Let us focus on cooperation and manage differences
- By Wu Jianmin
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 4, 2016
It’s true that China and US have lots of differences. The two sides have to join hands and manage their differences properly. That means:
First, the two sides have to acknowledge that it’s quite natural that China and US have differences. Our two countries have different histories, cultures and traditions, different political and social systems; they’re in a different stage of development. The US is the only superpower in the world. China is the largest developing country. Of course we have differences now and we will continue to have them. Even in 100 years, we may still have differences. China will not become America and vice versa.
Second, the two sides have to accept dialogue as the best way to deal with differences and reject confrontation.
I’ve just come back from Rome where I attended the plenary session of the Trilateral Commission. Because the conference was held in Europe, major issues facing Europe, especially the migrant crisis, became the focus of the conference. The migrant crisis that Europe is suffering from is not an isolated phenomenon. It is a direct consequence of the turbulence and raging wars in the Middle East and North Africa, the Pandora’s Box for the troubles the world now faces. Some European politicians said in their presentations at the session that Europe had to learn the lessons from past mistakes. The mistakes they referred to are the Iraq and Libya wars. People believe that the migrant crisis is here to stay and may last many years.
Who opened the Pandora’s Box in the Middle East and North Africa? I asked this question at the Rome Conference. I believe it was opened by three US-led wars, in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. The three wars have plunged these regions into chaos and inflicted terrible sufferings on the people there. Confrontation made everybody the loser.
The disaster in the Middle East and North Africa should serve as a lesson for the entire international community.
Third, we have to manage differences in a constructive way. This is what President Xi recommended. It means that even in differences, sometimes we can find common ground. China-US cooperation on cyber security is a case in point. Last year, before President Xi’s visit to US, cyber security was a major contentious issue between China and US. Washington had even considered imposing sanctions on China. On Sept 9-12, 2015, State Councilor Men Jianzhu visited the US, as the special envoy of President Xi. He conducted serious talks with the US side. The two countries achieved a host of consensus in this area. Thus, the two sides succeeded in turning a contentious issue into a bright spot of cooperation.
China-US relationship matters a lot, not only to our two countries, but also the rest of the world. Let’s work together to focus on cooperation and manage differences to advance this very important bilateral relationship, for the benefit of world prosperity and international peace.
Wu Jianmin is the former President of China Foreign Affairs University, and a Member of Berggruen Institute’s 21st Century Council. He is also a Member of Foreign Policy Advisory Committee of Chinese Foreign Ministry.
This article was first published at Chinausfocus.com. To see the original version please visit: http://www.chinausfocus.com/foreign-policy/let-us-focus-on-cooperation-and-manage-differences/
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