ISLAMABAD: China wants to establish a peaceful and egalitarian world with a special focus on addressing common challenges of global governance, poverty, climate change and conflicts through dialogue, mutual respect, partnership, trade and public diplomacy.

This was the crux of a lecture given by Professor Jin Can Rong, associate dean of the School of International Studies, Renmin University on China’s Foreign Strategy and Policy and International Relations in the 21st Century at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts.

He explained his country’s foreign policy contours, permanent features of national interest, sovereignty, modernization, political stability based on the principles of independence, non-interventionism, and international justice.

He said President Xi Jin Ping’s new foreign policy is based on trilogy of new development, survival and dignity and self-definition, new style.

“From reactive approach to diplomatic pro-activism with new ideas of shared future, win-win international relations, open-door world economy and global partnership safeguarding its sovereignty, overseas interests and tackling the Taiwan issue,” he said.

Prof Jin, who is author of 500 books, also shared the secrets of the rise of the West, Japan and Europe which were machine-based.

He also spoke in detail about China’s rise from a rural backward society and attributed it to the great socialist revolution led by Mao Zedong, the reforms introduced by Deng Xiao Ping and the new strategy introduced by President Xi in historical, cultural and global perspectives.

He said during the last three decades China has become the largest manufacturing power house in the world, surpassing the United States, Japan and Europe.

“China’s foreign, economic and global governance policies are based on equality, mutual respect and dialogue, with shared destiny for humanity in contrast to the West’s policy which are hegemony, war, massacre and exploitation,” commented Prof Jin.

He also spoke about the challenges in foreign relations especially the latest tariff issue with President Trump’s America-first and protectionist policy.

For China, neighbours, especially Pakistan, have remained top priority on its foreign policy framework.

It also gives importance to public diplomacy, global governance and protecting its overseas interests as 3 million Chinese students are studying abroad, 5 million workers are working on various projects and in all, over 10 million Chinese are travelling abroad.

Speaking about China’s economic achievements, Prof Jin acknowledged the role of China’s great revolution which played crucial role in social change and making China an egalitarian society which is also important for a machine-based society.

Professor Jin, who is a well-known critic on international affairs, said the most important thing for any country is to modernise itself and hence command its own destiny.

He also acknowledged the role of Pakistan in bringing closer the US and China in late 60s.

PNCA DG Jamal Shah lauded the Chinese role in the development of Pakistan and other developing countries through CPEC and one road one belt policy.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2018