2. A NGOs’ pattern with different levels and regional features has been formed. By the end of 2005, the nationwide civil organizations, that is registered at the Ministry of Civil Affairs of China amounted to 1,688, civil organizations registered at provincial level reached 21,119. Those registered at prefecture and county levels were 53,080 and 95,263 respectively. In terms of the pattern of China’s NGOs registration, it is like a pyramid, which means there is a much larger number of NGOs at grassroots and a few at the top. At present, on the average, there are 2.1 NGOs among per10,000 people, but the figure in the east coastal area is 2.73, 1.53 in the central part of China and 1.87 in the east part.

3. The supervision work has been standardized and carried out according to law. The Chinese government has adopted and promulgated relevant regulations and laws regarding the supervision of NGOs activities. A supervision system of NGOs has been basically established. The supervision work are moving more and more toward standardized and legal procedure.

The increase of NGOs is closely linked to the growth of market economy as well as economic and social development. With fast economic growth and social progress,

China’s NGOs will play an important constructive role at home and in the world stage at large.INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES

CPAPD Vice-President Meets with Ethiopian Friends. On November 24, 2006, in Beijing CPAPD Vice-president Mme. Human Guying met with Ambassador at-large Knife Abraham, President of Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development. Mme Human took the opportunity to thank Mr. Knife again for his cordial hospitality when she visited Ethiopia in April this year and invite him to head a delegation to visit China next year.

CPAPD representative attends the 59th Annual Conference of the DPI/NGO Section, UN. From September 6 to 8, Mr. Sheen Fang, a young representative from the CPAPD attended the 59th Annual Conference of the DPI/NGO Section in New York. The theme of the Conference is “Unfinished Business: Effective Partnership for Human Security and Sustainable Development.” Over one thousand representatives from more than fifty countries attended the Conference. At the closing ceremony, UN Secretary General Kofi Anna delivered a speech expressing his thanks to the NGO community and civil society for their increasingly constructive role in the world stage.

The First International Peace Forum of Nanjing was held. From September 24 to 26, the First International Peace Forum of Nanjing was held in Nanjing, capital of China’s east coastal province Jiangsu. With the theme of “Peace, Harmony, Reconciliation”, the forum invited more than one hundred and twenty scholars and representatives from Japan, Israel, South Korea, U.S., Philippines, China’s mainland and Hong Kong. As one of the sponsor organizations, the Chinese People’s Associations for Peace and Disarmament sent three representatives to attend the forum. Vice-president of the CPAPD Mr. Liu Jingqin delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Mr. Wang Changyong, Deputy Secretary attended all the workshop discussions.

A Japanese Buddhist delegation visits China. At the invitation of the CPAPD, from October 10 to 17, 2006, a 6-member Shinnyo-en delegation of Japan visited China. The delegation made a field study in the two counties Tian Zhu and Min Qin, of Gansu Province, where they have planned to help build a primary school for a village and plant trees to prevent desert encroachment on the area where the ancient silk road lies.

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Contents - cpapd.org.cn · Web viewIn a word, features of the current international situation and changes in the international configuration have brought rare opportunities for