Foreign leaders' speech at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) are significant because CSIS is a platform for foreign leaders to declare and explain important policy statements to the American people. For example, in 2013, the Japanese Prime Minister gave his speech, which was nicknamed "Japan Is Back!"(CSIS, 2-22-2013), declared Japan's intention to return Japan to a "normal country" meaning to revise Japan's Pacifist Constitution, to enhance Japan's military strength and to be ready to engage in warfare on behalf of Japan's ally as born out later. We have commented on that speech before and the reason why Abe Shinzo's militaristic policy worries leaders in Asian countries. In this column, we review and comment on the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s speech, The Developing China and China’s Diplomacy, at CSIS on February 25, 2016. I nickname this speech as "Peaceful (Transformation and) Development in Non-Threatening Chinese (Philosophy and Style) Manner" to capture the essence of Mr. Wang's speech.
Minister Wang started his speech by acknowledging China's successful economic development but an unsustainable one calling for a transformation to take an energy efficient, environment protective, green, recyclable and sustainable path. This change has already showed some progress although unavoidably it lowers the economic growth to 6.9% in 2015 (each percentage point is equivalent to 2.6% of 2005's economy). To sustain such a growth is a challenge but China is confident that she can do it because of the following three conditions: 1. China has an enormous market potential (four times of the U.S. population), 2. China's urban development is only at 40% (developed country usually at 70%) and 3. China's service sectors are just about 50% of the total economy (developed country is above 70%). Hence China is confident in sustaining her economic growth and maintaining a great economic and trade partnership with the U.S. as well as providing opportunities to the international community.
On Foreign policy, Minister Wang was modest in characterizing China's steady development and success in foreign relations but emphasized that China's foreign policy is the extension of her domestic policy under a vision advanced by President Xi Jinping, "the Chinese Dream" - bringing Chinese citizens to a middle class standard of living. China's foreign policy is directed to help fulfilling the Chinese dream by developing steady and friendly external environment and attracting external resources. Since Xi Jinping assumed the leadership, China's foreign policy is guided by three principles, protecting justified national interest, fulfilling obligated international responsibilities and developing friendly and mutually beneficial (win-win) international relations. Wang said, looking forward, China has five missions in foreign affairs:
1. Make more nations and their people understand the Chinese style (manner) development, her chosen socialist system and development path. Regardless one's background, every Chinese citizen shall be offered opportunity to develop one's dream through one's own effort. China has no intention of exporting the Chinese system or style of development but China is confident that her 86,000,000 party members can accomplish any goal they set their mind to. (Referenced Xi 's book on governance in China, widely reprinted 5 million copies)
2. Maintain and support the international order established after the end of WW II, a peaceful condition earned with 35 million Chinese lives. China, as the first signed member of the United Nations, will not create an alternative order, rather she will fully support the UN mission and responsibility in maintaining world order. Wang urged the development of an open and free international trade system and extending to investment as advocated by APEC rather than having regional restrictive agreements. Wang further explained the purpose of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) supported by 57 nations for supplementing the investment needs in infrastructure development in Asia.
3. Actively promote China's development and her joint development with partners, a focused mission to assist the fulfillment of the "one belt one road" project proposed by China. The project needs three pillars; the first is infrastructure connections between the participating nations. The second is collaboration in manufacturing and energy supply among nations with mutual dependency. The third is cultural exchange and mutual absorption leading to advances in human civilization.
4. Maintain and protect China's oversea investments and enterprises, ensuring their safety and security. China now has more than 30,000 companies and several million Chinese people living overseas, 120 million traveling abroad each year and non-financial direct investment reaching over $1.2 trillion in 2015. The Chinese government has obligation to protect these legal interests, however, with limited organizations and resources, the foreign ministry must work hard in cooperation with foreign countries to protect and promote these investments and enterprises.
5. Participate and resolve hotspot issues in the world, constructively solving international problems. China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is obligated to maintain international peace and harmony. Solving hotspot issues provides healthy conditions for world development such as the one belt on road project. China has participated in resolving South Sudan's crisis, Afghanistan's issue, Myanmar's problem, and Syria's battles.
Minister Wang particularly pointed out the common concern about North Korea's nuclear weapon development and declared China's three principles regarding the nuclear threat, 1. N. Korea must not develop nuclear weapon, 2. Korea Peninsula must not have military conflict, and 3. Any action in the Korea peninsula must not harm Chinese security and interest. Following Wang’s meeting with John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State and his CSIS speech, the UN Security council just unanimously passed on 3-3-2016 a resolution placing strict sanctions against N. Korea. This is a clear example that the U.S. and China can work together through the UN to find solution to a hotspot problem.
Minister Wang also made a clear statement regarding the South China Sea concern. First, there is no real problem with freedom of navigation. Although China has lost 42 small islands and rocks to squatters, China still insists settlement through negotiation according to the DOC agreement China and ten ASEAN members have signed which specifies that disputes are to be resolved through negotiation. Second, China urges non-claimant neighboring nations to help maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Third, external nations should support and make the disputing parties to resolve the issues by negotiation. Under these three conditions, China and the ASEAN nations will be completely capable of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Finally, Wang addressed the US-China relation, emphasizing that a collaborative win-win relationship is beneficial to the world. President Xi has suggested the U.S. and China to establish a new great nation relationship. China is cooperating with the U.S. moving in that direction by having more dialogs and increasing mutual understanding. Wang rejected the notion that China will be the ultimate opponent of the U.S. as a non-existing issue. China is still a developing country. For a long time forward China must focus on her own development; China will not compete against anyone nor intend to replace anyone. China and the U.S. have become two closely mutually dependent nations with $558 billion trades and 4.75 million people visiting each other every year (more than 10,000 people flying each day). It is inconceivable that the U.S. and China will have irresolvable differences. China will not be another U.S. China has no aggression in her DNA or much desire to be the world’s guardian savior. Even one day China has grown stronger with bigger GDP than the U.S., China will still have her oriental philosophy and tolerance to deal with other nations and at that time, the cooperation between the U.S. and China will be even deeper. What is needed today is to increase the two nations’ mutual understanding.
Comparing Wang's speech with Abe Shinzo's speech, one cannot help but conclude that the U.S. has no justification to side with Japan to target China as the eventual enemy. It would be far easier to solve world issues by working with the rising China than treating China as an enemy. Wang in his final words on the CSIS speech was trying to get this message across to the American people.
Minister Wang started his speech by acknowledging China's successful economic development but an unsustainable one calling for a transformation to take an energy efficient, environment protective, green, recyclable and sustainable path. This change has already showed some progress although unavoidably it lowers the economic growth to 6.9% in 2015 (each percentage point is equivalent to 2.6% of 2005's economy). To sustain such a growth is a challenge but China is confident that she can do it because of the following three conditions: 1. China has an enormous market potential (four times of the U.S. population), 2. China's urban development is only at 40% (developed country usually at 70%) and 3. China's service sectors are just about 50% of the total economy (developed country is above 70%). Hence China is confident in sustaining her economic growth and maintaining a great economic and trade partnership with the U.S. as well as providing opportunities to the international community.
On Foreign policy, Minister Wang was modest in characterizing China's steady development and success in foreign relations but emphasized that China's foreign policy is the extension of her domestic policy under a vision advanced by President Xi Jinping, "the Chinese Dream" - bringing Chinese citizens to a middle class standard of living. China's foreign policy is directed to help fulfilling the Chinese dream by developing steady and friendly external environment and attracting external resources. Since Xi Jinping assumed the leadership, China's foreign policy is guided by three principles, protecting justified national interest, fulfilling obligated international responsibilities and developing friendly and mutually beneficial (win-win) international relations. Wang said, looking forward, China has five missions in foreign affairs:
1. Make more nations and their people understand the Chinese style (manner) development, her chosen socialist system and development path. Regardless one's background, every Chinese citizen shall be offered opportunity to develop one's dream through one's own effort. China has no intention of exporting the Chinese system or style of development but China is confident that her 86,000,000 party members can accomplish any goal they set their mind to. (Referenced Xi 's book on governance in China, widely reprinted 5 million copies)
2. Maintain and support the international order established after the end of WW II, a peaceful condition earned with 35 million Chinese lives. China, as the first signed member of the United Nations, will not create an alternative order, rather she will fully support the UN mission and responsibility in maintaining world order. Wang urged the development of an open and free international trade system and extending to investment as advocated by APEC rather than having regional restrictive agreements. Wang further explained the purpose of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) supported by 57 nations for supplementing the investment needs in infrastructure development in Asia.
3. Actively promote China's development and her joint development with partners, a focused mission to assist the fulfillment of the "one belt one road" project proposed by China. The project needs three pillars; the first is infrastructure connections between the participating nations. The second is collaboration in manufacturing and energy supply among nations with mutual dependency. The third is cultural exchange and mutual absorption leading to advances in human civilization.
4. Maintain and protect China's oversea investments and enterprises, ensuring their safety and security. China now has more than 30,000 companies and several million Chinese people living overseas, 120 million traveling abroad each year and non-financial direct investment reaching over $1.2 trillion in 2015. The Chinese government has obligation to protect these legal interests, however, with limited organizations and resources, the foreign ministry must work hard in cooperation with foreign countries to protect and promote these investments and enterprises.
5. Participate and resolve hotspot issues in the world, constructively solving international problems. China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, is obligated to maintain international peace and harmony. Solving hotspot issues provides healthy conditions for world development such as the one belt on road project. China has participated in resolving South Sudan's crisis, Afghanistan's issue, Myanmar's problem, and Syria's battles.
Minister Wang particularly pointed out the common concern about North Korea's nuclear weapon development and declared China's three principles regarding the nuclear threat, 1. N. Korea must not develop nuclear weapon, 2. Korea Peninsula must not have military conflict, and 3. Any action in the Korea peninsula must not harm Chinese security and interest. Following Wang’s meeting with John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State and his CSIS speech, the UN Security council just unanimously passed on 3-3-2016 a resolution placing strict sanctions against N. Korea. This is a clear example that the U.S. and China can work together through the UN to find solution to a hotspot problem.
Minister Wang also made a clear statement regarding the South China Sea concern. First, there is no real problem with freedom of navigation. Although China has lost 42 small islands and rocks to squatters, China still insists settlement through negotiation according to the DOC agreement China and ten ASEAN members have signed which specifies that disputes are to be resolved through negotiation. Second, China urges non-claimant neighboring nations to help maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Third, external nations should support and make the disputing parties to resolve the issues by negotiation. Under these three conditions, China and the ASEAN nations will be completely capable of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Finally, Wang addressed the US-China relation, emphasizing that a collaborative win-win relationship is beneficial to the world. President Xi has suggested the U.S. and China to establish a new great nation relationship. China is cooperating with the U.S. moving in that direction by having more dialogs and increasing mutual understanding. Wang rejected the notion that China will be the ultimate opponent of the U.S. as a non-existing issue. China is still a developing country. For a long time forward China must focus on her own development; China will not compete against anyone nor intend to replace anyone. China and the U.S. have become two closely mutually dependent nations with $558 billion trades and 4.75 million people visiting each other every year (more than 10,000 people flying each day). It is inconceivable that the U.S. and China will have irresolvable differences. China will not be another U.S. China has no aggression in her DNA or much desire to be the world’s guardian savior. Even one day China has grown stronger with bigger GDP than the U.S., China will still have her oriental philosophy and tolerance to deal with other nations and at that time, the cooperation between the U.S. and China will be even deeper. What is needed today is to increase the two nations’ mutual understanding.
Comparing Wang's speech with Abe Shinzo's speech, one cannot help but conclude that the U.S. has no justification to side with Japan to target China as the eventual enemy. It would be far easier to solve world issues by working with the rising China than treating China as an enemy. Wang in his final words on the CSIS speech was trying to get this message across to the American people.
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