CONCEPTUAL CLARITY IS GUARANTEE FOR POSITIVE INTERACTION
China has called for an open attitude known as "the Pacific is wide enough for both countries," and put forward new concepts of no-conflict and no-confrontation, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation so as to reduce negative interaction between the two countries and create positive ones, according to Wu from Fudan University.
Therefore, just as Ambassador Cui said, there is a need for greater conceptual clarity on a number of key issues that could affect the very basis of China-U.S. interaction in the Asia-Pacific.
"Asia pivot" and its updated version "Asia rebalancing" are the most important U.S. strategic adjustments since the end of the Cold War.
Compared with the "Asia rebalancing" that based on a U.S.-dominated military alliance, China's Asia security concept is open and inclusive.
Since the 1990s, China has enriched its Asia-Pacific diplomacy by putting forward a series of security policies including a new security concept.
By rolling out new concepts and initiatives such as "the community of common destiny," new Asia security concept, and a neighborhood policy featuring "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness," Xi proposed to connect the Chinese Dream with aspirations of other neighboring peoples to live a good life and the future of the region, emphasizing the Asia-Pacific region is wide enough for common development.
Roger Cliff, senior fellow at the Asia Security Initiative of the Atlantic Council, said that its China policy has been a key element of the Obama administration's global strategy in general and "Asia rebalancing" policy in particular.
He suggested "the United States can declare that it has no intention of containing China and China can declare that its rise will be peaceful" so as to dispel misunderstanding on both sides.
In August, when meeting with his U.S. counterpart John Kerry, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China would like to see Washington play a positive role in the region.
Meanwhile, Kerry said that the United States supports a strong and prosperous China and has never sought to confront China in the region.
These remarks are positive, but a lot more need to be done by the two countries in order to carry out positive interaction in the Asia-Pacific. Just as Cliff said grand declarations can be a starting point, and they need to be followed up by specific, concrete agreements and actions.
He stressed that for example, the United States has said that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not intended to exclude China and that China will be welcome to join when it is ready. If at some point in the future China applies for membership in the TPP and is admitted, that will build a little trust and disprove the theory that the TPP is part of a containment strategy toward China.
Xinhua reporters Yang Qingchuan and Tang Zhimin in Beijing, Zhi Linfei, Lu Jafei and Guan Jianwu in Washington, Xu Yanyan in Melbourne contributed to the story.
