CHINA US Focus » Peaceful development

Guarantee for China’s Peaceful Development

Chen Zhou, Director, Academy of Military Sciences of China — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:51:30 +0000

On April 16, 2013, the Chinese Government issued a national defense white paper: The Diversified Employment of China’s Armed Forces. The new white paper sums up new features and practices of employment of armed forces. It systematically presents the strategic policy principles for the military to effectively carry out its historical missions, deal with various security threats and accomplish diversified military tasks. It explains why and how the employment of armed forces in times of peace is of strategic significance and guarantees national sovereignty, security and peaceful development. Proceeding from the new concept of comprehensive security, common security and cooperative security, it describes China’s rich experience in the diversified employment of its armed forces.

Chen Zhou

Besides traditional subjects, such as security situations and the building of China’s armed forces, it addresses many new concepts, including the policies and principles for diversified employment of armed forces, maintaining constant combat readiness, safeguarding maritime rights and interests, protecting overseas interests and safeguarding the security of international sea lines of communication. In a new step towards higher military transparency, the paper publishes for the first time the designations of all 18 combined corps of the PLA Army as well as the number of officers and men of the PLA Army mobile operational units, PLA Navy and PLA Air Force.

The white paper talks about a dialectical relationship between peaceful development and defense preparations. The country must in any situation pursue a defensive national defense policy rather than seeking hegemony or military expansion. Consolidated national defense and strong armed forces will guarantee the achievement of peaceful development. However, peace must be backed by force. Without solid national defense or a powerful army, peaceful development cannot be guaranteed and national rejuvenation will lose its basis.

Since the new millenium, situations in the world, in China and in the military have undergone profound changes. The white paper believes that the balance of international forces is shifting in favor of world peace and that peaceful development will remain the underlying trend of our times. Meanwhile, there are signs of increasing hegemonism, power politics and neo-interventionism. Local turmoil and hot-spot issues keep cropping up. Competition is intensifying in the international military field and the world is far from tranquil. While China’s modernization achievements have captured world attention, it still faces multiple complicated security threats.

Changes in the international strategic situation and national security environment place new requirements for the building and employment of armed forces. In recent years, the PLA has been proactively and steadily pushing forward reforms. It has intensified the strategic administration of the Central Military Commission and established the PLA Department of Strategic Planning. It endeavors to build new types of combat forces, further optimizing the structure and organization of troops. It works to improve the training mechanism, adjust human resources and logistics policies and rules, and develop new- and high-technology weaponry and equipment. A basic objective of revolution in military affairs in China is to speed up the formation of a lean, joint, multi-functional and efficient military force system.

The Chinese armed forces are to respond to the country’s core security needs and to maintain peace, contain crises and win wars. They place the protection of national sovereignty, security and interests of the Chinese people above all else. The white paper provides information about diversified military operations conducted in recent years, including combat readiness duties, exercises and drills, emergency rescue and disaster relief, international peacekeeping, naval escorts and joint exercises. The geographical scope has extended from Chinese territory to overseas where Chinese interests are at stake.

In recent years, the PLA has given strategic attention to routine combat readiness. The white paper has a special section on “maintaining constant combat readiness,” which describes the PLA’s state of combat readiness, with the Army strengthening combat readiness duty system, the Navy performing regular combat readiness patrols, the Air Force focusing on territorial air defense and the Second Artillery Force constructing a vigilant and efficient operational duty system. Scenario-based exercises and drills are considered key to changing military training and improving combat capabilities.

With a continental coastline of 18,000 kilometers and over 6,500 islands with an area of 500 square meters or more, China is a land and maritime country. The seas and oceans provide immense space and abundant resources for sustainable development and it is an essential national development strategy to build China into a maritime power. In the chapter on “safeguarding maritime rights and interests,” the armed forces claim that it is a fundamental task for them to ensure security of territory, internal waters, territorial seas territorial air and an important duty to safeguard maritime rights and interests. In combination with routine combat readiness activities, the Navy provides security support for China’s maritime law enforcement, fisheries, and oil and gas exploitation.

China’s gradual integration into the world economic system, has allowed overseas interests to become an integral component of China’s national interests. Security of overseas energy and resources, strategic sea lines of communication, and Chinese nationals and legal persons overseas are increasingly prominent. Vessel protection at sea, overseas evacuation and emergency rescue have become important ways for the PLA to safeguard national interests and fulfill China’s international obligations. By December 2012, the Chinese Navy had dispatched 34 warships in 13 task groups for escort operations.

The Constitution and the Law on National Defense mandate China’s armed forces safeguard world peace and oppose acts of aggression and expansion. The white paper gives an account of their operations in recent years. Since 1990, the PLA has dispatched 22,000 military personnel to 23 UN peacekeeping missions. China is now the biggest troop and police contributor among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. As China’s role in global affairs becomes more prominent, its security apparatus and national defense will increasingly play a pivotal role in international relations.

Chen Zhou, Director, National Defense Policy Research Center, Academy of Military Sciences

China-US Relations in an Emerging East Asia

Tung Chee Hwa — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 05:08:45 +0000

I am greatly honored to be invited to speak on this auspicious occasion of the inaugural of the Asia Global Dialogue hosted by the Fung Global Institute. My discussion today is entitled "China-US relations in an emerging East Asia".

To talk about this topic, we need to go back into history. What was it like in East Asia at the time of the end of the Second World War in 1945, or the establishment of the People’s Republic of China four years later in 1949? In fact every country in the East Asian region at that time was faced with economic bankruptcy, utter poverty and some degree of social chaos. At the same time, some of the countries also had to deal with building political institution as decolonization began. Indeed all the countries were faced with the daunting task of nation building from scratch.

Sixty odd years later, today breathtaking changes have taken place in East Asia. We did this through emphasis on developing our economy, improving our people’s livelihood and developing our participative political system, very often in that particular order. Capacity building and the spirit of learning from one another and from the developed nations were part of the reasons of success. Prudent fiscal and monetary policies since the 90s were also crucial to East Asia’s success.

But there were other important reasons that had made such breathtaking changes possible.

First, the formation and maturing of ASEAN is a very important reason for the region’s success today. ASEAN was formed by 5 countries in 1967, today it is a grouping of 10 countries with a total population of about 600 million people. It is moving forward with vision, with purpose and its existence has brought about the needed social and political stability, as well as economic vitality.

Another important reason for the region’s success today is as a result of globalization of trade and services. Urged on by the use of logistics, and science and technology, globalization has enabled the region’s economy to grow by leaps and bounds. China’s joining of the WTO in 2001 and of late the China-ASEAN free trade agreement, Korea-ASEAN free trade agreement and Japan-ASEAN free trade agreement are providing new opportunities for trade and economic expansion. Of course East Asian countries benefited greatly in the 60s and 70s when the United States and Europe kept their markets open for goods from East Asia.

The third reason of success is the reform and opening up of China. This effort, which began in 1978, has brought 500 million people out of poverty and has brought about economic development and a degree of prosperity never experienced by Chinese people in her history. The more than 30 years of annual growth of close to 10% by China is also an important driver of East Asia region’s economy.

The fourth reason is the end of the Second World War, the Korean War and eventually the Vietnam War in the 70s brought about total peace in the whole of East Asia. Looking back, this taught us that warfare inflicts unspeakable devastation and economic hardship for the battleground nations. Only with total peace can the process of nation building truly begins. It is the peaceful environment that enables us to achieve what we achieve today. To promote peace and harmony among nations in East Asia is most important for all of us.

So today East Asian countries’ GDP has reached approximately 14 trillion US dollars, accounting to nearly 22% of global GDP. Indeed, according to various estimates, by 2050, East Asia’s total GDP could be between 65 to 85 trillions US dollars (some even has higher estimates), by then East Asia could become one of the most prosperous regions in the whole world.

Whether we can achieve this higher level of prosperity by 2050 depends on the wisdom of the political leadership, the need for us to keep the trade and commerce open, the need for us to pursue prudent financial and monetary management, the need for us to pursue sound policies in social, educational, medical and environmental aspects, the need for government to promote growth-oriented policies and most importantly for us to pursue peace and harmony. If we do that, we can realize our objective.

I will now go on to talk to you on the subject of the current state of China-US relations. In order to help you to understand this issue, I would first of all like to tell you about China’s chosen path of peaceful development in international relations. This strategic choice is made for the following reasons:

First, since the launch of her reform and open-door policy, it is increasingly recognized by China that her interests and that of the world have become more and more intertwined and interdependent. Therefore, for China’s own future, she needs a stable and peaceful international environment.

Second, during the age of colonialism, countries waged war to conquer and colonize other countries in order to spread their sphere of influence, and secure overseas natural resources, labor and markets. That brought wealth to the conquering countries, but misery to those conquered. Today, due to globalization, China can achieve a win-win situation amongst nations through trade, commerce and investment. Indeed, prosperity is much better shared today around the world.

Furthermore, as China’s economy grows in the future, her wealth creation will rely more and more on domestic consumption and expansion of domestic service sector. As a large continental economy by that time, China will be able to generate her own economic growth, and absorb goods and services from other countries to meet her own growing demands.

Third, the path of peaceful development is very much a part of Chinese culture, values and lessons of history. Throughout her history, renowned Chinese philosophers such as Laozi and Mencius, warned against war and the burden that would be inflicted in waging wars. Sunzi, whose book on military theory, The Art of War, a classical Chinese military treatise written 2,500 years ago, also stressed the importance of avoiding war, as the best option for a country. The famous British philosopher Bertrand Russell observed the consistent commitment to peace of China. 90 years ago, Russell wrote in his book, The Problem of China, “Although there have been many wars in China, the natural outlook of the Chinese is very pacifistic.”

Her history, culture, values and her needs explain China’s choice of a peaceful path of development. As a result of this choice, following are some of the highlights of China’s foreign and defense policies:

1) China is committed to an independent foreign policy. China strongly adheres to the five principles of peaceful coexistence. (i. Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, ii. Mutual non-aggression, iii. Mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, iv. Equality and mutual benefits, v. Peaceful Co-existence.) Central to China’s foreign policy is the goal to build a peaceful world that provides shared prosperity for all.

2) China will increasingly assume its fair share of global responsibility on the global stage consistent with her abilities to do so, while at the same time, seek to shape a friendly relationship with every country on earth, but particularly with her neighbors.

3) China supports the centrality of the United Nations in matters affecting world peace and security. She is committed to addressing international disputes in a peaceful manner.

4) China will not repeat the error of history, whereby power led to hegemony, and hegemony plunged the world into disaster and conflicts.

5) You may ask why China is investing so much in her military. The fact is, her military expenditure, at approximately 1.5% of GDP, is comparatively low by any standard. It should be noted that China has no overseas military bases. Because China has no extra-territorial ambition, her military expenditure is defensive in nature. Of course China recognizes that in order to pursue peace, she needs a minimal deterrent to prevent war.

6) There has been a great deal of talk about China’s territorial disputes with her neighbors. Territorial disputes exist in this part of the world because of historical reasons. For one thing, over the past hundred years or so, when China was weak, and many of her neighbors were under colonial rule, territorial demarcation was not a focus of discussion or attention, although China from time to time would declare her historical rights. But territorial disputes and border demarcation is an issue that needs to be resolved for all modern statehood. So, since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, China has resolved territorial disputes with 11 of her 14 neighbors, by and large in a peaceful way. Never before in the history of nations have territorial agreements on borders been achieved in such a scale in a peaceful manner. There are still three territorial disputes China has with her neighboring countries, one with India, the other with Japan and the third with some ASEAN countries.

Today we are talking about East Asia region, I would therefore specifically address the issues of South China Sea and East China Sea. In view of China’s history of having been invaded by foreign powers, Chinese government and Chinese people hold very strong views that territorial integrity cannot be violated. But nevertheless, despite claims based on strong historical reasons, in the interest of peace, China is trying to resolve the territorial disputes of South China Sea and East China Sea peacefully, with the suggestion that the disputes should be shelved, while the natural resources under the sea are shared. This is a very genuine proposal. This is done in the interests of peace and common prosperity. The other countries involved in the disputes should not take advantage of China’s willingness to work together as a sign of weakness, because they would not succeed. There is also the issue of freedom of navigation through South China Sea that has been raised in the recent past. The fact is that there has always been freedom of navigation on the South China Sea. It was never an issue in the past, and it should not be an issue in the future.

China-US Relations

Now let me talk to you about China-US relations today. 40 years ago, US and Chinese leaders met in Beijing. With strategic vision, they broke decades of estrangement and ushered in a new relationship between the two countries. Indeed this act of enormous courage and wisdom changed the world forever. Since that time, 8 Presidents of the United States and 4 generations of Chinese leadership have pursued the objective of improving China-US relations. Because of their persistent efforts, you can see this important relationship, despite its ups and downs, has been improving steadily throughout all these years. Furthermore the importance of the relation is being increasingly recognized by the people of both countries.

Today, whether it is in the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapon, in energy security, in climate change, in global economic recovery, in financial stability, in prevention of epidemic, in fighting drug trafficking and etc etc, China and the United States find common interest in working together on all these and other transnational challenges.

Indeed the leaders of the two countries attach a great deal of importance to the relations. Since President Obama became the president of the United States over 3 years ago, the two presidents have met each other 11 times. In these various meetings, President Obama had repeatedly stated that, “the United States welcomes a strong, prosperous and successful China that plays a greater role in world affairs.” President Hu had repeatedly stated that, “China welcomes the United States as an Asia Pacific nation that contributes to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.” Indeed the two leaders also called for greater effort to build a cooperative partnership between the two countries.

You would have thought with so much common interests, this important relationship would move forward harmoniously and naturally. But this is unfortunately not always the case, because mistrust still exists between the two countries. The most commonly spoken anxiety is that with the rise of a nation, conflicts with the present leading power may be unavoidable. But is this true? Over the last couple years, more and more US-China relations specialists have spoken of a new type of great power relations between the two countries. The fact is that China and the United States does share many common interests and objectives, and this is very different from previous situations. For instances, pre-WWI Germany and Great Britain held divergent strategic aims, and during the “Cold War” the East and West defined politics only ideologically and pursued strategic agenda to exclude each other.

China-US relation is not a zero-sum game. I believe a new type of great power relationship between one rising power, China and the present leading power, the United States, is not only possible but also necessary. Can this be done quickly? No. Indeed for this relationship to develop fully would take time. After all, the two countries have different histories, different cultures, and are at different stages of development. To build understanding and trust would take time. Fortunately the leaders of the two countries are very committed to move the relationship forward, they have committed to increase people-to-people exchanges at all levels so that understanding and eventually trust can be developed. I believe, over time, peoples of both countries will be able to understand each other better and to push the relationship of the two countries forward.

A good China-US relationship is important for East Asia region’s prosperity, it is also important for Asia-Pacific prosperity. United State and China must do our best to continue to improve our relationship. But East Asia countries, for your own benefits, need to embrace and support a good US-China relationship.

The success that East Asia has achieved since the Second World War is astounding. The success also gives us confidence that the best is still to come. But it needs to be emphasized that the key ingredient to growth in this region is the pursuit of peace. Nations in the whole Asia Pacific region need to intensify efforts to pursue peace. We have too much at stake and let us work together for peace and common prosperity.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am privileged today to be speaking in front of such a distinguish audience at the Fung Global Institute gathering. Although this is a young institution, the Fung family is one of the most well respected families in Hong Kong, in China, in this region, and indeed in the world. The best people, Michael Spence, Andrew Sheng, have been recruited to run this institute. I am confident that despite her young age, Fung Global Institute will do its part to promote trade and commerce and also better understanding among the peoples in this region and around the world.

Mr. Tung is founding chairman of the China-United States Exchange Foundation, and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)

Building a New Model for the China-US Relationship

Tao Wenzhao — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:09:42 +0000

The fourth round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) has successfully concluded with 67 key points. These agreements cover a wide range of issues, bilateral, regional and global, which eloquently shows that China and the United States share overlapping interests and responsibilities in meeting regional and global challenges. Some of the agreements have enriched and expanded the existing mechanisms, while some new mechanisms are being established. For instance, leaders from both sides agreed hold regular talks on Middle East, African, Latin American, South Asian and Central Asian affairs, etc. As Premier Wen Jiabao commented, these dialogues have made numerous important breakthroughs within and surrounding the bilateral relationship.

More important than the results of these discussions, is the fact that an important consensus is now in forming that China and the United States must build a new type of great power relationship which would allow the two countries harmoniously co-exist, peacefully compete and co-prosper together.

Actually, after President Nixon’s ground-breaking journey to China in 1972, especially after the normalization of Sino-American relations in 1979, the two countries began exploring this kind of relationship. In spite of disturbances and troubles, the bilateral relationship has moved forward. China has achieved development within the existing international system. China has benefited from relatively stable relations with the United States. On the other side, the U.S. has benefited from China’s economic growth and integration into the world order. The two countries have now become interdependent on each other, and this point, neither can lose the other.

Why is the importance of a new great power relationship being raised now? Why has the issue of the so called “trust deficit” between the two countries become such a hot topic? In my opinion, these questions are of the utmost importance for the bilateral relationship.

Following the economic decline in the United States, questions have arisen as to whether the U.S. is now in a state of decline. After China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, the country’s economy has grown at a rate close to 10 percent. This remarkable growth, and China’s new found economic prowess, thrust China into the global arena, despite the fact it was considered a relatively new economic power. Despite this rapid growth, domestically China is still struggling to catch-up. The global economic crisis hastened the rest of the world’s impatience as it waits for China to become a developed country. This impatience has caused suspicion from the US as to whether China seeks to challenge the US position in the world, especially in this region? It seems to some Americans that China’s development is a threat to the global order. Suspicion can also be found in China, as some people are question whether the US hopes to slowdown China’s economic growth.

Despite the heightened rhetoric and occasional misunderstanding, hope exists for bilateral prosperity. In the era of globalization international politics are constantly evolving, resulting in a greater difficulty for bilateral cooperation. After his visit to China last fall, Vice President Joe Biden published an article in the New York Times titled “China’s Rise Isn’t Our Demise”. President Obama and other key administration officials have publicly shared similar views. Ideally, this method of thinking will become more prevalent in the United States and the populations in both countries will support the efforts of cooperation.

The leaders of both countries have learned much from the recent decades of interaction between Beijing and Washington. I am confident the two countries’ leaders, politicians and people have enough foresight to understand that a course away from the traditional and outdated logic of big power rivalry is needed. The China-U.S. bilateral relationship will surely bring real benefits to not only the two countries, but also global stability and common prosperity.

Tao Wenzhao is a senior researcher with the Center for US-China Relations at Tsinghua University.

Stick to the Path of Peaceful Development

Dai Bingguo — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:25:46 +0000

As a Chinese saying goes, "Scooping rice from the same pot, the ladles may inevitably knock against each other". As we live in a global village, frictions and clashes of various kinds are inevitable. It is nothing alarming.What matters is the principles that one follows in trying to tackle the problems: a tit-for-tat tactic or making a fuss of a minor problem, or rather, a totally different approach?

We have our basic principles in our external relations, which have proven effective over the past decades. First, we follow the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence. To be specific, we reject interference in others' internal affairs and the use or threat of use of force and we do not enter into alliance with any country. Second, we follow the win-win strategy of opening up and never adopt the beggar-thy-neighbor policy. We value, develop and protect common interests and strive to make the pie of common interests bigger and better. Third, we stand for settlement of disputes and conflicts through dialogue and negotiation and by seeking common ground while shelving differences. That is what we have been doing over the past years. We have set up strategic dialogue and consultation mechanisms with the United States, Europe, Japan and some emerging countries and have been engaged in in-depth exchange of views with them on important overarching and long-term issues concerning the world situation and bilateral relations. Those discussions have helped to enhance mutual understanding and trust, seek strategic consensus, expand common interests and reduce troubles and setbacks. For knotty problems, we have proposed that they be put aside until conditions are ripe for solution. Some issues can even be left to future generations.

Some people argue that since the Chinese government has never renounced the use of force for the settlement of the Taiwan question and China's military spending is growing continuously, it is contradictory to China's statement about its path of peaceful development. In my view, no development path should be chosen at the expense of major national interests, core interests in particular. What are China's core interests? My personal understanding is: first, China's form of government and political system and stability, namely the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the socialist system and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Second, China's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity. Third, the basic guarantee for sustainable economic and social development of China. These interests brook no violation.

The Taiwan question constitutes China's core interest concerning its unification and territorial integrity, dear to the heart of the 1.3 billion Chinese citizens and the whole Chinese nation. On this question, we pursue the basic principle of "peaceful unification and one country, two systems". We will never allow Taiwan to split from China, nor will we ever commit ourselves to the renunciation of force. This is not targeted at our Taiwan compatriots but a handful of Taiwan separatists. In recent years, the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations has made positive and significant progress as evidenced by the signing of Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement between the two sides, which opens up greater prospects for the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations. However, there are those who, out of Cold War mentality and geo-political needs, have continued to sell weapons to Taiwan in disregard of China's firm opposition. Such failure to keep one's word should be corrected at once as it is not conducive to the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and runs counter to the trend of peace, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific region.

China pursues a defense policy that is defensive in nature. Its military building is aimed at upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguarding its more than 22,000 km long land boundary and 18,000 km long sea boundary and ensuring development in a peaceful environment. It is neither driven by arms race nor the desire to seek hegemony or expansion. Some people in the world have the unnecessary worry that China will turn its growing economic power into military might. Compared with quite a number of countries such as the United States and Japan, China's military spending is minimal both in aggregate and per capita terms and cannot pose a threat to other countries. As for transparency, there is no country that is absolutely transparent in the military field. China's military transparency has been rising over the past decades. Its strategic intent, in particular, is more transparent than many other countries, especially some major powers. For example, we have openly declared to the world that we will never seek hegemony and openly committed to no first use of nuclear weapons and no use or threat of use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states. If other countries follow suit, it will no doubt be a great contribution to world peace, stability and development.

Dai Bingguo is the State Councilor of People's Republic of China. This is an excerpt of the article originally published on the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of PRC.