Mature diplomacy will help China’s rise

Source:Global Times Published: 2012-11-23 0:30:08

Among the tough challenges that China will face in the next five to 10 years, domestic issues will naturally take the lion's share. But this doesn't mean China should neglect its international environment. Interactions between domestic and external issues will likely intensify. As an open country, even trivial matters concerning China can be influenced by external forces, especially those who operate under the illusion that they can dominate China.

The core goal of China's diplomacy should be protecting the country's development environment. However, China's rise has put more pressure on it to develop diplomatic relations with other nations. The external attitudes held toward China will have to go through a complicated process of change.

The national democratization process demands that diplomacy respects public opinion. Therefore, it is particularly important that the public's views of the world evolve along with the change in global power. Populism often affects many countries' diplomacy and China cannot avoid that pitfall.

China is now considered among the biggest driving forces for change in the international community. More conflicts may converge here. This requires China to be more realistic and rational. Otherwise, it will be stalled by external conflicts and distracted from coping with its own problems at home.

Chinese society should agree on several points to avoid negative impacts caused by any external crisis. To begin, many preconditions for further development lie in the outside world. The supply of resources and transition to a high-end economy are heavily dependent on relations with other countries. Maintaining overall sound relations with others must be China's national policy.

Besides, China is in a special period of transition which has seen it become the world's second economy while remaining at a low per capita income level. It lacks experience in how to use strength to safeguard its own interests. It cannot be always a winner in the complicated and sensitive interaction process with foreign influences.

Diplomatic disputes have been more frequent in recent years, but these troubles cannot constitute major obstacles to China's further rise. China has in fact seized the strategic initiative.

However, China should persist in the long-term strategy of ensuring a developing economy as its top interest. A decade of a war on terror distracted the US from the economic path and now many are regretting this blinkered era. China shouldn't go deviate away from the right track.

External anxiety over China's rapid development is understandable. China should share the benefits of its rise with the world.

Many forecast that China will become the biggest economy in the next decade. If this comes true, this will be a decisive factor in international strategic changes.

China should be modest and wise to manage this process, avoiding an outbreak of accumulated hostility from the outside world. A country which wants to enjoy a lasting rise must have a healthy dose of maturity.    



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