China’s
rapid development has attracted a lot of international attention in recent
years and put it at the centre of global discourses. Apart from admiration of
its phenomenon achievements in recent years, the implications of some aspects
of its rise have aroused much concern and anxiety. From its expanding political
influence and military muscle, to its growing demand for energy, raw materials
and natural resources, the international community is keen to see whether china
will finally break the historical norm of rising powers.
Historically,
great powers emerged out of armed conflicts, political and economic
exploitation and domination. A study of recent world powers reveals that they
fundamentally challenged the international system and order, amassed weapons
and military strength quickly and invaded and occupied their neighbors as part
of their bids to become global superpowers. The current global superpower, the
United States of America initially sought to engage with the world economically
and exercised military restraint as well as resisting calls to take on
leadership responsibilities until it was forced to do so at the onset of the
Second World War. This state of affairs has led many to believe that peaceful
rise is unattainable in a world of conflict.
“Peaceful
rise” is one of the first new foreign policy concepts to be introduced by
President Hu Jintao during his administration. China has declared to the
international community that it seeks a path of peaceful development and is
committed to the establishment of a harmonious world. It is relentlessly
advocating harmony between states and this policy has become a central feature
of Chinese foreign Policy.
China
as a country has suffered the bitter experience and suffering from war at the
hands of former powers. It understands that that kind of rise is not
sustainable because the current international environment more interconnected
and one country cannot develop at the expense of the rest. Both China’s
domestic and international environments and the development trend favor
peaceful development and therefore, it remains China’s natural choice
proceeding from her own vital interests to the common interests of the
international community.
China
seems to have diverted from the historical path of turbulent rise in power and
is steering a new course that is set to transform how rising powers engage with
the rest of the world. It is determined to pursue its national interests
without precipitating hostilities with other major powers, its neighbors or
with its competitors. While acknowledging that competitions and conflicts will
always be there in International relations, China emphasizes that each country
should draw on other’s merits to offset its own weakness through fair
competition, finding opportunities for cooperation, expanding areas of
cooperation, and improving common interests. China uses cooperation as a way to
pursue peace, promote development and settle disputes.
China
diplomacy has transformed a great deal as it advocates harmony between
countries and people across the globe. This transformation has been
commensurate with China’s power reemergence and is guided by the cultural
richness of Confucianism. Peaceful development is deeply rooted in Chinese
culture since harmony is the greatest goal of Confucianism. Confucianism
focuses on upholding of righteousness and the moral obligation to do good to
others and how to act within a community. It promotes the virtue of humaneness
and this is best expressed by the ethic of reciprocity, or the golden rule “Do not
do unto others what you would not have them do unto you."
By
upholding these values, China could achieve peaceful development and transcend
the historical ways for great powers to rise. It does not wish to overturn the
international order as its leaders understand that their success depends on how
well they relate and network with the international community. Only when common
development of all countries is realized and more people share the fruits of
development, can world peace and stability have a solid foundation and be
effectively guaranteed.
China
has not only made assurances and pledges when it comes to its pursuit of
development. It has taken positive steps to promote and safeguard world peace
and address the challenges. It is the only nuclear-weapon country that has
publicly stated that it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons, or use or
threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or
nuclear-weapon-free zones. It has called for settling disputes over territory
and maritime rights and interests with neighboring countries through dialogue
and negotiation, and called for resolving the Korean nuclear issue, the Iranian
nuclear issue and other disagreements through peaceful talks.
As
China strives to create a peaceful and stable environment for its development,
it is also promoting a global environment of peace, stability, equality, mutual
trust, cooperation and mutual benefit. Peace and development is currently the
global trend in international relations and by conforming to this trend, China
is confident that it will achieve its goal off sharing development
opportunities through a harmonious world.
