By Huang Xilian Source: Global Times |2018-03-29
The recently concluded two sessions sent a strong signal that China will deepen reform and opening-up and contribute more to world development along with its own sound growth momentum. The global community will concentrate on how China influences the world in a new era.
An increasing number of countries have recognized the remarkable progress China has achieved and are willing to take a free ride on its high-speed development. China's rapid rise is often saddled with baseless suspicions and controversies. The term sharp power, a new version of the China threat theory, has been conjured up to invoke concern about the growing influence of China. There is also a groundless allegation that the world should be vigilant toward China's attempt to export its development model.
The 19th National Congress of Communist Party of China last year made clear that major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics aims to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind. China's commitments to building a community with a shared future for mankind and to adhering to the peaceful development path and the mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up have been codified into the Constitution, according to a constitutional amendment adopted by the national legislature during this year's two sessions.
The world is beset by mounting challenges, such as sluggish economic growth, anti-globalization and trade protectionism. Surging unilateralism and a zero-sum mind-set have dealt a blow to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. Countries are supposed to deal with the increasingly unstable factors through joint efforts, but the fact is that a Cold-War mentality has emerged and military alliances build more presence through wielding the stick of power politics and undermining international trade rules. Those who advocate the China threat theory are actually threatening the world.
China calls for cooperation, win-win results and friendship, and embarks on a new development path in a new era. Different from traditional powers, China strives for mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win coordination. While delivering considerable benefits for the Chinese people, China's rapid growth in the new era will give a new impetus to world development.
As the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) develops close ties with China, the bloc is a focus of advancing China's neighborhood diplomacy and the Belt and Road initiative. In an informal dialogue between leaders from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the ASEAN in Da Nang, Vietnam in November, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China will forge an upgraded strategic partnership between the two sides so as to build a closer China-ASEAN community of a shared future.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi remarked at a news conference on the sidelines of this year's session of the National People's Congress that the cooperation between China and ASEAN is the most successful and dynamic model in the Asia-Pacific, and China will continue to put the ties with ASEAN high on its agenda of international cooperation.
This year witnesses the 15th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN strategic partnership. The two sides are working on the formulation of a vision for their strategic partnership toward 2030.
We hope the ASEAN states can seize the opportunity, ramp up strategic coordination and deepen cooperation in a bid to make China-ASEAN ties create more benefits for the two sides, boost the regional economy and serve as ballast for regional peace and stability.
The author is the Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN.