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Wang's speech applied these three practical principles to the U.S.-China relationship. In one way, this bilaterally targeted speech forms a contrasting counterpart to what he will likely say at the General Assembly this week. The emphasis of the General Assembly lies on the equality of all nations; the U.S. and China have no stronger voice in it than do the smallest countries, and the Chinese representative will no doubt tailor his message accordingly. Yet everybody knows that, in the real world, the preservation of peace and harmony rests on the great bilateral relationships, principal among which is now that between the U.S. and China.

Not surprisingly, the main focus of the foreign minister's speech was put on the future of Asia-Pacific cooperation. Minister Wang emphasised that the U.S. and China must acknowledge and respect each other's core interests in the region, implying that the area is a common "back yard" for both countries. In this context, the leading problem is that of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, one of the world's potentially most dangerous flashpoints. Wang praised the Six-Party Talks forum, now in place for ten years already; it has not yet solved the problem, but has proven to reduce tensions. As with the Taiwan issue and the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, patient dialogue remains the only sensible way forward; even if progress is slow, it is still infinitely better than confrontation.

One interesting point touches on China's increasing willingness, within the context of the UN and world diplomacy, to play a role in areas outside of China's traditional preoccupations. Wang referred to the U.S.-China cooperation programme for Afghanistan, which has just held its second collaborative training course for Afghan diplomats in Washington. Even though the China-Afghanistan border is only twenty kilometers long, Afghanistan remains a neighbor and it is hence important that her institutions are strengthened to enable her to maintain internal cohesion and play an appropriate part in regional and world affairs.

China is perhaps not ready to get heavily involved in areas well outside her own region, such as the Middle East --Wang did set out the Chinese positions on these issues, but in the form of principles rather than of practical proposals. China is well aware that getting entangled in the politics of the Islamic zone of influence would be a dangerous matter best avoided, especially as China has her own Muslim population.

Nonetheless, China makes it very clear that her contribution to global security consists for the time being of holding together the Asia-Pacific region and turning it into a fortress of security. The goal of doing so is to reduce the number and geographical spread of sources of danger, while giving strong support to international efforts to solve problems further afield. All this must be shored up by a strong commitment to economic growth and global economic cooperation, which is essential to delivering the "win-win outcomes" to which President Xi and Foreign Minister Wang have declared their commitment.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/timcollard.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn

 

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