Adhering to and Improving the Independent Foreign Policy of Peace

Adhering to and Improving the Independent Foreign Policy of Peace

By Xiao Wen, People's Daily

The Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC or the Party) on Several Major Issues Concerning Upholding and Improving the Socialist System With Chinese Characteristics, promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capability, emphasizes upholding and improving the independent foreign policy of peace, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind." The independent foreign policy of peace is the basic crystallization of New China's diplomatic theory and practice over the past 70 years, which conforms to the trend of the times and the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and peoples of the world. Under the new situation, we should adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party in China’s foreign affairs, coordinate the overall domestic and international situations, adhere to and improve the independent foreign policy of peace, hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, actively promote the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, unswervingly safeguard the national sovereignty, security and development interests, unswervingly safeguard world peace and promote common development so as to create a favorable external environment for the realization of the two centenary goals and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and to make China's contributions to the construction of a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind.

Acquiring a deep understanding of the significance of adhering to the independent foreign policy of peace

The independent foreign policy of peace is the characteristic, advantage and tradition of New China's diplomacy, which embodies the achievements of diplomatic theory and practice in the 70 years since the founding of New China and must be carried forward in the new era. After the Opium War, the old China gradually fell into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal situation, and had experienced a period of dark history of being bullied, war-raged, a broken country, and the people had nothing to live so independence and peace had become the dream of generations of the Chinese people. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong stressed that China must be independent, China must be liberated, and China's affairs must be handled by the Chinese people on their own, allowing no further interference from any imperialist country. Zhou Enlai pointed out that we have a basic position on foreign affairs, that is, the position of the Chinese national independence, the position of independence and self-reliance. The Common Program adopted by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in September 1949 stipulates: the principles of the foreign policy of the People's Republic of China, are to guarantee the integrity of its independence, freedom and territorial sovereignty, support international lasting peace and friendly cooperation among peoples of all countries, and oppose imperialist aggressive and war policies. This stipulation establishes the main tone of "independence" and "peace-maintaining" of New China's foreign policy. In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, China's diplomacy adhered to the principle of "setting up a new start " and "cleaning up the house and then entertaining guests", and abolished all privileges and unequal treaties imposed on the Chinese people by imperialism. In December 1953, Zhou Enlai first proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence when he met with an Indian delegation. Then, he was joined by the governments of India and Myanmar to advocate the principles, which become important principles recognized by the international community to regulate international relations. Although China's diplomacy had experienced the characteristics and changes of "being on one side", "engaging in two fronts", and "one line, one large area" in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the fundamental pursuit of China's diplomatic independence and peace- maintaining has never changed. Marked by the 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CPC, the Party's judgment on the theme of the times had changed profoundly. On the basis of summing up the positive and negative experiences, the 12th National Congress of the CPC clearly put forward "adhering to the independent foreign policy". As Deng Xiaoping pointed out that China's foreign policy is independent, and genuinely non-aligned. At the 4th session of the Sixth National People's Congress in 1986, the concept of "independent foreign policy of peace" was formally put forward. Since then, over the past 30 years, in accordance with the changing situation and the requirements of the tasks, we have successively put forward and practiced the concepts, policies and propositions of all-round diplomatic planning, taking the path of peaceful development, promoting the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to pursue the independent foreign policy of peace and to keep pace with the times. The independent foreign policy of peace -- a political term -- which carries the dream of the Chinese nation since modern times, has experienced the historical process of the Chinese nation's rise to prosperity from its stand-up, beginning with the initial basic position to the concept formation and then to the development and improvement, and will certainly witness and contribute to the great mission of the Chinese nation's rise to prosperity and strength.

The independent foreign policy of peace is in line with the era trend of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, as well as the interests and aspirations of peoples of all countries, and is conducive to making friends, opening up and development, and maintaining and extending the important period of strategic opportunities for China's development. Today's world is undergoing great changes unseen in a hundred years. The fundamental driving force behind the changes is the development of productivity and the changing balance of the world strength, with the basic trend of multi- polarization, economic globalization, social informationization and cultural diversity. Despite all kinds of counter currents such as protectionism, unilateralism, hegemonism and anti-globalization, all kinds of chaos such as extremism, terrorism and separatism, all kinds of threats such as wars, infectious diseases, natural disasters and cyber attacks, the era themes of peace and development have not changed, so has the trend of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results. We adhere to the independent foreign policy of peace, conforming to the trend of the times and the expectations of the peoples of all countries, stand on the side of historical justice and assume the historical responsibility of guiding the trend of human civilization. We have won and will continue to win the heartfelt support of the vast number of peoples in the world, promote the development of international power balance in a more balanced direction, and create more favorable external conditions for China's development.

The independent foreign policy of peace is in line with the essential requirements of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the fundamental interests of China and the cultural gene of Chinese nation, and is the overall and long-term strategic choice based on the realization of the two centenary goals and the realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Socialism with Chinese characteristics is both socialism pursued independently and socialism pursuing peace. The Chinese nation has always possessed an independent character and a symbiotic tradition. The reason why Chinese civilization can become the only great civilization in human history that has lasted for more than 5000 years without interruption and with historical renewal is closely related to this unique built-in cultural gene. Nearly 70 years of history fully proves that the independent foreign policy of peace has safeguarded and developed the fundamental interests of China and the Chinese people. Today, facing the bright prospect of great rejuvenation, the Chinese nation will adhere to and improve its independent foreign policy of peace in accordance with its own secret code of civilization, the nature of its own system and the fundamental interests of the state and the people.

Accurately commanding the basic significance of adhering to the independent foreign policy of peace

Under the new circumstances, China has unprecedented close ties with the world, and its interactions with the world are deepening day by day. To promote the development of the Party’s and the state's undertakings, we need a peaceful international environment and sound external conditions. At the same time, as the world second largest economy and the largest developing country, China is increasingly approaching the center of the world stage, playing an increasingly important role in maintaining the international order, promoting world development and improving global governance, and its ability to influence and shape the international landscape is increasing. To adhere to the independent foreign policy of peace, we must take into account the overall situations at home and abroad, with a broad international perspective and a long-term strategic vision, and in the spirit of high responsibility for the Chinese people and the peoples of the world, so as to achieve independent decision-making, peaceful development, open cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win results.

(1)Independent decision-making. It is to unswervingly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, to firmly grasp the main line of adhering to peaceful development and promoting national rejuvenation, to create a more favorable international environment for peaceful development, to maintain and extend the important period of strategic opportunities for China's development, and to provide a strong guarantee for the realization of the two centenary goals and the realization of the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. President Xi Jinping repeatedly stresses that to manage well foreign affairs, we must keep both domestic and international situations in mind. The overall domestic situation is to achieve the "two centenary goals" and realize the Chinese dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; the overall international situation is to strive for sound external conditions for China's reform, development and stability, and safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. In diplomatic work, we must always put national independence, sovereignty, security and dignity at the top of our agenda. We must never trade on principles under any circumstances, or swallow the bitter fruit that harm our interests under any pressure. On international affairs, we should proceed from the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and the common interests of all peoples, decide our own positions and policies independently on the merits of each matter, and never yield to any external pressure. We should adhere to multilateralism and democratization of international relations, insist that the affairs of various countries are decided by their own governments and peoples, and that the affairs of the world are negotiated by all governments and peoples on an equal footing, uphold international fairness and justice, and oppose aggression, expansion and interference in the internal affairs of other countries. We should advocate mutual respect, equal consultation, resolutely abandon the Cold War mentality and power politics, and take a new path of state to state exchanges featuring dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance.

(2)Peaceful development. It is to unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, not to follow the beaten path of "strong power seeking domination", not to fall into the "Thucydides Trap". We adhere to the principles that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal, that we develop friendly cooperation with various countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, that we strive to build a global partnership network, that we strive to resolve all international disputes and hot and difficult issues through peaceful means such as dialogue and consultation, that we oppose the bullying and a breach of faith, and the frequent arbitrary use or threat of force, and that we promote establishing a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, and justice and win-win cooperation, are opposed to bullying, treachery and hegemonic bullying in all forms. Peaceful development is the good wishes and fundamental interests of the Chinese people. However, peaceful development is not just wishful thinking. Because China wants peaceful development, and all other countries want peaceful development. China adheres to the national defense policy with defense in nature, builds necessary national defense forces and maintains the global strategic balance in accordance with its own level of economic and social development and the basic requirements to maintain peaceful development. China does not pose a threat to any country, does not participate in any arms race or military bloc, will never seek hegemony, never engage in expansion, and will always be a staunch force for the maintenance of world peace.

(3)Open cooperation. It is to unswervingly pursue the win-win strategy of opening up, implement the basic national policy of opening up, seek self-development in open cooperation, promote the construction of an open world economy with national development, and adhere to the foreign policy tenet of maintaining world peace and promoting common development. In today's world, countries are increasingly inter-connected and interdependent on each other. Opening up is the source of running water, and cooperation is the foundation of success, so any country that wants to lock itself in a closed and isolated dark house and completely decouple itself from the global industrial chain, value chain and interest chain is no different from self-mutilation. China's development achievements benefit from opening to the outside world and mutually beneficial cooperation with various countries. To achieve greater development in the future, China’s development must be based on a higher level of opening up to the world and deeper cooperation with various countries. In the face of the counter current of protectionism, unilateralism and anti-globalization, we must follow the historical trend, hold high the banner of economic globalization, trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, actively build an open economy at higher level, unswervingly maintain the multilateral trading system, promote the reform and improvement of global economic governance, and promote economic globalization to become more open, inclusive, universal, balanced and win-win development.

(4)Mutual benefit. It is to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind and build a clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness. To this end, we should abandon the outdated thinking such as zero-sum game, jungle law, self-opinionated, and establish a new concept of mutual respect, equal consultation, cooperative security, open development, inclusiveness and mutual learning, cherishing the Mother earth, working together in the same boat with mutual benefit and win-win results. It is impossible for the development of human society to stay permanently in the unbalanced state that some people are rich enough to show extravagance but some others are hungry without enough daily necessity. The development deficit, fairness deficit and governance deficit facing the world today must be recognized and solved. The propositions of a community with a shared future for mankind provide the direction and path to solve these three major deficits. We should start with strengthening international cooperation and promoting common development, and strive to help developing countries enhance their capacity for independent development and bridge the digital divide as much as possible, so as to promote mankind's unremitting efforts in the right direction of building a community of interests, a community of values, a community of responsibilities and a community of shared future.

The strategic tasks of comprehensively implementing and improving the independent foreign policy of peace

At present and in the future, to improve the independent foreign policy of peace, we must implement the four strategic tasks planned by the 4th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

(1)Improving the Party's leadership system and mechanism for foreign affairs. The working mechanism for foreign affairs work is an important part of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and it is the institutional guarantee for implementation of the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. To improve the leadership system and mechanism of the Party's foreign affairs work, it is necessary to strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee over foreign affairs work, further promote the construction of foreign relations-related system and mechanism, coordinate the foreign exchanges of the Party, the National People's Congress, the Government, the CPPCC, the military, the local governments and the people's organizations, coordinate the work of all aspects of the agencies stationed overseas, and strengthen the Party's overall control and coordination of all aspects of foreign affairs work, so as to ensure the implementation of the CPC Central Committee's major foreign policies and strategic arrangements and better form a synergy in foreign affairs work. Foreign affairs work is one of the most political in the work of the CPC and the state, and it is very important to ensure the correct political direction. For foreign affairs work, we must strengthen the "Four Consciousness", consolidate the "Four Self-confidences" and achieve the "Two Maintenances". We must take the general policy of foreign affairs work formulated by the CPC Central Committee as the basis, fully implement the strategic intention of the CPC Central Committee, strictly abide by the discipline and rules of the Party's foreign affairs work, and never allow making arbitrary claims, acting in the individual ways and feigning compliance. We should strengthen the theoretical construction of the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, constantly promote the innovation of the diplomatic theory, always recognize the essence in the changing situation, grasp the mainstream in the chaos, ensure the correctness and effectiveness of the Party's major policies in diplomatic work, and ensure the timely and powerful decision-making and planning of the CPC Central Committee in foreign affairs work. We should strengthen the legal work concerning foreign affairs, gradually explore the establishment of relevant mechanisms in embassies and consulates abroad, and provide corresponding legal guidance and services for Chinese citizens and enterprises to travel, work, study and live abroad. We should strengthen the research and application of international law, make up as soon as possible for the shortage of core talents in the field of international law, lack of theoretical innovation and inadequacy of practical application, adapt to the requirements of China's foreign affairs work and match with China's status as a major country in the research, formulation and application of international law.

(2)Improving the overall diplomatic planning. The focus is to develop global partnerships and maintain global strategic stability. Up to now, China has established diplomatic relations with 180 countries in the world, partnerships at different levels with 110 countries and international organizations, and mechanisms such as China-Africa Cooperation Forum, China-Latin America forum, China-Arab Cooperation Forum, China-Pacific Islands Cooperation Forum For Economic Development, China-CEEC Cooperation ("17 + 1" cooperation) and with relevant regional countries and international organizations, having achieved full coverage of mechanisms for exchanges and cooperation with developing countries. To further improve the overall diplomatic planning, we need to base on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, develop friendly cooperation with various countries in an all-round way, expand China's circle of friends, promote on the basis of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect and win-win results, coordination and cooperation among major powers, promote the construction of a framework for overall stable and balanced development of major country relations, and safeguard world peace and development; need to deepen relations with neighboring countries and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for regions with the concept of amity, sincerity, mutual benefits and inclusiveness together with the principles for the neighboring regions such as forging friendship and partnership; need to uphold the concept of greater good and shared benefits and the concept of sincerity, real benefits, affinity and good faith, strengthen solidarity and cooperation with vast number of developing countries, and safeguard their common interests. In order to maintain the important period of strategic opportunities of China's development, we must place the maintenance of global strategic stability in an extremely important position. We should unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, but there are conditions for peaceful development. Some individual countries ignore the interests and feelings of other countries, safeguard their hegemony by any means, pursue their absolute security without any restraint, seriously violate the dignity, interests, benefits and security of other countries, and seriously endanger world peace and development. In order to maintain the peaceful international environment and favorable external conditions for China's development, and to safeguard the interests of whole mankind, we must mobilize all factors that can be mobilized, and unite all forces that can be united, so as to maintain international fairness and justice, and maintain global strategic stability. In the face of China's peaceful development, some people in the West have come up with the so-called "Thucydides Trap" and "Kindleberger Trap" to whip up debates, claiming that China is bound to "seek domination with national strength", and that conflicts or even wars with the United States for hegemony are inevitable, which leads to the inevitable shortage of public goods and the governance crisis in the international community. There is no doubt that all of these are self-serving. The Chinese nation has no gene of aggression, expansion and hegemony. It is determined to follow the path of peaceful development, is unwilling to compete and confront with any state no matter how developed it gets. It will not sit by the abyss of confrontation into which the Sino-U.S. relations and the world are dragged and do nothing, and will not shirk its responsibility as a world power. Meanwhile, we are neither engaged in any provocation nor afraid of anything, but must be fully prepared for the warning of these "traps".

（3） Promoting the building of an open system of win-win cooperation. This is an inevitable requirement for China to build a open economy at higher level, and also an important starting point for promoting the construction of an open world economy. Joint efforts prioritized on high quality development of the Belt and Road should be promoted in the present and future period to come. Collectively building the Belt and Road is the international public product contributed by China to the world, the purpose of which is, through the extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits policies, to promote the policy communication, facilities inter-linkage, trade interconnection, smooth financing and people-to-people connection and promote the construction of interest community, responsibility community and shared future community, so as to achieve common development and prosperity. Since September 2013, over 160 countries and international organizations have signed memorandum of understanding with China on jointly building the Belt and Road, having resulted in a large number of realistic cooperation projects. China has successfully held the Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in Beijing twice, with a complete success. The Belt and Road has become the most influential international public product since the end of the Cold War. The Belt and Road construction has also entered the stage of detailed meticulous painting from the freehand sketch stage. Promoting the high quality development of construction of the Belt and Road has become the general consensus of the international community and become the general starting point for China's opening up to the outside world. We should maintain and improve the multilateral trading system and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. Currently, in the name of the reform of the World Trade Organization, some countries try to suppress the development of other countries by public and private means, even at the expense of shelving, virtualizing and abandoning the international multilateral trade system, which leads to the aggravation of the global economic governance deficit and the crisis of the international multilateral trade system. Under the background of the twists and turns of economic globalization and the challenges of multilateralism, we should firmly uphold the multilateral trading system, safeguard the basic principles of the World Trade Organization, promote the development of a global high standard free trade area network through bilateral and multilateral means, promote the early conclusion of the regional comprehensive economic partnership agreement (RCEP), the economic cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea, the construction of the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area and the building of an open world economy. We need to support developing countries to improve their capacity for independent development and fulfill our international responsibilities as the largest developing country, welcome all countries, especially developing countries, to take a ride on the fast track of China's development, promote solutions to global development imbalances, digital divide and other issues, and push forward common development of all countries. We need to improve the security system for opening up, speed up the improvement of the security gap, firmly cement the fence for safeguarding national security in the process of expanding opening up, fend off the activities of external subversion, infiltration and sabotage, accelerate the construction of an overseas interests protection and risk early warning and prevention system, improve the consular protection mechanism, safeguard the safety and legitimate rights and interests of overseas compatriots, and ensure the safety of major projects as well as personnel and institutions.

(4)Actively participating in the reform and building of the global governance system. This is China's unshirkable responsibility as a major country in the world, and is even an inevitable requirement to safeguard China's interests and upgrade its international status and influence. On a series of major issues in the world today, the international community attaches great importance to China's position and attitude, and has formed an international consensus that it is difficult to make substantive and major decisions without China's participation. This objectively requires China to participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system. Since China's 18th Party Congress, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, keeping up with the times, we have promoted the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, actively participated in international multilateral affairs, hosted a number of important international conferences, thus increasing the representation, discourse power and influence in important international organizations. We have launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and a New Development Bank, and contributed more and more Chinese wisdom and Chinese approach to reform and improve the global governance. At present, the international landscape is undergoing profound and complex changes, human beings are facing more and more common challenges, and the voice for improving global governance is getting stronger and stronger. However, the global governance deficit is not only showing no signs of alleviation, but on the contrary showing a spiral trend. In such a situation, China, as a responsible major country, must take a more active part in the reform and construction of the global governance system in the spirit of courage and responsibility, so as to guide the evolution direction of the world architecture, and guide the progress of human civilization. Therefore, we must hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, upholding the global governance concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, advocating multilateralism and democratization of international relations, and promoting the reform of global economic governance mechanism. Currently, the global economic governance mechanisms are facing severe challenges, some international organizations are lagging behind the times in representation and discourse power, unable to reflect the reality of changes in the international power balance; some are interfered by power politics, unable to play their due role; some are faced with the danger of being shelved and hollowed out. On the issue of global economic governance reform, some countries, out of their own selfish interests, try to do harm to other countries in the name of reform, which will inevitably lead to an arduous and fierce struggle in the future. If we want to guide the reform of global economic governance on the right track, we must be highly vigilant and resolutely struggle against all kinds of backing out and reversing behaviors. We must promote international cooperation on climate change based on the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, fairness and respective capabilities, adhere to international commitments, unswervingly follow the path of green, low-carbon and sustainable development, and do our best to help developing countries enhance their capacity to cope with climate change and engage in green development, and do our best to fulfill the international responsibility of maintaining the human homeland. We must maintain the core position of the United Nations in global governance, support the institutional construction of platforms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and Group 20, and promote the development of a more just and reasonable international governance system.

(Edited excerpts of the article in People's Daily, December 13, 2019 )