China's major-country diplomacy progresses on all fronts
- By He Yafei
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E-mail China Today, March 23, 2016
Though the intention of the U.S.-spearheaded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is to sideline China in the formulation of new global governance rules, China takes an open attitude, nonetheless, towards such schemes for regional integration. The country is now the largest trade partner of 128 economies worldwide, and the largest manufacturer globally. On the basis of the experience garnered from the four domestic free-trade zones, China has adopted a new pattern of opening-up to both developed and developing countries, with the emphasis on mutual opening up with developing countries along the Belt and Road. This dual-opening strategy gives wings to China's economic restructuring, and global economic growth as well.
The reform of global governance – nowhere close to completion – will profoundly influence the fine-tuning and reshaping of the international order and the rules for the new century. The world is closely watching the instrumental function China discharges as a core member of the G20 and president of the 2016 G20 Summit. This attention and its corresponding expectations offer a good opportunity for the PRC's Chinese-style major-country diplomacy to serve as a pivot in the reform of global governance.
Manifest Results
Under the guidance of Chinese-style major-country diplomacy, China's relationship with the U.S. has made headway amid conflicts, its ties with European countries have transitioned to new phases, and its friendly cooperation with other BRICS states and developing peers has deepened. These accomplishments have erected a framework for a new major-country relationship paradigm, transcended geopolitical boundaries, and in turn consolidated the foundation of Chinese-style major-country diplomacy.
Coinciding with an increasingly complicated international situation, faltering recovery of the world economy, and recurring conflicts between the two countries, President Xi's state visit to the U.S. last September is of signal historical and practical significance. Despite their opposition on the South China Sea issue and the growing uncertainties and complexities in Sino-U.S. relations during the U.S. presidential election campaign, the two countries have maintained smooth communications and hewed to the consensus of building a new model of major-country relations.
This consensus comprises three elements: First, both parties are convinced that an incumbent power and an emerging power do not inevitably slip into the "Thucydides' trap." China steadfastly pursues the path of peaceful development and win-win cooperation on the basis of defending its sovereignty, security and development interests. The U.S. has hailed a stronger and more developed China, with which it has expressed the wish to engage in constructive competition and cooperation.
Second, China and the U.S. have reached a basic consensus on the international order and reform of global governance; this has assuaged U.S. concerns over China challenging the existing international order. Rivalry in the crafting of regimes and rules of international relations lies at the core of interstate competition and is the epicenter of tensions between China and the U.S. As the system of international order and global governance implicate the sovereignty interests of every country, the handling of this issue decides whether China and the U.S. may achieve peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. China's invaluable contributions to staving off a world economic meltdown through its close cooperation with other G20 members stand as an admonition to both China and the U.S. that, by virtue of their respective international clouts, cooperation between them is in the interest of not only both sides, but also of overall global development and stability.
Third, China and the U.S. have displayed to one another sincerity and candor, not downplaying disagreements or conflicts, but instead increasing management and control of exigencies and crises. They have established communication mechanisms between their militaries, and opened channels for coordination on cyber-security. These factors all attest to the maturing relationship between them, and their capacity to manage and control discord and avert confrontations and clashes.
China has meanwhile also strengthened its ties with other major nations, including the U.K., France, Germany, and Australia. This stands as another indicator of the progress of its Chinese-style diplomacy on all fronts. China's intention of building a global partnership network squares with these countries' desires to institute pragmatic cooperation with China and board its train of development.
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