Developing Major-country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics

Build Partnership Not Alignment

Major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics seeks to build partnership rather than alignment. This partnership is distinct by virtue of the following three attributes: First, equality. China maintains that all countries, regardless of size and wealth, should treat one another as equals, and respect one another’s sovereignty, autonomy, territorial integrity, development path, and values.

Second, peace. The most distinct difference between the concepts of partnership and military alliance is that in dealing with country-to-country relationships the former highlights win-win cooperation and, in contrast to the latter, excludes confrontation and military interference.

Third, inclusiveness. In transcending differences in social systems and ideology, partnership seeks mutual benefit and common goals. As President Xi Jinping put it, people of common aspirations following the same course can become partners, as can those who seek common points while reserving differences. Partnership by no means entails forfeiting principles. In dealing with international affairs, China sticks to its independent foreign policy and makes judgments based on facts.

China has, in its endeavor to construct a global partnership network, established 72 different forms of partnership with 67 countries and five regions. It successfully hosted the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings last November, through which the Asia-Pacific partnership of the future took shape.

Also worthy of mention are China-EU relations that constitute an important feature of the new-model, long-term, stable and healthy major-country relationship China seeks to establish internationally. During President Xi Jinping’s European visit last March, China and the EU reached consensus on building partnership in the fields of peace, growth, reform, and progress of civilization, and on elevating the global influence of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership.

New Pattern of Major-country Relationship

In advocating major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, China pursues a new-model major-country relationship. The eyes of the international community are constantly on the relationship between China and the United States – two of the world’s greatest powers. China’s new diplomatic concept holds that China and the United States should, for the sake of the fundamental interests of their respective peoples and development of humankind as a whole, adopt innovative thinking and act promptly to jointly establish this new-model major-country relationship.

In June 2013, China and U.S. state leaders convened a meeting at the Annenberg Estate, during which President Xi Jinping summarized the essential connotations of the new-model major-country relations between China and the United States.

The first is that it should avoid conflict and confrontation. The two sides should develop objective views on one another’s strategic intentions, and become partners instead of opponents. Contradictions and differences should be dealt with through dialogue rather than confrontation.

Mutual respect is the second. The two sides should respect one another’s social systems and development roads, as well as core interests and major concerns. They should seek commonalities while reserving differences, and be inclusive and learn from one another to achieve common progress.

The third is cooperation and win-win results. While pursuing their respective interests, the two sides should take those of one another into consideration. In seeking development, the two sides should also promote common development, so deepening integration of their respective interests.

As State Councilor Yang Jiechi said, this new pattern of relationship between the two great powers of China and America is an important consensus the two sides have reached based on world affairs, national conditions and the future development of bilateral ties. It reflects the political wisdom and historical responsibility of the two countries in opening up a new pattern of great power relationship which avoids the historical tradition of conflicts between great countries.

Maintain Justice and Seek Peaceful Development

China’s new diplomatic concept also demands that the country maintains the fundamental code of international relations and sticks to the non-interference policy, but is proactive in international affairs. China has been integral to resolving international concerns, such as Iran’s nuclear program, problems on the Korean Peninsula, conflicts in Ukraine, Israeli-Palestinian hostility, and fighting terrorism and Ebola. Through an objective and fair stance China has promoted peace talks and played the unique role of a great power in maintaining world peace and stability.

Among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China sent the largest peace-keeping force – more than 20,000 in total.

Major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics requires resolute safeguarding of state interests and peaceful settlement of disputes. China, therefore, resolutely opposes Japan’s encroachment on China’s territorial sovereignty and its attempt to distort history and sabotage post-war international order. With regard to the South China Sea issue, China holds that the disputes be left to the parties to whom they directly relate to resolve peacefully through friendly negotiations. China and ASEAN countries should take joint responsibility for maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Lastly, China’s new diplomatic concept advocates a correct viewpoint on justice and interests. In the political arena, China would stick to justice and equity, and economically, the country would seek mutual benefit, win-win results and common development.

China would give more consideration to the interests of neighboring and developing countries with whom it has had long-term friendly relationships, and that now face tough development tasks. It would be more of a giver than a taker in their relations, never seeking selfish gains at the cost of others.

Despite the differences between major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and Western diplomatic concepts, the former nevertheless follows the fundamental rules and common approaches of major-country diplomacy. China is meanwhile open-minded and inclusive in learning advanced concepts and practices of Western countries. This is apparent in the importance China attaches to construction of a multilateral mechanism and international norms, and to advancing international rule of law, in its deep involvement in global governance and providing more international public products, and in its exerting proactive influence on world sustainable development and security.