From Chinese Press

Three 'nots' characterize China's peaceful rise

By Le Yucheng (peopledaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-06-23 16:14

The global attention has shifted to China in recent years while the country replaced Japan as the second largest economy. Issues, such as China's peaceful rise, China's global obligation and China's role have been heated and frequently debated in the international community. The most prominent questions in this regard are "How did China make such achievement?", "Can China realize a peaceful rise as it has promised?" and "What will China do following the peaceful rise?" These questions can be answered using three "nots:"

First, China's peaceful rise is not an easy task

China is a pretty distinct country. As Anne-Marie Slaughter, the Director of policy planning for the U.S. State Department from January 2009 until February 2011, said "Though much of China remains a developing country, it is not the historical China. China's '5,000 years of history' are more visible in rhetoric than in reality."

China's uniqueness lies in its 5000-year history, 1.3 billion population, 9.6-million-kilometer land territory, the world's second-biggest economy, amazing GDP growth, double-digit growth over the past 30 years, 150 million people still living under one-dollar-a-day U.N. poverty line, 80 million disabled people and so on.

Since New China was founded in 1949, there have been no civil wars, aggression against other countries, refugee waves and occupation of overseas colonies. China has never brought any inconveniences to other countries in its drives of industrialization, urbanization and modernization.

Domestically, 1.3 billion Chinese of 56 ethic minorities live peacefully and harmoniously, achieving 60 years of stability and development. The rapid economic growth over the past 30 years, thanks to the policy of reform and opening up, has earned the country the world's second-biggest economy. The peaceful rise of China brings opportunities to the world and contributes enormously to the cause of human peace and development.

However the West seems to disregard China's endeavor and make China the subject of criticism and censure. They demand China import more Western goods, grant preferential polities to their enterprises, appreciate the RMB, take on more obligations with respect to environmental protection and emission cuts according to their standards and improve human rights.

As a matter of fact, even the developed countries would find it hard to meet all these "requirements," let alone China, which is still a developing country. China needs understanding and support rather than criticism and censure.