China Is Constructive Force in Asia, not a Threat

A prosperous and open China will be a positive and constructive factor for both Asia-Pacific and the world at large and it will never be a threat, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan told the ongoing 8th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum in Honoi.

According to Tang, for a considerable long time to come, the central task for China is to concentrate its efforts on developing the economy and improving the quality of people's life.

Therefore, China needs a surrounding environment of good-neighborliness and friendship and an external world for mutually beneficial cooperation. In future, China will, as always, work together with other Forum participants to preserve regional peace and stability and promote mutually beneficial cooperation among countries, Tang said.

The ASEAN Regional Forum is the most important venue in the Asia-Pacific region for the discussion of regional security issues. Since its inception seven years ago, all parties have expressed views on security issues of common concern in a spirit of candor, thus enhancing mutual understanding and trust.

The Chinese side values this Forum and stands ready to strengthen its cooperation with all other parties within the framework of the Forum in a joint endeavor for regional peace and stability.

--- Asia Remains Stable

In the past year, the overall situation in the Asia-Pacific region has been stable. Following a period of difficulties, the China-US relations, which capture universal attention, have recently been on the way to improvement. The Chinese side attaches importance to its relations with the US, Tang said.

It welcomes a positive, constructive role of the US in the Asia-Pacific region and is ready to work with the US side to maintain peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Since DPRK and ROK had their first successful summit, there has been evident relaxation of relations between the North and the South and positive developments have occurred on the Korean peninsula. Recently, the North-South dialogue has been resumed following a period of stagnation. The Chinese side welcomes this development, Tang said.

Not long ago, India and Pakistan held a summit, a major event in the history of relations between the two countries. Relaxation of relations between India and Pakistan will have a positive impact on their respective peoples and the regional situation. We hope the two sides will overcome difficulties and carry forward the process of dialogue.

--- Economic Cooperation Deepens

In the economic arena, regional economic cooperation has grown in depth. The mechanism of East Asia cooperation with 10+3 at its core has achieved noticeable results in promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields among East Asian countries, Tang said. All countries have further enhanced their awareness to guard against financial crises and ability to control market fluctuations.

All in all, to seek peace, development and cooperation is still the main policy orientation of most countries in the region.

However, there still exist certain destabilizing factors in the Asia-Pacific region. The economies in Southeast Asia are yet to emerge completely from the shadow of the financial crisis and at present face some new difficulties. Transnational problems have become more prominent, posing a new threat to regional security, the Chinese foreign minister said.

Insistence on developing missile defense program will upset global strategic equilibrium, undermine regional peace and stability and adversely affect international arms control and non-proliferation process and will do no good to trust and cooperation between countries, Tang said.

Big countries in Asia-Pacific shoulder important responsibility for regional peace and security, so they should settle their differences through dialogue and consultations and seek to establish constructive and good state-to-state relations in order to provide a sound basis for regional cooperation, he said.

Now, the Cold War is over, Tang said. The security we seek should be mutual. Security built upon other countries' sense of insecurity can neither be stable nor last long. The ARF has been able to bring us all together precisely because it pursues common security for the entire region.

As economic globalization picks up speed, it is obvious that there has been greater interdependence among Asia-Pacific countries. Economic growth, mutual benefits and reciprocity and promotion of common prosperity represent the material guarantee for regional security and stability. Increased political and security dialogue and exchanges, enhanced trust and improved political relations will provide more favorable conditions for further economic cooperation.

(chinadaily.com.cn 07/25/2001)