China's foreign policy is showing more maturity and self-confidence
after a series of recent diplomatic signs.
China looks calm and confident when facing regional crises, working
through its close cooperation with the main powers.
For example, in the recently passed United Nations (UN) Security
Council Resolution 1441 to play down the Iraq crisis, China voted
in favor. Zhang Yishan, China's deputy permanent representative to
the UN, assumed the rotating presidency of the council and
authorized the resolution.
Meanwhile, for the first time, China established and dispatched its
special envoy to the Middle East, making its own endeavor to prompt
the peace process in the conflict-torn region.
The country now attaches much importance to multilateral
diplomacy.
Earlier this month, China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the South China Sea with the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the end of the sixth China-ASEAN Summit.
It marked a great enhancement of mutual trust between China and
ASEAN countries and signaled China's willingness to ease its
security concerns via multilateral diplomatic efforts.
In
the past, China insisted the South China Sea dispute should be
settled through bilateral negotiations between it and the
individual Southeast Asian countries.
China has actively engaged itself in a variety of international
regimes and agreements, playing a greater role as a responsible
member of the international community.
At
the Earth Summit in South Africa in September, Premier Zhu Rongji
declared China's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, in obvious
contrast with the US unilateral withdrawal from this important
international regime.
China prompts geo-political security through no other means than
constructive geo-economic cooperations. The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization mechanism, which was set up in the mid-1990s, has
developed into an effective body to co-ordinate economic and
political interests within the region, such as the confidence
building in border areas and close economic cooperation, to
consolidate China's security in its northwest.
This month, the signing of the landmark Framework Agreement on
China-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Cooperation marked a concrete
step to inaugurate the China-ASEAN Free Trade Zone. In the long
run, a group of countries will hopefully emerge that are willing to
share peace and prosperity with China in its neighborhood.
To
seek security in its surroundings, China establishes regional
economical communities to promote common interests in non-economic
fields. Several years ago it proposed and vigorously implemented
the "new security concept," which opposes any forms of military
alliance and grouping.
The strengthened self-confidence of China's diplomacy in part stems
from its continuously growing national strength during the past two
decades. Depending on its basic policy of reform and opening-up,
China has increasingly integrated itself into the international
community.
The just concluded 16th
National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed the
grand objective of building up a Xiaokang (moderate well-off)
society in an all-round way by 2020 - it means the next two decades
will be critical for the country.
China will make more fundamental reforms and therefore demand a
peaceful, friendly and harmonious world and surrounding
environment.
Naturally, it will be confident to continue to be a responsible
member of the international community to help maintain
international order.
(China Daily November 29, 2002)