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Beijing seen as pursuing a pragmatic course
By Gustaaf Geeraerts |
March 28, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA is both a developing country and an emerging power; a subtle balancing between yin and yang as it were.
The ultimate synthesis is a China that sees itself as a "responsible power": the self-image of a country that wishes to develop peacefully, stage a revival whilst remaining faithful to its rich cultural heritage and own identity.
The rhetoric is one of a harmonious world calling for a more proactive foreign policy to build a world order where states can be equal and have mutual trust, common security can be achieved, diversity of civilizations can be maintained and win-win cooperation leads to common prosperity.
In the process of developing China's new self-image, the most challenging task for the new leadership in Beijing is to find a workable balance between China's weak power identity and strong power identity.
In the past decade the Chinese economy achieved near double-digit growth per year.
In 2011 it turned into the second largest economy in the world and since 2013 it has been the largest trading nation.
All these successes notwithstanding, China's model of development is facing a sea of challenges.
Even with all efforts to stimulate domestic consumption, China continues to rely too much on export and fixed asset investment and its economy is still wanting in terms of innovation and steering.
Although China made enormous progress since the launch of the economic reforms, it still scores relatively low in terms of GDP per capita - a prime indicator of economic sophistication.
In addition, it is facing a widening gap in prosperity levels between different regions, between urban and rural areas, and between the rich and poor. Finally, the ecological degradation is confronting the country with a challenge of sorts.
With these factors at the back of their minds the new leadership in Beijing can but continue the course where what is needed for the development at home defines the contours of its policies abroad.
Sheer size
Even though China's development may still be work in progress, its sheer size already makes it matter a great deal to the rest of the world.
The developed world - most notably the US and the EU - would prefer to see China's adaptation of the global governance structures they established and safeguarded in the past few decades and hope for a reproduction of the existing system.
After all, China has been developing within the existing system of strongly established international institutions.
As China is integrated in the current international regimes and benefits from their smooth functioning, it has a profound interest in seeing that the international rules and institutions function effectively.
In my expectation China will neither simply adapt to the "Western" system, nor will it try to delegitimize it.
The most likely way for Beijing is to opt for an evolutionary path of gradually accepting more commitments, focusing on domestic development and consolidation, contributing to global governance, and seeking to implement its own vision of global order pragmatically.
China will seek to use its growing weight to influence the flow of world affairs.
Its political values now are resonating more prominently in international debates and its diplomatic clout is felt increasingly in negotiations with other powers.
The author is director of Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies and also professor of international relations at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The article is adapted from his keynote speech at the Fifth World Forum on China Studies, held on March 23 to 24, in Shanghai.
The ultimate synthesis is a China that sees itself as a "responsible power": the self-image of a country that wishes to develop peacefully, stage a revival whilst remaining faithful to its rich cultural heritage and own identity.
The rhetoric is one of a harmonious world calling for a more proactive foreign policy to build a world order where states can be equal and have mutual trust, common security can be achieved, diversity of civilizations can be maintained and win-win cooperation leads to common prosperity.
In the process of developing China's new self-image, the most challenging task for the new leadership in Beijing is to find a workable balance between China's weak power identity and strong power identity.
In the past decade the Chinese economy achieved near double-digit growth per year.
In 2011 it turned into the second largest economy in the world and since 2013 it has been the largest trading nation.
All these successes notwithstanding, China's model of development is facing a sea of challenges.
Even with all efforts to stimulate domestic consumption, China continues to rely too much on export and fixed asset investment and its economy is still wanting in terms of innovation and steering.
Although China made enormous progress since the launch of the economic reforms, it still scores relatively low in terms of GDP per capita - a prime indicator of economic sophistication.
In addition, it is facing a widening gap in prosperity levels between different regions, between urban and rural areas, and between the rich and poor. Finally, the ecological degradation is confronting the country with a challenge of sorts.
With these factors at the back of their minds the new leadership in Beijing can but continue the course where what is needed for the development at home defines the contours of its policies abroad.
Sheer size
Even though China's development may still be work in progress, its sheer size already makes it matter a great deal to the rest of the world.
The developed world - most notably the US and the EU - would prefer to see China's adaptation of the global governance structures they established and safeguarded in the past few decades and hope for a reproduction of the existing system.
After all, China has been developing within the existing system of strongly established international institutions.
As China is integrated in the current international regimes and benefits from their smooth functioning, it has a profound interest in seeing that the international rules and institutions function effectively.
In my expectation China will neither simply adapt to the "Western" system, nor will it try to delegitimize it.
The most likely way for Beijing is to opt for an evolutionary path of gradually accepting more commitments, focusing on domestic development and consolidation, contributing to global governance, and seeking to implement its own vision of global order pragmatically.
China will seek to use its growing weight to influence the flow of world affairs.
Its political values now are resonating more prominently in international debates and its diplomatic clout is felt increasingly in negotiations with other powers.
The author is director of Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies and also professor of international relations at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. The article is adapted from his keynote speech at the Fifth World Forum on China Studies, held on March 23 to 24, in Shanghai.
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