Op-Ed Contributors

Asia to play greater role on world stage

By Dai Bingguo (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-05 07:57

Dear Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are now at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. In my view, it has been an extraordinary decade for Indonesia and ASEAN, for Asia and the world, and for China and China-ASEAN relations.

China has come a long way in reform and openingup. Its economy has grown, people's lives improved, and the landscape of the country changed enormously. Some friends may say, yes you are a developing country, but you are so big, your economy is so large and grows so fast. That is somewhat fearful. Indeed, China is a big country, and with rapid economic growth. When people associate it with the behavior of some big countries in history, it is natural that they may feel a bit worried. But I want to assure you that China is not to be feared. It is a reliable neighbor and friend for you.

Let's look at China's history. Does China have the tradition and culture of aggression and expansion? I have noted many people across the world say "no". China did not seek expansion or hegemony even at the time when it was the most powerful country in the world with 30 percent of the global GDP a few hundred years ago. Many of you know about Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas. Leading the most powerful fleet in the world, Zheng He made seven voyages to the Western Seas, bringing there porcelain, silk and tea, rather than bloodshed, plundering or colonialism. They also brought those countries tranquility and wellbeing by helping them fight pirates. To this day, Zheng He is still remembered as an envoy of friendship and peace, and his merits are widely recognized by people of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.

Let's look at China's reality. China is getting more integrated into the international community. As China develops, it will be more closely linked with the world. It will need closer international cooperation and a peaceful and stable international environment. China's future and destiny has become ever more closely linked with that of the rest of the world. Mutual benefit and common development - this is the most important experience we have gained from our diplomacy over the past 30 years and more since reform and opening-up. It is also the key to our success, which we will always hold firm and never abandon.

Now let's look at China's fundamental policies. Not seeking hegemony is our basic national policy and strategic choice. China wants friendship, not hegemony. It always pursues a good-neighborly and friendly policy towards its neighbors. China stands for equality among all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor and respects the rights of their people to independently choosing their development paths. We will adhere to mutually-beneficial cooperation and common progress. China's long-term stability, development and prosperity have been proven to be an opportunity for its neighbors, not a challenge, even less a disaster. On the contrary, an unstable and underdeveloped China with 1.3 billion people would become a burden or even bring calamity to its neighbors.

As China does not seek hegemony for itself, nor will it compete for hegemony or seek joint hegemony in this region with other countries. As you know, what we pursue is an independent foreign policy of peace. We do not enter into alliance with any other countries. We are of the view that international issues should be handled by all of us instead of being dominated by one or two countries or a group of countries. The United States is an important partner for East Asian countries as well as for China. We value our relationship with the United States and we have neither the intention nor the ability to push it out. We are willing to see the United States play a constructive role in promoting stability and development in Asia.

In short, we want to be a good friend, good neighbor and good partner of ASEAN and Asian countries for ever. Our intention is transparent and based on good will. If some people still do not quite believe our intention and want to wait and see what China really wants, they may do so. But just keep in mind that if they wait for too long, they may very well miss the opportunity of cooperation with China, which would be totally unworthy.

There have been great changes taking place in China-ASEAN relations in the past 10 years. Now, the exchanges between Chinese and ASEAN people are becoming more dynamic, bringing our peoples closer. There are 766 regular flights between major cities in China and ASEAN every week. In the first 10 months last year, more than 4 million people from ASEAN countries visited China and 3.7 million Chinese went to Southeast Asia. Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand remains the most popular route for Chinese tourists traveling abroad. A flight ticket can become a rarity especially during holiday seasons. Philippine bands play the beautiful melody in Beijing bars and the famous Indonesian songs Sing Sing So and Ayo Mama are popular among the Chinese public. Chinese music and audio-visual products are also popular with the ASEAN public. There have also been vigorous exchanges between students and young people from our two sides. At present, nearly 6,000 Chinese language volunteers are actively involved in 35 Confucius institutes or classrooms, teaching the Chinese language and culture to over 50,000 Southeast Asian students. Large numbers of Chinese students study in ASEAN countries. They will become the "torch carriers" for China-ASEAN friendship.

China-ASEAN relations have withstood the test of crises and disasters. From the Asian financial crisis in 1997 to the international financial crisis in 2008, China and ASEAN countries have always shared weal and woe and emerged victorious with our mutual understanding and trust deepened. In the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami, China donated 650 million yuan to ASEAN and other disaster-stricken countries. The Chinese medical team was one of the first international rescue teams that arrived at the disaster areas. After the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, people from Southeast Asia shared the sorrow with the Chinese people and donated more than 500 million yuan relief fund to the affected people in Sichuan. What's more, Indonesia and Singapore dispatched emergency rescue teams to the earthquake zone. In both the Chinese and Indonesian languages, there is this same idiom: sharing weal and woe. And this idiom gives vivid expression to the mutual support and help we give each other in time of disasters and difficulties.

China-ASEAN cooperation has brought benefit to the two peoples and promoted stability and prosperity in East Asia. It has helped deepen South-South cooperation and made due contribution to attaining the Millennium Development Goals. Today, China-ASEAN relations are at a new historical starting point. We should seize the opportunities, ride the tide, and strive for new progress in our cooperation. To this end, we should treat each other as equals and deepen mutual trust. The farther we go, the more common interests and shared needs we will find between us, and the more closely connected our destiny will be. We should deepen political mutual trust, always view each other as equal and reliable partners and strengthen the political foundation for cooperation. To increase communication with ASEAN on a continuous basis, China will give positive consideration to the establishment of a permanent body to ASEAN. As the first step, we will set up an "ASEAN Affairs Office" in the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia this year.

We should pursue mutual benefit and common development. The development of China and ASEAN has provided each other with more opportunities. The China-ASEAN FTA is a mutually beneficial systematic arrangement made by the two sides with the long-term development in mind. It serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both sides. The establishment and implementation of the FTA brings both sides more opportunities, a bigger market and better conditions for resource allocation. It is a testament to our win-win cooperation and common development. It goes without saying that in the course of developing the FTA, all parties need to make corresponding adjustments. Such adjustments will eventually help us enhance competitiveness and achieve greater and better development. In advancing this process, China will keep in close touch with ASEAN, give firm and well thought out support to the smooth growth of this newborn, our FTA, properly handle and resolve specific issues that may arise and work relentlessly toward the goal of mutual benefit and common development.

We should work together to overcome challenges. It is almost certain that we will be facing more and more regional and global challenges. We should carry on our good tradition of solidarity and mutual support, step up cooperation on climate change, food security and natural disasters and preserve peace for our homeland. We shall always unite as one big family in face of disasters.

We should seek common ground and properly handle differences. China and ASEAN have far more common interests than differences. We must expand our common interests and minimize our differences. It takes patience, time and wisdom to resolve issues between China and some ASEAN countries. Pending a solution, we must not complicate or even aggravate the issues, for it would consequently affect our overall cooperation. Even if our generation cannot fundamentally solve the problems, we should have faith in the wisdom and capability of future generations. They will find satisfactory solutions.

Over the past ten years, China and ASEAN have shared the historical mission of promoting East Asia regional cooperation. Its progress should be attributed to ASEAN's leading role.

We are pleased to see that there are now good opportunities for the deepening, development and innovation of East Asia cooperation.

In my view, to deepen East Asia cooperation, we should take gradual steps, start from the easy tasks, take account of each other's comfort level, manage well the rhythm of and reduce obstacles to cooperation.

To deepen East Asia cooperation, we should stick to the existing mechanisms. ASEAN, 10+1, 10+3, China-Japan-ROK cooperation, East Asia Summit, etc, are mutually reinforcing. Meanwhile, we should explore new models of cooperation with a view to promoting regional peace and development.

To deepen East Asia cooperation, we should be open and inclusive. East Asia cannot develop in isolation from the world. It is important to be open and practical, and actively absorb other regions' cooperation and development experience. We should remain open to other regional cooperation mechanisms while deepening 10+3 cooperation. We welcome countries outside this region to play a positive and constructive role in promoting East Asia cooperation.

We have stepped into the second decade of the 21st century and I believe it will be an even brighter decade full of fresh progress for Indonesia, ASEAN, Asia and beyond. Ties between China and Indonesia and between China and ASEAN will grow closer. I want to say in particular that we can see the light of Asia's rise on the horizon. A dream long kept alive by the Asians is coming true. Presented with such a historical opportunity, the Chinese people are ready to join hands with our brothers and sisters in Southeast Asian nations and write a brilliant chapter of China-ASEAN relations by heralding the rise of Asia and promoting the integration of the region. We can be pretty sure that Asia's development will make fresh and greater contribution to human civilization and progress.

The author is State Councilor and this is an excerpt from his speech at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta, on Jan 22.

(China Daily 02/05/2010 page9)