Confidence can help diplomacy

Greater awareness of other countries' non-hostile intentions in forming partnerships can foster an amicable neighborhood

President Xi Jinping underlined the importance of China's neighborhood diplomacy at the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held in Beijing on Friday and Saturday. He stressed that "we should promote neighborhood diplomacy, turn China's neighborhood areas into a community of shared destiny, continue to follow the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in conducting neighborhood diplomacy, promote friendship and partnership with our neighbors, foster an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood environment, and boost win-win cooperation and connectivity with our neighbors."

But to do a good job in neighborhood diplomacy, we also need to build up our confidence.

Diplomacy among neighboring countries has been a hot topic in the Chinese media. When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Japan in September, it was interpreted as "echoing" Japan's intention of containing China. Vietnamese Prime Minster Nguyen Tan Dung was said to be giving "support to India against China" when he visited India. Even Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's tour to Europe was reported with headlines "seeking support for disputes in the South China Sea".

Such assertions show domestic public opinion lacks confidence, and is sometimes too nervous. Actually, cooperation is the trend in global politics, which is both advocated and followed by China.

For historical reasons, China has territorial disputes with many neighbors. Some of them, for example India, are successfully controlling the disputes and preventing the disputes from hindering economic cooperation.

Some others, though, have failed to control the territorial disputes and as a result they have affected mutual economic ties; among them Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam. It is these nations that some Chinese media and analysts worry and speculate about, especially when their moves involve global powers such as the United States. Many media typically describe the moves as "containing China".