Answering four key questions about China's rise
- By Fu Ying
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E-mail Huffingtonpost.com, October 22, 2014
Fourth, how do the Chinese people see their country's role in the world and its international responsibilities? Should China share global responsibility with the United States?
The world today is constantly troubled by conflicts in different regions. The Ukraine issue has not yet cooled down and the temperature continues to rise in the Middle East. China is perceived as not playing a sufficient role or even as shirking responsibilities.
In China, people see that most of the world's problem started from the wrong foot and then led to a mess. The easiest way to resolve an issue it to stop the fighting and find a compromise among the parties concerned.
"China may join in discussions about hotspot issues with the aim of seeking a peaceful solution, but it will not turn into a party involved in the conflict or take steps that make the problem worse."
It is a widely held belief in China that countries should not interfere in each other's internal affairs. So China may join in discussions about hotspot issues with the aim of seeking a peaceful solution, but it will not turn into a party involved in the conflict or take steps that make the problem worse.
How about China's global responsibility?
First and foremost, as a country accounting for one fifth of the world population, growing prosperous and staying stable in itself is a very important contribution of China to the world.
As for world security issues, China has offered good offices on the Korean nuclear issue and promoted stability in Afghanistan. We are also parties to many of the negotiations concerning regional and world security. However, China does not see itself as having an overriding power over other countries. Our view is this: should there be the need for international involvement, the opinion of the country concerned and the regional view must come first and the U.N.'s authorization cannot be circumvented.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has elaborated on the concept of Asian security, which promotes common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. That's a crystallization of China's security thinking, and it also goes along with the general thinking in Asia.
CHINA AND GLOBAL PUBLIC GOODS
It is also important that China provides more public goods as its ability grows. For example, since 2008, the Chinese Navy has sent 45 ships to the pirate-ridden Gulf of Aden for escort missions, and half of the ships they helped were non-Chinese.
China has actively participated in international cooperation in disaster relief, combating transnational crimes and maritime security. China now ranks the first among developing countries in terms of peacekeeping assessment at the U.N., and it is the biggest contributor of peacekeepers among the Permanent 5 members of the Security Council.
China also strives to share anti-poverty experiences with African and other developing countries. Chinese medical personnel are at the forefront fighting the deadly Ebola virus and more assistance and resources have been sent from China in recent weeks.
Asia is the key area for China's international cooperation. China's initiatives to develop the Silk Road economic belt and maritime Silk Road are aimed at expanding connectivity and promoting common development. It combines China's advantage and the regional needs.
This modern Silk Road is not a closed or exclusive arrangement. We welcome more participation by countries, including the United States.
"This modern Silk Road is not a closed or exclusive arrangement. We welcome more participation by countries, including the United States."
When the U.S. judges China or other countries about their role in the world, it often prefers for others to just "follow me" or "do for me." This approach does not go down well with the Chinese people.
On the other hand, in China, we also need to fully understand and appreciate our country's new position in the world and grow into this new role.
The direction to go is for the Chinese and Americans to try to understand and appreciate each other's views and positions better. That is indispensable should the two countries want to work closely and effectively on world strategic issues.
This comment is adapted from remarks by Fu Ying, Chairperson of Foreign Affairs Committee, National People's Congress of China, at the Asia Society Dialogue on October 12, 2014.
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