What China’s peaceful development means for the world

CHINA’S overall goal of pursuing peaceful path of development is to promote harmony, peace and enhance cooperation domestically and around the globe.

Through this path, China strives to make life better for its people, the people of the world, including contributing to human progress through hard work, innovation and reforms. China’s foreign policy aims to uphold world peace and promote common development.

The largest developing country in the world advocates for building a harmonious world, durable peace and common prosperity and also works with other countries in pursuing the goal.

To China, it is both a long-term objective and a current task. To build a harmonious world, China wants all countries to respect each other and treat each other as equals, and work together to promote democracy in international relations.

It emphasises that all countries in the world, whether big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, must be equal members of the international community and should be treated with respect.

It insists on countries especially the big powers to safeguard the UN’s core role in handling global affairs, adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and abide by international law and the generally-accepted principles governing international relations, including promoting democracy and harmony.

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It calls for internal affairs of any country to be decided by its own people while international affairs should be decided by all countries through consultation on an equal footing.

It upholds the principle that every country has the right to equally participate in international affairs and that such right should be respected and upheld. In regard to this, China has been at the forefront in fighting for the developing countries to have a strong voice and place in the international stage.

In regard to economic and development, China insists on countries to cooperate with each other, capitalise on each other’s strengths. It calls for all countries to seek to establish an international multilateral trading system that is fair, open, equitable and non discriminatory so that the benefits of economic globalisation cover all countries.

With regard to culture, China wants all countries to draw on each other’s strengths, seek common ground while putting aside differences, respect the diversity of the world, and promote human civilisation.

It urges that dialogues and exchanges among civilisations are to be encouraged to do away with ideological prejudice and distrust, aiming at making human society more harmonious and the world more prosperous.

In terms of security, China encourages all countries especially the ‘super powers’ to trust each other and strengthen cooperation, settle international disputes and conflicts peacefully rather than resorting to war and jointly safeguard world peace and stability.

It insists that consultation and dialogue should be given priority to enhance mutual trust, reduce differences and settle disputes. In terms of the environment, China wants countries to help each other and make concerted efforts to better protect the Earth and promote the harmonious development of man and nature.

It wants all countries to follow the principle of common but differentiated responsibiliti and enhance international cooperation in environmental protection and in addressing climate change.

It is important to note that China adheres to the social system and path of development chosen by itself and will never allow any external forces to interfere in its internal affairs.

It wants other countries to follow suit and to not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs. It urges all countries to promote friendly and cooperative relations with each other on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

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China urges other nations to respect the rights of the people of other countries, including the right to independently choose their own social system and path of development. It is opposed to the practices where ‘big nations’ bully ‘small nations’ and the strong oppresses the weak. It does not condone hegemony and power politics.

China calls for settling disputes and conflicts through talks, consultation, including seeking common ground while putting aside differences.

It does not impose its own will upon others and acts in the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and the common interests of all peoples throughout the world. China bases its decision on a particular issue according to its merits. In upholding justice, China plays an active and constructive role in international affairs.

The path of peaceful development which China, the biggest developing country in the world, has embarked upon, is proving to the Chinese and the world at large to be the right path.. China’s peaceful development has broken away from the traditional pattern where a rising power was bound to seek hegemony. In modern history, some rising powers have been witnessed establishing colonies, fighting for spheres of influence, and carrying out military expansion against other countries.

This trend reached climax in the 20th century, when rivalry for hegemony and military confrontation plunged mankind into the abyss of two devastating world wars.

With keen appreciation of its historical and cultural tradition of several thousand years, the nature of economic globalisation, changes in international relations and the international security landscape in the 21st century as well as the common interests and values of humanity, China’s path of peaceful development is a fundamental way to realise its modernisation, participate in international affairs and handle international relations.

The experiences of the past several decades have proved that China is correct in embarking upon the path of peaceful development, and there is no reason whatsoever for China to deviate from it. Globalisation and revolution in science and technology have created conditions for more countries to revitalise themselves by pursuing economic development and mutually beneficial cooperation.

This has also pushed more developing countries to embark on the path of rapid development. Due to this trend, the size of the world economy and the potential for development are increasing.

The international community is now better positioned to resist economic and financial crises and there is stronger impetus for reforming the international economic system. China’s peaceful development conforms to this global trend.

China is ready and willing to support other developing countries to change their destiny, and it is also happy to see and support the developed countries in maintaining prosperity and development. In this changing world, all doctrines, systems, models and paths are subject to the test of the times and practice.

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As conditions vary from country to country, there is no such thing as a single mode of development which claims to be effective and applicable to all. A path of development becomes viable only when it suits a respective nation’s conditions. China’s path of development has taken shape in the Chinese environment. China is fully aware that taking the path of peaceful development is an important and long-term process and that its current domestic and foreign environments are going through profound and complex changes.

Countries must apply their own successful experiences, including those draw from the practices of other countries, and stay alert about emerging problems and challenges, so as to open up brighter prospects for peaceful development. As often said, China cannot develop itself in isolation from the rest of the world, and global prosperity and stability cannot be maintained without China.

China’s achievements are inseparable from its friendly cooperation with the outside world. In pursuing development, it needs support from the rest of the world.

Taking the path of peaceful development by China with its over one billion population is a great new undertaking in the history of human development. It welcomes all friendly suggestions and well-intentioned criticism.

China also hopes that the international community will have confidence in its people’s sincerity and determination to achieve peaceful development rather than standing in their way. Looking back at the past and looking ahead to the future, we are convinced that a prosperous and developing China, will make more contribution to the world.

• The writer is a Dar es Salaam-based analyst on international politics and foreign relations.

Email: cleophacegeorge@gmail.com)

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