Some people often ask what China wants from the world, what it brings to the world and whether it will challenge the U.S.-dominated word order. For a country that was issuing food coupons as late as 1993, such questions are too early.
Chinese people today care more about per capita GDP because it directly affects their life. Yet it doesn't mean they do not care about the world. Emerging from an unfair world order, which had its origins in colonialism, they naturally favor a world that is inclusive and just. In this respect, the U.S.-dominated world order does face some challenges.
The 2008 global financial crisis exposed the loopholes of global economic governance, whose exclusive nature has resulted in far more troubles than achievements. And its security canopy is full of the maladies of group politics. The U.S. places its and its allies' security interests over those of other countries. It offers few methods to address new challenges. As such, some non-traditional security threats have come to rule the global agenda.
Former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger has said that what he thinks most now is, how much time and space the U.S. still has to maintain the current order and conceive the future order.
The U.S. is worried China will eventually challenge its leadership. China considers such worry as a thing of the past century, because the logic of power struggle is not part of its history and tradition. Besides, China has been a firm supporter of the world order based on the principles and conventions of the United Nations.
The second decade of the 17th century saw the beginning of Thirty Years' War in Europe. The second decade of the 19th century witnessed the Napoleonic Wars. And the second decade of the 20th century experienced World War I. The question is: Can the world seek a peaceful co-existence formula for the major powers in the second decade of this century?
The international community needs to think how to create a framework for a more inclusive "global order", in which all members will have a say.
President Xi Jinping wants the modern world to be a community of shared interests and destiny. Moreover, China has always emphasized the importance of fairness, justice, openness and equality in the world order, which should be realized through gradual and progressive reform.
Reaching a consensus on building a new world order may be a lengthy process, but people in the 21st century are knowledgeable and conscious enough not to fall into the old trap of power struggle.
The new order should safeguard the principles of fairness, equality and justice, address the common problems confronting the world, and meet the new, complicated challenges that have emerged. But it is very important that, as the core countries in the reform of the world order, the U.S. and China avoid conflicts in political, security and economic fields by desisting from provoking or unnecessarily criticizing each other. Instead, they should develop risk consciousness, support regional and international organizations, such as the UN and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and expedite the process of reaching a consensus on the new world order to promote peace and development.
The essence of a good world order is people-to-people communication and understanding. So countries should have broader and deeper dialogues. And, as a big emerging country, China needs to publicize its policies and strategic purposes timely and clearly to the world, in order to win more understanding and support.
Building a new and better world order should be the common objective of all countries. Only when all countries perform their duties well can the 21st century become a really peaceful and prosperous century, and people prevented from repeating the mistakes of the previous centuries.
The author Fu Ying is a member of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress of China. The article first appeared in the Aug 3 edition of People's Daily.
