By Zhai Kun
President Hu Jintao over the weekend attended the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting. This was the fifth time that
Hu has attended an APEC meeting, which shows the particular
importance given to it by the Chinese leadership.
China's extensive and active involvement in regional cooperative
mechanisms such APEC is considered by some Chinese and foreign
strategists as an integral and successful part of its grand
strategy.
A host of factors explain why APEC is important to China.
First, APEC members' territories cover Northeast Asia, Southeast
Asia, North America, Latin America and Oceania, which embrace the
vast Pacific Ocean on all sides. And its 21 members boast
pluralistic economies and cultures. Moreover, it is possible that
South Asian economies will be included in the future.
Second, APEC, founded in 1989, has the longest history among
various dialogue mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region.
Third, APEC often sees the attendance of the highest level of
leadership at its sessions. This facilitates exchange and
communication at the highest level.
Fourth, much emphasis is placed on the equality of organizing
APEC meetings. The meetings are hosted by members in rotation. This
helps bring the hosting member's initiatives into play.
However, many researchers and officials believe that APEC has as
many shortcomings as strong points.
First, they argue, more and more cooperative mechanisms are
being introduced in Asia, which impact on APEC. Prominent among
these emerging mechanisms, for example, are the East Asia Summit
and the 10 plus 3 dialogue between the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations on the one hand and China, Japan and Republic of
Korea on the other, which are believed to be working to undercut
the influence of APEC.
Second, the number of APEC members is snowballing. When APEC was
founded in 1989, there were only 12 members but today it boasts 21.
Now that the end of its second decade in existence is nearing, it
means the time has come to enlist more members. At present, some
big players like India is applying for APEC membership.
Third, APEC's initial targets are being stretched to cover much
wider areas. For example, APEC was initially defined as an economic
cooperative forum but is now increasingly oriented toward
addressing security matters.
Fourth, the number of APEC's topics for discussion keeps on
increasing and various kinds of ministerial meetings and working
conferences follow one after the other in quick succession. To
compound this, new proposals from different fields keep pouring in.
While the large number of topics are yet to be fully discussed and
implemented, more new topics are flooding in.
Fifth, the slow progress of APEC does not live up to people's
expectations of the organization. Many scholars think APEC is
anteroom for idle talk, rather than a venue where substantial
results can be achieved.
Sixth, regional cooperation in Europe, America and Asia has
entered into a period of stock-taking and readjustment, APEC is
naturally affected. In view of all this, APEC may be haunted by
inherent contradictions.
This author, however, is of the opinion that China should try
its best to propel the progress of APEC because the grouping's
wide-covering, loose-organizational structure, its equality,
non-compulsory and voluntary principles, best suit the Asia-Pacific
region.
To begin with, APEC enables China to look at the world from a
global perspective and, in turn, put forward its own ideas on the
Asia-Pacific region.
Top Chinese leaders have time and again stressed a win-win
situation among Asia-Pacific countries and regions and that China's
development means an opportunity for the grouping. They have also
come up with ideas dealing with peaceful development, a harmonious
Asia-Pacific and sustainable development, which have all gained
acceptance.
In addition, APEC serves as a platform for China to put forward
its regional proposals. China has learned to promote mutual trust,
clear doubts about its intentions, disseminate its ideas and
promote cooperation among APEC members, taking advantage of the
stage provided by APEC.
For example, Hu at this year's APEC meeting, put forward
proposals for resolving important issues concerning the world's
sustainable development. Also, the Sydney declaration adopted at
the meeting, incorporates China's initiatives on forest renewal and
management network. This shows that China's initiatives have become
an Asia-Pacific consensus.
Finally, APEC offers China a platform through which it can help
orchestrate the working of various regional cooperative
mechanisms.
China and the United States are both APEC members. But the
latter, in the face of the rise of East Asian cooperation, is
worried that it could be sidetracked in this region and, therefore,
suggested the establishment of an Asia-Pacific free-trade zone, at
last year's APEC gathering.
But many, including WTO secretary-general Pascal Lamy, believe
the founding of an Asia-Pacific free trade zone is premature at the
present time.
Hu remarked at the APEC meeting that the establishment of an
Asia-Pacific free-trade zone is a long and gradual process, with
many questions needing to be studied, and China is willing to work
together with other APEC members toward Asia-Pacific economic
integration, including studying the perspective of an Asian-Pacific
free-trade zone.
This makes clear China's attitude toward the Asia-Pacific
free-trade zone: It is not realistic at present but China is
willing to work for its materialization in the long run.
Hu suggested that common development was China's goal in its
participation in Asia-Pacific cooperation. China, therefore, should
work closely together with other APEC members on this in order to
bring Asia-Pacific cooperation into full play.
The author is a researcher with China Institute of Contemporary
International Relations
(China Daily September 13, 2007)
