China's Foreign Policy Priorities and China-Canada Relations

—— Keynote Speech at the Munk School of Global Affairs of Toronto University by Ambassador Zhang Junsai

 

Dr. Janice Stein, Director of Munk School,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

 

It gives me great pleasure to speak at this prestigious University.

Today, I have been asked to talk about China's foreign policy, as there has been a great deal of interest, discussion and even debate on Chinese foreign policy lately.

I still remember that in 2011 at the famous Munk Debate, four heavy weights in international relations, including Dr. Henry Kissinger, had a rather heated debate on "Whether the 21st Century Belongs to China".

I was there and saw people were quite divided on how China would use its growing power and influence in international affairs, and their feelings were mixed with excitements, expectations as well as doubts and worries.

Let me tell you this, ladies and gentlemen, China's foreign policy is not complicated at all.

It is simple and transparent, that is peace, development, cooperation and win-win.

As you all know, the governing party, Communist Party of China just concluded its 18th National Congress, and the new Party leadership was elected.

The Report of the Congress mapped out the blueprint for China's future development.

It has a section devoted to the country’s foreign policy, which can serve as an important reference.

The full text of the report is available on the website of my Embassy.

The Report reaffirms the bedrock principles of China's foreign policy, including the commitment to :

●friendship and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence;

● the independent foreign policy of peace，

● the path of peaceful development, and

● the win-win strategy of opening-up.

Amongst them, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were advocated by the Chinese Government since as early as 1950s, which are:

● mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty,

● mutual non-aggression,

● mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs,

● equality and mutual benefit, and

● peaceful co-existence.

These principles have effectively secured a generally stable and favorable external environment for China's reform and opening-up and socialist modernization in the past decades.

They have also enabled China to make significant contribution to world peace and stability as well as global economic growth.

As the key to the success of China's foreign policy, they will not and should not be changed.

But there is something new in China’s foreign policy.

The Report emphasizes on "mutual benefit", or win-win solution, to be more fashionable.

The Report says that China will "continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit".

While "peace", "development" and "cooperation" have been the key priorities of China's foreign policy for a long time, we have some new development on the meaning of "mutual benefit",which I wish to talk a little more today.

The highlight of "mutual benefit" is based on the judgment of the current trends of our times, and the profound changes in China's relations with the rest of the world.

Globalization has brought countries ever closer, which are growing into a community of shared interests.

Countries are even more interdependent, and they rise and fall together. No country is an exception.

China is now the world's second largest economy, and 60% of its economic growth is driven by trade.

By the end of 2011, the Chinese companies have invested in more than 170 countries and regions.

Therefore China has a growing stake in regional stability and world peace as well as the prosperity of all its development partners if it is to sustain its own development.

That is why China decides to highlight "mutual benefit" as the core proposition and new priority of its foreign policy.

Contrary to the "zero-sum" mentality of certain countries in history, taking maximization of one’s own interests as the sole purpose, the concept of mutual benefit is about:

●winning the trust and respect of others through tangible contributions to the world, and

●basing China's development on the common development of all countries.

"Mutual benefit" is a multi-dimensional concept, which applies not only in the economic realm but also in political, security and other aspects of international relations.

"Mutual benefit" is also inter-linked with other priorities of China's foreign policy.

The ultimate goal of China’s seeking peace, development and cooperation is to achieve mutual benefit with other countries economically, politically, and in terms of security.

Economically, “mutual benefit” means that:

●while advancing its own development, China will accommodate the concerns and interests of all its partners, and

●we will generate more China Dividend, and promote common development of all countries on the basis of win-win cooperation.

China adopted the win-win strategy of opening-up long time ago and remains a firm practitioner of this strategy till now

During the ten years after joining the WTO in 2002, China not only created a leading export market but also provide capital, expertise, jobs and growth for many other countries.

After the international financial crisis broke out in 2008, China put into place a stimulus package for itself quickly.

We also played a constructive role in the international effort against the crisis through sending buying missions overseas and buying up to 93 billion US dollars in International Monetary Fund (IMF) bonds.

China is committed to bridging the North-South development gap.

By the end of 2011, China had cancelled once and for all the debts owed by 50 heavily indebted countries and some least developed countries.

China has also trained over 60,000 people of various professions for 173 developing countries and 13 regional and international organizations.

I served as the Chinese Ambassador to Fiji in early 2000s.

China has helped the improvement of infrastructure in that Pacific island country, such as rural power grid, roads and bridges.

We also offered technological training such as bamboo weaving and sugar cane planting.

We think it is always better to teach people fishing than give them the fish.

According to a report by Goldman Sachs, the decade from 2000 to 2009 saw China contributed more than 20% of the world GDP growth, slightly higher than that of the United States, and three times that of the Euro Zone.

China’s contribution to the global economic growth reached over 50% in 2009 when the international financial crisis was at its worst.

China will work hard to sustain its healthy economic growth so as to play the role of a stabilizer and thruster in the global economy.

We will implement a more proactive opening-up strategy, continue to attach equal importance to export and import, and make better use of foreign investment.

It is estimated that, during the 12th Five-Year Plan period that is between 2011 and 2015, China will import more than eight trillion US dollars and its outbound investment will reach 500 billion US dollars.

This is certainly good news for the world today.

Politically, “mutual benefit” means that:

● China will take a more active part in international affairs by putting forward more “China Proposals”, and

● call for all countries to promote the common interests of mankind by sharing weal and woe, and shouldering rights and obligations together.

We, as human beings here made unprecedented progress, yet we always face new common challenges.

These are issues that can only be resolved through global collaboration. Cooperation has become an imperative for us all.

For example, the recent financial crisis has unveiled many deficiencies in the international financial system.

At the G20 summit, China called for:

●improvement of international monetary system,

●increased coordination of macroeconomic policy among major countries, tougher financial regulation,

●more voting power for developing countries in the international financial institutions (IFIs), and

●moving the reforms of international financial system in a more equitable, inclusive and well-managed way.

China’s efforts were reflected in IMF’s decision to shift at least 6 percent of quota shares to emerging markets and under-represented countries.

On the issue of climate change, China was the first developing country to adopt and implement a National Climate Change Program.

China is also one of the few countries that made the most intensive efforts in energy conservation and pollutant reduction.

China has made a solemn pledge to the international community by announcing the cut of carbon emission per unit of GDP by 40 - 45% in 2020 on basis of year 2005.

We are trying to improve China’s per capita GDP to the level of our developed partners, but not the per capita energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

To that end, China has taken concrete steps and made considerable progresses.

China’s installed capacities for wind power and hydropower have grown to be the world's number one.

China has the largest number of nuclear reactors under construction.

China is also leading in the world in terms of installed capacities for solar power and solar panel production.

In the international negotiation on climate change, China upholds the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”, and advocates for equal priority given to climate change mitigation, adaptation, financial support and technology transfer.

China is also actively engaged in international cooperation on counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, food security, energy security.

We have put forward integrated proposals and enhanced the capacity of the international community to address these issues.

China's fast development enables us to provide more means and resources for the international community to meet global challenges.

And the international community will also hear more resounding voices and see more pragmatic and constructive proposals from China in addressing those challenges.

In terms of peace and security, “mutual benefit” means that:

●China will stay away from the trajectory of military expansion and hegemony-seeking taken by those traditional powers in history, and

●remain committed to world peace by promoting common security.

That’s what we call “China Exceptionalism”.

I think three factors would support “China Exceptionalism”.

First, the Chinese people believe in peace and harmony, and expansion has never been part of the Chinese history and culture.

China never sought expansion or hegemony even in its heyday centuries ago, when it accounted for 30% of the world's GDP.

Second, China today is the second largest economy in the world, yet its per capita GDP only ranks behind the 80th place.

No other major country in the contemporary history has ever had a similar experience.

And for a long time to come, China will continue to be developing country.

China has always been preoccupied with its own development problems, and has neither the intention nor the capacity to seek hegemony.

Third, we live in a new era of peace and development.

Economic globalization makes it all possible for China to gain access to resources and markets in a peaceful way. There’s no need to use force.

Therefore, the path of peaceful development is not a policy of expediency.

Rather, it is a strategic choice based on our reading of the current trends of the world and the needs of China, and it has its roots in China’s unique historical and cultural traditions.

China will not be the cause of any turmoil or trouble in international affairs.

On the contrary, it will give priority to securing a peaceful and stable external environment for development.

And at the same time, it will work hard to safeguard the world peace and security through its own development.

To that end, China advocates a new thinking on security, featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, and pursues common security, comprehensive security and cooperative security.

We believe that even the most powerful country is unable to ensure its own security if it fails to respect and accommodate the security interests of other countries.

Therefore, China advocates peaceful settlement of international disputes and hotspot issues.

We oppose the use of force or threat to use force.

Among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, China has sent the largest number of personnel to UN peacekeeping operations.

On the North Korea nuclear issue, China is always for peace through dialogue.

China's active mediation was the crucial catalyst to the Six Party Talks.

On the Korean Peninsula, the imbalance of power always leaves the weaker party immerged in insecurity, and containment or sanctions, only makes things worse.

Dialogue is the only solution in that region.

On the situation in Syria, China raised a “Six Point Proposal” and a “Four Point Initiative” in the past year.

We called on the Syrian government as well as the opposition parties to stop the violence, ceasefire and move towards political transition.

By opposing military intervention by external forces in the name of humanitarianism, China is not taking side with Syrian government.

We think political solution has fewer after-effects and is most conducive to the peace and security of that region.

On another totally different issue, China has completely settled land boundary issues with 12 out of its 14 neighbors on land.

The negotiation on border issues between China and India is also on a sound track.

Both sides have agreed to maintain peace and stability in the border area pending a final solution to any dispute.

While addressing disputes over territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests with neighboring countries, China has put forward the proposal of shelving differences and seeking joint development.

It is our hope to safeguard the peace and stability in the South China Sea, East Sea, and neighboring areas. We will continue to do that.

But I must point out that peaceful development is not equivalent to unprincipled Pacifism.

China will not seek peaceful development at the price of its national interests. No country would.

As you might be aware, since last September, the situation over the Diaoyu Dao issue between China and Japan has escalated and attracted a bit of attention.

The dispute is triggered by Japan's announcement of "nationalization" of the Diaoyu Dao.

China’s sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao is supported by numerous undisputable historical and jurisprudenctial evidence.

The move by the Japanese Government is a serious infringement on China's territorial sovereignty and has thus met strong opposition and protest from the Chinese people.

The counter-measures taken by Chinese Government are rational and moderate.

On issues bearing on the nation’s territorial sovereignty, the Chinese Government and Chinese people will not yield even one inch.

We hope that the new Japanese government will face up to history and reality, make the right decision and take concrete measures to overcome the difficulties in its relations with China.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Canada has all long occupied an important place in China's external relations.

Canada was among the first Western countries to enter into formal diplomatic ties with China.

Earlier than that, Canada defied a U.S. trade embargo and started exporting wheat to China in the midst of a widespread famine, which is till today remembered by many Chinese people as a token of true friendship.

Now Canada is one of the G7, with the policy of economic and trade diversification steadily rolling out, in face of world economic crisis.

In international affairs, Canada is punching above its weight in many ways and playing an inspiring role in the world community.

And our two countries have become partners in many aspects.

I guess, when leaders of the older generation of our two countries inked the document of mutual recognition, they couldn't have imagined that our two-way trade would jump from less than 100 million US$ to the present-day more than 60 billion US$.

And they couldn’t have imagined that China would become Canada's second largest trading partner and a major source of international students and tourists.

Such close linkages has brought real benefits to our two people, and won strong support from our both governments.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Report of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has put forward new requirements for China’s relations with other countries in the world.

It says that "we will improve and grow our relations with developed countries by expanding areas of cooperation and properly addressing differences", and

"we will strive to establish a new type of relationship of long-term stability and sound growth with other major countries."

I think, along that line, it is important for our two countries to observe the following:

No. 1, mutual respect.

We need to better understand each other’s national condition and public opinions.

We need to view our differences in history, culture and development stage objectively.

We need to truly respect each other’s core interests and concerns.

We need to address differences between us properly.

History has proven that our bilateral relationship would be stable and healthy when we respected and trusted each other, otherwise we would experience twists and turns.

To that end, it is very important for us to maintain close high-level exchanges and contacts so as to deepen mutual trust.

And it is equally important for us to forge closer people-to-people relations in the cultural, educational, academic and tourism fields so as to strengthen mutual understanding.

No. 2, mutual benefit.

We need to expand the bilateral cooperation by drawing on each other's strength and our strong complementarities.

With growing common interests, we will gather more positive energy to boost the strategic partnership between our two countries.

China has become an important market for Canadian enterprises, whereas Canada has become one of China’s key investment destinations.

The business communities from both sides should make full use of the sound fundamentals of the two economies and expand the bilateral trade and cooperation in energy and resource sector.

At the same time, they should also seize the opportunities in fields of infrastructure, service, agriculture, environmental protection and energy-saving and aircraft building so as to cultivate new growth engines for bilateral cooperation.

No.3, shared responsibility.

We need to increase communication and coordination over major international, regional and global issues, and make joint efforts to cope with traditional and non-traditional security challenges.

China and Canada share similar positions on a whole range of issues such as responding to the financial crisis, deepening regional cooperation in the Asia Pacific, and so on.

There are also ample room for cooperation between us on issues such as climate change, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation and energy security.

China is always ready for dialogues and cooperation with Canada in the United Nations, APEC, G20, ASEAN Regional Forum and other multilateral bodies.

In this way we can improve our capacity in meeting global challenges and make joint contribution to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia Pacific region and the world at large.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Over the years, the Munk School has been one of the leading institutions in Canada and North America for international studies.

I have also learned with delight that you have published many reports and papers on China.

I sincerely hope that you will continue to be at the forefront, helping Canada and the rest of the world to know and understand more about China as well as China-Canada relations.

And I wish you every success in that undertaking.

Thank you all. Now I would like to take questions from the audience.