China’s Foreign Minister Addresses the Asia Society in New York
by Yalin Xin, Ph.D. Director of Institute of China Studies
The world is witnessing a downward spiral in the recent development in U.S.-China relations, a reality that is worrisome to many. The US strategy on China has shifted to one of competitiveness against China as a potential challenge to the international order and threat to the U.S. Under this strategy, the focus of attention is on the differences rather than opportunities for cooperation. Key recent development stages in the relationship are highlighted in CFR timeline on U.S.-China Relations, i.e. the escalation of U.S.-China trade war, the pandemic, the rhetoric of “Communist China and the Free World’s Future”, NATO’s communique including China as a ‘security challenge’, U.S. House Speaker’s visit to Taiwan, and etc. Naturally, this shift of focus, which China criticizes as attempts to politicize the differences as a narrative of “democracy versus authoritarianism”, will result in many policy changes. These will impact individuals and organizations who engage with China in many fields including cultural and religious exchanges, education, trade, humanitarian cooperation, and sustainable development, to name a few.
In the recent visit to the UN, Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, addressed the Asian Society over the topic of China-U.S. relations and how the two biggest economies can get along. After expositing how the U.S. has misread China on various issues, he highlights three principles, which he claims, are “drawn from examining the ups and downs of Sino-US relations over the past half century” and “are the correct way for major powers to interact with each other in the current era”: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. In his address, Wang references various issues at stake in the China-U.S. relations and expounds their historical context and development to illuminate his points. He calls for attention to the great potential of China-U.S. cooperation:
As the largest developing country and the largest developed country, China and the United States are highly complementary, and there is a wide range of cooperation space in many fields such as economy and trade, energy, science and technology, education, and humanities. Both nations shoulder major responsibilities in fighting the current epidemic, restoring the economy, responding to climate change, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, and resolving regional hotspots. The two sides have also worked together to combat terrorism, cope with the financial crisis, stop the Ebola virus, and lead the conclusion of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Wang’s speech should be helpful for China watchers to establish understanding of the Chinese way of thinking and the country’s position on China-U.S. relations and its implications for global development.
President Kevin Rudd of Asia Society in his opening remarks at the event stresses on the needs for both governments (US and China) to “consider the possibility of a new framework of "Managed Strategic Competition" between them — constructing strategic guardrails around well-known redlines; agreeing on a framework for constructive competition in other domains; while still creating the political and diplomatic space necessary for both countries to cooperate on common global goods including on climate change, global financial stability, nuclear nonproliferation — and global public health.” He rightfully appeals for both parties to consider adjusting their existing “strategic narratives” in order for the stabilization of U.S.-China relationship to be maintained for the sake of global common interest.
“The clash of civilizations” continues to play out in similar fashion and sometimes moves toward a dangerous path. The fundamental cultural differences between the two countries all seem to be easily ignored in the continuous confrontations between the ruling power and a rising one. Graham Allison offers many valid proposals on how to avoid a disastrous collision in his Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap (2017) in which he employs an in-depth historical perspective to illuminate the dilemma of U.S.-China relations and its global relevance. Additionally, a biblically informed framework would shed further light if we want to address root issues in geopolitics and global development.
Photo Credit: Asia Society
Sources cited:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ubrp_ojhwn-H9fSgjpv7Yw
https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-china-relations
https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/opening-remarks-chinese-foreign-minister-wang-yis-address-asia-society
Allison, Graham. 2018. Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap? Mariner
Books.