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Stop the duplicity and give China a break

By Wang Wanzheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-21 08:20

The term "group of two" or (G2, that is, the US and China) is the subject of debate because the two countries have the greatest influence on international affairs, and have the ability to help the world emerge out of the economic crisis. But the aspects that deserve greater attention are the responsibility the two countries show in facing global threats, presenting ideals, and leading the rest of the world pursuing those ideals.

By far, the two greatest ideals of recent times are that of a "nuclear-free world" and a "harmonious world". The first was projected by US President Barack Obama in a speech in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 5. The second was proposed by President Hu Jintao.

A "world without nuclear weapons" has been projected by the head of a state that has the most advanced nuclear weapons, and is the only one to have used them in war, while the idea of "a harmonious world" comes from a country that till 30 years ago was seen by the West as "an unharmonious factor".

What do these two ideals mean? Both stand for change. Obama's nuclear-free world proposal reflects the first change in US nuclear strategy since World War II. US governments down the line have regarded nuclear weapons as the fundamental guarantee for the country's security and for maintaining balance in international relations.

George W. Bush went a step further, deploying ballistic missile defense systems across the globe and turning arms control into a tool serving US interests. His strategy accelerated the process of nuclear proliferation, forcing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran to intensify their nuclear programs. Obama's proposal shows he has realized that nuclear proliferation is not only against US interests, but also would spell doom for humankind.

The ideal of a harmonious world reflects a shift in China's foreign policy and global strategy. It reflects China's views on global issues, and bids adieu to the principles of "war" and "revolution" that dominated the early years of New China.

The shift, so evident in the past four years, started when Deng Xiaoping described "peace" and "development" as the two major themes of the contemporary world that formed the cornerstones of a harmonious world. Now, China has shifted from "closed-door policy" to "open-door policy", from struggle to cooperation, from "passive response" to "active engagement", from "struggle-oriented ideology" to "reform-oriented ideology". A harmonious world is the most precise answer to the question: "What kind of world does China want."

The ideas of Hu and Obama are long-term goals that need generations of struggle to realize. What Obama means by a nuclear-free world is a peaceful and safe world. Hu's goal is clear: long-term peace and common prosperity. As heads of the two most influential nations, Obama and Hu share similar global visions and responsibilities. As an ancient Chinese saying goes, they have to "create a sense of creative creativity for nature, establish good fortune for human life and open a peaceful epoch for all ages".

To realize their goals, the two countries have to communicate and cooperate to the maximum level, for if they fail to do so, their ideas will prove to be utopian. Obama has announced the concrete steps the US will take to realize a nuclear-free world: reduce the importance of nuclear weapons for national security, negotiate a new strategic arms reduction treaty with Russia this year, and "immediately and aggressively" pursue US ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

But every step of Obama takes to realize his dream is likely to encounter differences and contradictions. And to resolve these differences and contradictions we need dialogue, not war. Obama knows full well only common sense and principles can make a dialogue meaningful. But he did not mention them separately because he also knows how difficult it is for countries with divergent ideologies and levels of development to reach a consensus.

Obama did not attach importance to Cold War thinking either. But if the legacy of the Cold War is not given a decent burial, just as Obama said, small countries would continue to feel threatened by hegemonic politics and keep pursuing their nuclear weapon programs in the hope that they act as deterrents.

This is where the three basic principles behind Hu's concept of a harmonious world can help Obama. First, we have to uphold the spirit of inclusiveness, and acknowledge the differences in civilization and culture as basic features of humanity that have played an important role in human progress. Second, we need mutual respect, have to treat each other as equals, and respect the right of a nation to choose its social system and development mode. In short, countries should be "harmonious but different". Third, we need multilateralism to ensure common security, and try to democratize international relations.

But a nuclear-free world is just a stage on the road to a harmonious world, for as one critic once said a world without nuclear weapons could still be full of wars and conflicts, as it was till the mid-1940s. But a nuclear-free world can bridge the gaps among different ideologies and create a platform where every country is treated as equal and can discuss topics vital to the existence of the human race.

Some critics say a nuclear-free world and a harmonious world are dreams that will never come true. But they forget that the pursuit to realize these dreams is the pursuit for an ideal world.

The author is chief editor of Current Affairs, and a post-doctoral scholar with the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau.

(China Daily 05/21/2009 page8)