Answers to Four Key Questions about China’s Rise

Second, does China have to compete for world power and might this even lead to war?

According to Hans Morgenthau, the theorist of realism in international politics, countries will inevitably fight for international power as they become stronger. John Mearsheimer, who developed the “offensive neorealism” theory for the post-Cold War international situation, also sees unavoidable, tragic competition among powers.

But it is important for the world to realize that China is consciously shaping a new paradigm that follows a path of peaceful development.

China’s foreign trade grew 300-fold in RMB terms in the 30 years from 1983 to 2013. But this was not achieved through “flag before trade.” Rather, it was the fruit of mutually beneficial cooperation on an equal footing and within the existing rule-based international free trade environment. After China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, international trade grew at an average rate of 18.2 percent annually. China is now the largest trading partner of over 120 countries, importing about US $2 trillion worth of goods a year, and creating jobs and investment opportunities around the world. This factor also anchors China’s relations with its partners.

During the past three decades, China’s GDP expanded 95-fold, while the increase in its military spending was only 42 percent of that rate. China follows a constitutionally stipulated national defense policy that is defensive in nature. Grabbing capital, resources, and markets by military force as the world witnessed in the past is unnecessary today, and is unacceptable as a policy option for China.

There are both domestic and international reasons as to why peaceful development works for China.

In terms of internal factors, the Chinese nation has a strong belief in peace. Many of the ancient sayings go deep in people’s minds, such as, “a nation, however powerful, is doomed if it is always hungry for war,” “peace is most valuable under the sun,” and “achieving harmony while allowing differences.” China suffered a great deal at the hands of foreign powers. We “do not do unto others what we don’t want others to do to us.”

As a socialist country, the interest and benefit of the whole population is at the center of China’s domestic policy, which has determined that its international strategy is firmly rooted in peace and cooperation with all countries.

Externally, globalization has created conditions that made it possible for China to achieve peaceful development. When the Cold War ended, it also broke the division caused by confrontation between opposing camps. Thus a global trend of diffusion occurred, whereby resources and factors of production, such as capital, technology, talents, and expertise, previously held mostly in the developed Western world, started to diffuse to the vast periphery. Wars and military expansion are no longer the workable and necessary way to attain economic expansion.

China made good use of this opportunity. Through its persistent reform and opening-up program, China has become the leading developing country in attracting international investment and technology. It has achieved its economic boost by being able to tap into global markets.

This is not a one-way street. China’s massive growth has benefited all those countries and businesses who partnered with China.

Many other developing countries ride on the wave of globalization, and their role is also essential in adding vigor to a new period of world economic expansion.

China’s peaceful development has been successful, and there is no reason not to continue it. Only by following the peaceful path can China attain its development goals.

Third, how is China’s commitment to peace reflected in its policy in the neighborhood?

Since we entered the second decade of the 21st century, China’s neighborhood has seen much disquiet. The temperature has risen over territorial disputes and maritime jurisdiction – issues which had lain dormant for years. What has happened?

On April 10, 2012, a Philippine navy ship sent armed men into the lagoon of Huangyan Island to harass Chinese fishermen working there. Photos of the scene angered the people back home, who called for actions to protect Chinese citizens and territory.

The following September, the Japanese government went ahead with the so-called “nationalization” of the Diaoyu Islands, which broke the status quo of shelving the disputes for resolution at some future time. That too ignited demonstrations in many Chinese cities and gravely strained ties with China.