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Though the rise of China is an indisputable fact, consensus on the approach and future of the nation's ascent has yet to be reached in the international community.
During his address to Harvard University last November, Premier Wen Jiabao for the first time stated to the world China's confidence and determination in its peaceful rise. Peaceful rise has become China's national will and concept.
In the terminology of international politics, used to study the destiny of an empire or big power, the word "rise" is always linked with "decline" or "fall."
In the West, since the word "rise" denotes a potential "change of hegemony" or "transfer of power," the growth of a new power invariably makes traditional hegemonic countries uneasy. Moreover, as Westerners who believe in "democratic peace" doubt whether China can become "democratic" in the future, they recognize the theory of "China threat" more than the theory of "China's peaceful rise."
Within China, the term "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" replaces the word "rise." However, the word "rejuvenation" can also make neighboring countries suspicious that China might attempt to restore the imperial system.
In fact, regarding the regional environment prior to China's growth, the approach during its rise and the impact after its rise, the ascent of China is not only reasonable but also legitimate and peaceful.
In terms of the environment, China is able to and will inevitably realize the "rise in peace."
Economic globalization and the vigorous development of regionalism have created a favourable international economic climate for China's peaceful ascension. The process of China's rise has just overlapped the transformation of world politics and economy, so the rise of China is with the tide of development. Moreover, the peaceful ascent of Asia has become the basis for China's peaceful rise.
The new mode for cooperation among the big powers in the field of non-traditional security such as anti-terrorism and anti-proliferation has created a favorable international political environment for China's rise. Generally speaking, most of the big powers have adopted the position of recognition on China's growth.
China has been actively seeking to solve disputes with neighboring countries through peaceful negotiations. China so far has resolved territorial conflicts with most of its neighbors and has also reached consensus with all sides concerned on maintaining peace and stability in the disputed areas through peaceful means.
Rifts over territory and water are not the obstacles preventing China from developing good relations and cooperating with its neighboring countries to build regional security, which has created a favorable security environment for China's ascending in peace.
With the improvement of national strength and insternational status, China is increasingly welcomed by major powers, neighboring nations and the Third World to play a more active global role, which builds a positive image for the country.
Regarding China's huge population and growing involvement in the process of globalization, it would not be in the interests of the world if China did not rise.
The approach China has adopted for its ascent is inevitably peaceful. Internally, making a peaceful, democratic and civilized nation has been designated as China's ultimate development goal. Externally, the nation has obtained resources and development momentum through legal means and constructively participated in international affairs.
This differs fundamentally from the mode of rise of other powers in history.
China's rise stems from the rapid growth of the economy, which is largely based on its domestic market. China's economic development also hinges on a peaceful and stable international environment. Rather than choosing the road of external expansion as some big powers in history, China has chosen the mode of combining self-reliance with opening up for developing its economy, which has laid the material foundation for China to rise peacefully.
To build an all-round well-off society is the domestic basis for the legitimacy of China's ascent. The promotion of the new security concept with mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation as its core and the successful practice of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have contributed to enhancing increasingly the international basis for the legitimacy of China's peaceful rise.
China's rise also comes from the growth of its soft power and contributions to the world.
The priority of China's diplomacy has been adjusted as relations with the major powers, neighboring countries and the Third World. China seeks to improve and develop its relations with developed countries by enhancing common interests while adopting the policy of "being friendly to and making partners with neighboring countries" and seeking to strengthen the unity and cooperation with the Third World by establishing a just and reasonable new world political and economic order.
This foreign policy has been welcomed by the international community and thus has upgraded China's soft power.
China's economic growth has made great contributions to the growth of world GDP and global trade. China has also played a constructive role in seeking a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
Since China has not adopted the approach of challenging the hegemony and world order for its rise and has sought to be a responsible country within the current international system, its growth is hailed by the international community.
In terms of impact, China's peaceful rise means "rise for peace." Specifically, China seeks security and development by means of realizing world peace and prosperity so as to fulfill its promise of peaceful rise made to the world body.
The goal of China's rise is to "build an all-round well-off society" internally and to "maintain world peace and promote common development" externally. China's rise serves to better safeguard and realize the human rights of the 1.3 billion Chinese citizens and to better realize the national right of China.
Of course, China's peaceful rise is not unconditional and without challenge. The largest challenge lies in itself, including whether or not being able to realize the balance and coordinated development between regions and industries, stabilizing the situation in the Taiwan Straits to achieve peaceful reunification, and becoming integrated into the mainstream international society.
It also includes whether or not being able to realize the peaceful and steady development of the Sino-US strategic relationship, the common rise by following the example of the European integration, and promoting win-win Sino-Japanese relations.
The competition between the big powers in the future is not merely a competition of comprehensive strength but one between the continental blocs based on regional integration, mostly between Europe, America and Asia.
The future of China lies not only in managing the Chinese economic circle but in becoming the engine of Asian integration and another sphere independent of Europe and America. If so, national unification and the Sino-US or Sino-Japanese relations will never be the problem containing the rise of China.
(China Daily March 2, 2004)
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