The All-China Journalists Association (ASJA) hosted a press salon with author and Professor Yan Xuetong, dean of the Institute of Modern International Relations at Tsinghua University on October 9, briefing attendees from all corners of the world on China's Policy on International Security and taking questions.

The event was held at the Press Hall of the ACJA in Dongcheng District, Beijing.

During the one-hour press meeting, Yan -- who was included in the world's Top 100 public intellectuals by American journal Foreign Policy in 2008 -- addressed questions from the audience on different aspects of China's national and international security, ranging from its stance on issues in the South China Sea to whether or not China will take on more of the current U.S. considerations in international security and become more proactive on an international level in the light of globalization.

The main focus of the international journalists, however, regarded the rise of China and its consequences for the current U.S.-ruled world order.

The core question amongst the attendees with regard to the rise of China on the global stage came down to the following: will China's increasing international power lead to harmony or hegemony? Yan emphasized how China's government on several occasions has already denied its desire to create any form of hegemony in the Asian region, let alone in the world.

He added that the world needs to trust China, but China in turn needs to give it good reason for doing so. In order to gain that global faith, China must and will not control the existing world order, but seek protection, equality, justice and fairness in its international relations -- as President Xi Jinping has frequently stated.

Yan concluded by saying that the relations between countries should not be a matter of "the closer, the better," but simply must not return to the all time low witnessed between the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War (1947-1991). Such a relationship between great powers might very well put the entire world at risk. In order to achieve this, major global powers must avoid opposition, disagreement and conflict, and instead embrace both communication and cooperation.

Yan said that China seeks security through cooperation and communication with all countries.

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