From 8: 30 a.m. to 12 a.m. on November 5, 2013, the international workshop on the “China’s Evolving Foreign Policy and Implications for U.S.-China Relations” was held in Room C105 of School of International Studies, Peking University, co-organized by American Studies Center, Peking University and Center for a New American Security, a famous think tank in the US. There were nearly 20 scholars both from Peking University, China Institute of International Studies, National Defense University, Academy of Military Sciences PLA China, and from the U.S., Sweden and Denmark participated in this seminar. Professor Wang Jisi, Dean of School of International Studies, Peking University and Dr. Patrick Cronin, Senior Director of Center for a New American Security, delivered speeches. In Professor Wang Jisi’s opinion, both domestic politics and international environment propel the evolution of China’s foreign policy; while Dr. Cronin believed that development of China-U.S. relations and the study on foreign policies are of vital importance given that every change to China’s foreign policy would draw the wide attention of the international community. Subsequently, the conference then engaged in deep communication and discussion on changes of China’s foreign policies and their influences on China-U.S. relations.
I. Influencing Factors of China’s Foreign Policy
In the first part of the workshop, the participants engaged in discussions on key factors affecting China’s foreign policy, changes to regional security situation of China and the influence of economic factors on China’s national security strategy. Professor Zhu Feng, Deputy Dean of Institute of International and Strategic Studies and professor of School of International Studies, Peking University, presided over the discussions.
Ruan Zongze, Deputy Director of China Institute of International Studies presented an in-depth analysis of recent changes to China’s foreign policy from the perspective of domestic politics. He believes that in the foreseeable future, the main domestic factor promoting the evolution of China’s foreign policy would be the construction and realization of the “Chinese Dream”.“Chinese Dream” means an opportunity to succeed for every Chinese citizen, it also means that China will realize industrialization in a peaceful manner, i.e. “peaceful rise”. The conception of “Chinese Dream” dictates that China’s foreign policy must be concerned with regional affairs, it also needs a global perspective and seeks to realize the “Chinese Dream” by development and cooperation with the international community. In terms of the current international situation, the top priority of China’s foreign policy is to develop and enhance its relations with neighboring countries. China should summon its strength and resources to expand its cooperative relations with neighboring countries. Meanwhile, China upholds the idea that China-US relations shall develop with the goal of constructing “a new type of great power relationship”. The two countries shall cooperate and solve various issues in the international community together.
Professor Zha Daojiong from School of International Studies, Peking University, believed that China’s economic development would play an important role in its diplomacy. China must maintain a reasonable and stable rate of economic development. To achieve that, China shall enhance the construction of the financial system, relax restrictions on the free flow of RMB, optimize the economic structure and liberalize foreign trade and investment. Specifically, financial stability, the internationalization of RMB, technological innovations, coordinating the relationship between economy and environment, as well as safeguarding China’s growing overseas interests via international cooperation are extremely important to the sustainability of China’s economy. The influences of China’s economic development on its diplomacy are mainly manifested in the positive roles played by the economic interdependency in mitigating territorial disputes, deepening interstate relations and stabilizing regional and even global situations. In Professor Zha Daojiong’s opinion, realizing sustainable economic development in a competitive and open international market is the most important domestic factor affecting China’s diplomacy.
Dr. Ely Ratner, Senior Researcher at Center for a New American Security mainly analyzed China’s regional and international security environment and situations, and believed that the changes to the regional and international environment will propel China to take on more obligations. Dr. Ratner stated that the US will withdraw some of its commitments in the international community due to its active strategic contraction; hence China will have to take on more responsibilities to protect its overseas interests. The potential international terrorism, the increasingly important energy security threat, international circulation of raw materials, ever-expanding overseas commercial interests and regional major power competition force China to abandon its self-effacing attitude and pay more attention to international affairs.
David Mulrooney, Researcher at Institute for Security and Development Policy of Sweden, believes that regional security issues, especially the North Korea problem and the Afghanistan problem will influence China’s foreign policy. He thinks that the North Korea nuclear issue may get worse in the foreseeable future, and pose material challenge to the regional security situation. China’s diplomatic activities in recent months indicated that China’s policy to North Korea has changed. America will withdraw its combat troops in Afghanistan in 2014, which may give Taliban a chance to rise again. This will bring a greater challenge and even a threat to national security of China, which borders Afghanistan.
In the subsequent discussion session, scholars from various countries engaged in intensive discussions and exchanges on how China should realize “peaceful rise” and its “Chinese Dream” given the current international environment, and what responsibilities China shall assume in international economic development.
II. Possible Evolution of China’s Foreign Policy
Dr. Cronin, Senior Director of Center for a New American Security, chaired the second session. The topics of this session include how China’s foreign policy will adapt to the expansion of national interests and the enhancement of national power, as well as the possible development of China’s foreign policy in the future.
Senior Colonel Fan Gaoyue, Senior Researcher of Academy of Military Sciences PLA China, first gave a brief introduction of China’s current foreign policy. In his view, China’s foreign policy should adjust in the following five ways to adapt to the changing world in the context of economic globalization, expansion of China’s economic interests and enhancement of its economic power: first, redefine the “principle of non-interference in internal affairs”; second, strengthen mutual trust and cooperation with the U.S. in international affairs; third, pay attention to global economic affairs; fourth, attach greater importance to the friendly relationship with neighboring countries. He believes that China’s foreign policy in the future should become a strong support safeguarding resource needed for China’s economic development and security; nevertheless, China needs to strengthen its international cooperation and seek a path of peaceful development.
Prof. Zhang Qingmin from School of International Studies, Peking University thinks that China’s foreign policy is a unity of continuity and changes, but it also presents new features. The continuity of China’s foreign policy is reflected in the following six aspects: the goal of China diplomacy remains serving domestic economic development; it still addresses China’s relationship with neighboring countries and developing countries; it safeguards the core national interests; strengthening of summit diplomacy and diversification of foreign policy-making bodies; as well as its concern on the multi-polarization and globalization of the international community. At the same time, however, the influence of domestic affairs on China’s foreign affairs is getting more significant. China’s policy to North Korea seems to be changing and reflects the changes. Since the new generation of leaders took office, China’s foreign policy starts to show three new features, such as greater emphasis on core interests, greater emphasis on summit diplomacy and first lady diplomacy, as well as diversified diplomatic means. China’s foreign policy will face three challenges in the future: the collective consultation system of foreign policy decisions, coordination of domestic development and international responsibilities, as well as the realization of national interests in the international community.
Yu Wanli, Associate Professor of School of International Studies, Peking University, also agrees with the viewpoint that China’s foreign policy is evolving. He thinks that China’s foreign policy carried out the existing one as the domestic and international environments did not go through any fundamental changes. However, with the inauguration of the new leaders, China’s diplomatic activities become more frequent this year, yet it still adopts a distant attitude towards several neighboring countries which have territorial disputes with China. At the same time, he believes that China now has a large reserve of “carrots”, but it lacks “sticks”. Such an imbalance can be corrected via three ways: exploit the advantages of economic diplomacy, expand channels for multilateral diplomacy and better utilize the strengths of the existing international system.
Dr. Camilla T. N. Sørensen, an Assistant Professor from Department of Governments in University of Copenhagen expressed her opinions on China’s development prospects as a great power in the future. According to her most recent research, Dr. Sørensen believed that the “principle of non-interference”, domestic issues, expansion of national interests, changes in domestic and international environments and state roles are the main concerns in international relations academic circle of China. She holds that China’s foreign policy in the future will be more active and more constructive, and China will possess a greater power to protect its national interests. China’s foreign policy will be born under domestic pressure and the expectations of the international community.
After the second session, the scholars were engaged in a heated discussion on China’s role in Africa and China’s endeavors in protecting its overseas interest.
III. Future of China-US Relations — Opportunities and Challenges
Presentations and discussions in the third session were mainly about China-U.S. relations, and this session was chaired by Prof. Wang Yizhou, Deputy Dean of School of International Studies, Peking University. The scholars expressed their views on the influence of China’s rise on China-U.S. relations, and had some discussions.
Prof. Xu Hui, Deputy Dean of International College of Defense Studies of National Defense University was the first speaker.He believes that China-US relation is in the best period ever since the 1980s. With more frequent interactions and clearer understandings in consensus and divergences, both parties can look at the China-U.S. relations from a long-term point of view. When speaking of changes in China’s foreign policy, Prof. Xu Hui summarized that one most fundamental change is that China begins to plan for its foreign policy from a strategic perspective while taking both domestic and international factors into consideration. Another important change is that China’s foreign policy attaches greater importance to the balancing between domestic and international affairs, demand for national interest expansion and stable peaceful development, national interests and international responsibilities, as well as traditional security and non-traditional security issues. In the end, he analyzed the triangle relationship among China, the U.S. and Japan, and expressed his worries about the negative impacts posed by Japanese military development on China-U.S.-Japan trilateral relationships.
Dr. Patrick Mendis, Distinguished Fellow from the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University had an in-depth analysis of the cultural differences between China and the U.S. and its influence on China-US relations. In his opinion, China’s foreign policy is realism driven by purposes, while American foreign policy is idealism with a given purpose. The “Chinese Dream” and the “American Dream” show the differences between Hamilton and Jefferson’s ideas. China and the U.S. will face social problems and financial problems respectively in the future, but China-U.S. relations determine the future “Pacific Dream”.
Associate Professor Wang Dong from the School of International Studies, Peking University mainly analyzed the challenges posed by recent changes in Japanese politics and diplomacy to China-U.S. relations. He believes that Japan’s frequent political and military movements recently may probably undermine the good momentum in China-U.S. relations. The U.S. should assume a more responsible role in the issue of the Diaoyu Islands. It should not send wrong signals to Japan, but shall make constructive efforts to alleviate the crisis and seek regional stability. He believes that the mitigation of the Diaoyu Islands dispute is conducive to the China-U.S.-Japan trilateral relations, and the stability and development of the entire Northeast Asia.
After that, participating scholars analyzed and discussed about Japan’s recent policies and actions, as well as China-U.S.-Japan relations.
In the end, Prof. Wang Yizhou, Deputy Dean of School of International Studies, Peking University, and Dr. Cronin, Senior Director of Center for a New American Security, made concluding remarks. In this workshop, the scholars had extensive and deep discussions and analyses on the influencing factors of China’s foreign policy, and development and changes of China-U.S. relations. The participants generally believed that the common interests between China and the U.S. outweigh their differences. China and the U.S. shall strive to construct “a new type of great power relationship” by strengthening exchanges and communications and enhancing strategic mutual trust; they shall jointly promote the prosperity of the world economy and the peace and stability of the international community in the future.
Link:http://www.cuppe.pku.edu.cn/jlhd/dwjl/230305.htm
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