By Zhai Kun (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-19 07:15

The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) officially established the "harmonious world" concept, but where should the advancement of a "harmonious world" start?

Since 2005, President Hu Jintao has brought up a series of concepts concerning the construction of new regional and international orders, including a "harmonious world", "harmonious Asia-Pacific region" and "harmonious Asia". Early this year, Premier Wen Jiabao introduced the concept of "harmonious East Asia" at the "10+3" - 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and the Republic of Korea - high-level meeting and called for increased efforts in the strategic planning of regional cooperation in East Asia. After completing his visit to Moscow early this month, Wen is to attend the annual ASEAN summit and East Asian meetings in Singapore and is expected to push ahead the "harmonious East Asia" process.

Wen's two trips, aimed at enhancing regional cooperation following the CPC congress, can be seen as part of China's ongoing drive to advance the "harmonious world" concept through regional cooperation, especially in East Asia.

East Asia regional cooperation has left a glorious wake over the years since its virgin voyage began in 1997. In this exciting decade, China blazed a trail of cooperation, coordination, mutual benefit and all-win results with its East Asian neighbors as well as the Asia-Pacific region and the world in general, making East Asian cooperation one of the top highlights of China's diplomatic achievements.

First of all, the success in pushing forward East Asian cooperation has provided China with a strategic prop in the region.

In the area of economy, through its participation in sub-regional cooperation endeavors such as the Tumen River (joint development) area, the Greater Mekong (River) area and the Pan-Beibu Gulf area, China has energized economic and trade exchanges between its border areas and neighboring countries; and, through its proactive arrangement for free trade, the country has been pushing forward the establishment of the East Asia free trade zone.

In the area of politics, China joined the Southeast Asia Friendly Cooperation Treaty, forged a strategic partnership with ASEAN aimed at peace and prosperity and established the mechanism for regular meetings between Chinese, Japanese and ROK leaders in 2003.

In the area of security, China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, reached an agreement with Vietnam and the Philippines on conducting joint undersea seismic surveys in the South China Sea and signed the China-ASEAN Joint Declaration on Cooperation on Non-traditional Security Issues in 2005, and entered lively cooperation with countries in the region to fight drug trafficking, human smuggling, illegal immigration, piracy, terrorism, arms smuggling, money laundering and transnational economic crime.

Second, the advancement of East Asian cooperation represents a successful exercise of the Scientific Outlook on Development that strategizes both domestic and foreign affairs. The East Asian regional cooperation is being increasingly integrated with China's own regional development and its "go overseas" strategy. The plan for revitalizing Northeast China, the construction of the economic circle around the Bohai Bay and the transformation of the oil-producing city of Daqing are being hooked up with Northeast Asian cooperation; the Southwest China development has been linked to the Greater Mekong regional cooperation and the Pan-Beibu Gulf regional cooperation; the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta and the stock markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen are working in tandem with the main industrial belt and financial centers in East Asia to serve as the keel of regional economy and industrial division of labor.

When the land transport artery linking Shanghai, Guangzhou and Singapore is completed, the Pan-Asia transportation network will be further improved, the cooperation and interdependency between China and the rest of East Asia and their integration will grow, and the platform that strategizes domestic and foreign affairs and realizes the fusing of two different markets and two different resources will be improved toward perfection. China has never been so dependent on regional cooperation as it is today. China as a super large market is very attractive and provides an enormous business opportunity for East Asian economic development.

Third, the advancement of East Asian cooperation has firmly established East Asian regionalism as an important aspect in China's regional cooperation strategy. China's regionalism is nearing maturity alongside periphery-ism, Asia-ism and Asia-Pacific-ism. Periphery-ism swears by the principle of "be friendly to one's neighbors and partner with them", implements the policy of "befriending, reassuring and benefiting one's neighbors" and strengthens regional cooperation. Asia-ism finds its reflection in such concepts as the whole Asia wins and "Asia's China", which are represented by the Bo'ao Forum.

In May 2006, President Hu put forward the concept of "harmonious Asia". In the same year, Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi offered a complete rundown of the conceptual origin, history of evolution, practical support, basic structure and time-specific details of the new Asia-ism in a public speech and explained that the new Asia-ism is centered on cooperation, openness and harmony. Asia-Pacific-ism is maturing alongside China's participation in regional cooperation mechanisms such as the APEC organization and Southeast Asian Regional Forum. Also in 2006, President Hu formally introduced the concept of "Asia-Pacific-ism" at the annual APEC forum held in Hanoi. The multiple versions of regionalism that started with East Asia-ism have been magnified by each addition, gathered at the same window of opportunity.

In a word, East Asian cooperation, which proceeds mainly through the "10+3" lobby, is the converging point on China's diplomatic layout, which boils down to relations with major powers are key, the periphery is top priority, developing nations are the foundation and multilateral approach is the stage. The concept and exercise of East Asian cooperation have fully demonstrated China's new diplomatic concept and showcased the country's determination to follow the path of peace and development and the resulting positive impact.

The author is a researcher with China Institute of Contemporary International Relations

(China Daily 11/19/2007 page4)