Building a Community of Shared Destiny for Common Security: Some Observations on its Construction Path

By Guo Chu and Xu Jin

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Building a Community of Shared Destiny for Common Security: Some Observations on its Construction Path

By Guo Chu and Xu Jin

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

A community of shared destiny (whose content is the same as community of shared future, an update translation) is the guiding principle and strategic objective of China's diplomacy, and is just, peaceful, inclusive, comprehensive and scientific. It reflects a rational concept of how a rising China handles relations with the outside world. It rejects analysis and understanding of simple traditional thinking that a strong power is bound to seek hegemony. However, the Chinese diplomacy also needs Chinese thinking and perspectives. With analysis eclecticism and incorporated process constructivism to carry out study on the international relations, it can be found that the community of shared destiny is an economic, political and security order, is also a concept order; while a community of shared interests is its foundation, a community of shared security is its guarantee, the common knowledge composes its highest standard. Common security is the important guarantee and strategic goal for the community of shared destiny, i.e. it shows that the peaceful development strategy highlights the reasonable security demands of others China respects; win-win cooperation principle reflects the importance of cooperative security in the international pattern of deepening interdependence; partnership strategy shows diplomatic efforts of Chinese exploration and practice of the new security concept beyond "security alliance".

A community of shared destiny is an important thought and discourse system of China's diplomatic strategy in the new era. This new diplomatic concept is put forward in the context of China's continuously growing comprehensive national strength and international influence. A broad overview of the international situation and development trend, the United States and Europe have been the center of international politics for a long time, and a prominent feature of world politics having developed after World War II up to now is that a large number of non-Western factors are becoming prominent, the former colonies become independent, the third world countries increase, and newly emerging economies are on the rise, which are greatly changing the international architecture. Among them, a rising China is the most obvious. This article holds that a community of shared destiny is China’s major diplomatic innovation and exploration in the new era. It is precisely because China is aware of possible impacts of its growing material strength on the international situation that it puts forward an era initiative of being on the same boat to share a common destiny together. A community of shared destiny rejects the traditional views of international political power and advocates a new-type international relations order featuring win-win cooperation and common security. China is promoting theoretical innovation on international relations through practice, i.e., China's rise is not a zero-sum game with other relevant countries, win-win cooperation and common security are completely probable. Therefore, this article attempts to provide some observations.

I. Connotations of a community of shared destiny

To study the connotation of a community of shared destiny, it is necessary to give a brief review of the ideological origins of a community. It is generally believed that the idea of a community comes from sociology, and is a sociological concept. The German sociologist Ferdinand Tonnies carried out studies on human life in groups, and abstracted into two ideal types, namely, community and society. He argued that a community type is mainly built on the basis of the natural groups of population (family and religion), and may also on the small-scale communities (village, city) formed in history. A community indicates a kind of lasting and genuine common life, is a primitive or natural state of perfect unity of the human will. Correspondingly, he believes that a society is a consortium formed under the guidance of a utilitarian principle, among which individuals are separated from each other rather than organically connected (as in a community). The formation and development of a society is later than that of a community.1

Zygmunt Bauman believes that a community means certainty and security, the relationship among community members is closer than that with actors outside of the community, otherwise, this commonality will disappear.2It can be summarized that a community is based on the practice and concepts of internal cohesion (communication frequency and depth) and the sense of belonging. Regarding international relations community, it means closer and stronger relationship among the community members, otherwise, a community cannot be formed or cannot last.

It is Richard Van Wagenen, the first scholar who introduced the concept of community in the studies of international relations, and came up with the concept of security community in the 1950s.3Later, Karl W. Deutsch clearly defined and put forward systematically the theory of security community, which is defined as a groups consortium (human or nation-state) using non-war means for conflict resolution, in which the community is divided into amalgamated community (such as the United States) and pluralistic community (such as the European Union).4In general, a community of shared security belongs to the category of social concepts, is a kind of social structure, communication and exchanges, its core concept is the sense of, communication yields an identity position and further confirms identity. The results of communication will be recorded and will have a positive or negative impact on subsequent communication among nation-states.5

Emanuel Adler and Michael Barnett further deepen the research studies on the security community, their main focus is the pluralistic security community, which is divided into two types, the first one is loosely coupled security community, with the United States and Canada as a model, both of which have expectations for peaceful exchanges and stable will to resolve their differences by peaceful means; while the second one is the tightly coupled security community, with the European Community as the model, which in addition to the above features, the community members are in a altruist and mutually beneficial international community, sharing a series of actively accepted rules and norms.6

Adler and Barnett also propose an ideal model of three stages for building a security community: an emerging stage, rising stage, and maturing stage of a security community. At the first stage, the external threats, common development needs, similar culture, etc. are the incentives and pressure to promote establishment of a security community. At the second stage, the international system structure and system process and their interactions with each other will strengthen the mechanism and institutional arrangements formed at the first stage, mutual suspicion and mutual fear are greatly reduced, friendship with each other will be gradually shaped and strengthened. At the third stage, a Kantian-oriented mutual culture is formed and internalized in all countries of the world, international institutional arrangements (even if still in existence) are no longer relied to maintain communication and mutually positive identity.7Thus, a security cooperation and security community are important themes, problems and proper expectations for the common studies of international relations.

A community of shared destiny is not only the strategic guideline of China's foreign policy in the new period, but also the purpose of diplomatic strategy. As a guiding principle of diplomatic strategy, it has the role in shaping strategic guidance and discourse. The strategic guidance is mainly for guiding the domestic work, namely how China’s foreign policy practitioners and researchers carry out diplomatic work, how to plan and promote the international strategy, such as upholding a peripheral diplomatic philosophy of amity, sincerity, benefit and inclusiveness, adhering to friendship and partnership with neighbors,8adhering to harmonizing, securing and enriching neighbors, unswervingly insisting on mutual respect and equality,9advocating peace, development, cooperation, all-win outcome, appropriate integration; for the South-South cooperation, sharing security and risks, helping each other, seizing opportunities, collectively meeting challenges, seeking common ground while reserving differences, keeping open and inclusive, maintaining close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues; for the North-South cooperation, observing mutual respect, and equal treatment to each other. To shape discourse mainly refers to the work overseas.10As a part of the discourse system, the community of shared destiny is fair, peaceful, inclusive, comprehensive and scientific.11It requires a sound promotion of China’s internal and external policies, sound briefing of Chinese good stories, good communication of China’s voice, docking the Chinese dream with neighboring peoples desire for a better life, and for the prospects of regional development, making awareness of a community of shared destiny take roots in neighboring countries.12

As a diplomatic strategic goal, to develop a community of shared destiny is dedicated to promoting more successfully diplomacy with neighboring countries, to striving for a good surrounding environment for the national development, to assuring the development to bring more benefits to China's neighboring countries and achieving common development;13to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation and interoperability and interconnectivity with neighboring countries;14to becoming good neighbors, good friends and good partners with relevant countries featuring rising and falling together, sharing danger and safety, and pulling together in times of difficulties;15to strengthening the force for maintenance of world peace and promoting common development, to respecting sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, to respecting the social system and development path each country independently chooses, opposing against interference in other countries' internal affairs and imposing ones own will upon others; to developing a more equal and balanced new-type global development partnerships; to pioneering a new security path for joint constructing, sharing and win-win outcome, to collectively safeguarding regional and world peace and stability.16In short, a community of shared destiny concept involves national security, which is neither security for just one country, nor just allies security with a third party as the imaginary adversary, but on the contrary is the common security for all.

Therefore, his paper argues that a community of shared destiny, as a Chinese diplomatic strategy, is a social constructivist concept. In concrete terms, China intends to promote the international political and economic order featuring the win-win cooperation and common security, but this order is not spontaneously and naturally formed, and requires the proposer (i.e. China) and other relevant countries to work hard together to build it.

II. The understanding and analysis method of a community of shared destiny

As a diplomatic concept and a diplomatic strategy, a community of shared destiny is a major strategy proposed by China, which is continuously improving the overall national strength and rising constantly. Although China puts forward sharing destiny and win-win cooperation as required, yet it is inevitable for some countries to view China with the traditional thinking on strong power seeking hegemony.17This paper argues that we cannot simply apply the dualism of Yes or No to understand and analyze the community of shared destiny, and should apply analytic eclecticism proposed by American scholar Rudra Sil and Peter J. Katzenstein,18which carry out eclecticism analysis of three major theories of neo-liberalism, neo-realism and structural constructivism. Since Chinese scholars have pointed out the limitations of these theories, this paper explores the community of shared destiny by incorporating procedural constructivism proposed by Chinese scholars into analytic eclecticism, with the Chinese theories and perspectives, in the process of research studies.19

The proposal of a community of shared destiny to a certain extent is an reflection of Chinese material strength enhancement, and is willing to assume responsibility and provide public goods to promote common development and prosperity of the countries and regions concerned and to promote progressive concepts in the world.20However, some people with the traditional thinking of power seeking hegemony may argue that a strong China will pursue its own sphere of influence and create an international order in its own interests, a community of shared destiny is an inevitable reflection of this pursuit.21Whether China’s desire to take the peaceful development road is true or not is not important, what is important is its enhanced strength, so its development should be slowed down.22This kind of linear thinking focusing on the material power and ignoring the complexity of specific problems will inevitably fail to note the positive significance of the community of shared destiny.

Another perspective to understand the community of shared destiny is that it may be a China-promoted and -dominated international institutions and governance mechanisms, that China promotes a series of international institutions in economic, political, security areas and others in order to achieve cooperation and ease anarchy phenomenon through providing public products.23This analysis is relatively mild. But in any case, in the course of cooperation in the international system and order, there will always be relative returns, so some countries enjoy more than pothers and leave the cooperation and the system in question. Accordingly, even if the community of shared destiny is engaged in win-win cooperation and common prosperity, the returns may not be equally distributed with different levels of prosperity, but China is likely to be benefited the most.

It is believed that the existing mainstream theories are doing interpretation and prediction in their hypothesis paradigm, which is the ideal type of theoretical research. However, the reality is complex, different factors will affect the reality of international relations, so the existing mainstream theories have their limitations. Some China’s scholars have pointed out these limitations, and made pioneering explorations, and argue that some other important factors and concepts are ignored beyond the mainstream paradigm theories, i.e. the dynamic process and relationship in the international interactions and putting forward the relationship theory of international politics,24or (process constructivism )25This paper argues that a community construction is not only a result, but also a long-term process; the result is important, but paying attention to the process is also important. This theoretical paradigm reflects the Chinese characteristics and Oriental thinking, shaping the discourse, and bypassing the trap of the existential theoretical thinking.

Process constructivism holds that relationship and process factors should be given attention in the study of international relations.26

Firstly, relations as the basic unit hypothesis, that is, the relationship is the most significant content in human society.27The mainstream western international relations theories are based on the theory of "individual as the basic unit",28the law of causation of which has a most important feature, i.e. abandoning the research path of the law of causation of individualism, and adopting the dynamic way to explain the existing reality that individualism is unable to.29

Secondly, relations rationality hypothesis, i.e., relationship defines rationality. This kind of rationality is the rationality in relations, and the rational trade-off is carried out in the field of social relations network, and the relations rationality is determined by related and overall considerations.30In simple terms, relationship deciding rationality is that tool rationality cannot fully determine behavior of an actor, considerations based on maintaining relationship is the most important source of behavior; in order to maintain the relationship, an action unfavorable to rational tools requirements can be taken. A practical example in international relations shows that in order to maintain diplomatic relations, a country may take an action to offer an preferential treatment or adjust its interests orientation.

Thirdly, the relational identity hypothesis, namely relationship determines identity. Human is within complex social network, this network defines the human’s appropriate identity and behavior, there is no individual absolutely independent and separate from others, identity is rooted in a relationship with others.31

Fourthly, relational power hypothesis, process constructivism does not deny the explanations on causal logic of power by the mainstream theories of international relations, namely the will of a stronger power side is the cause while the behavior of a weaker power side is the result, but process constructivism attaches greater importance to powers’ relationship, which has three connotations in the following: (1) Relationship is powers’ operation platform, there is no power without relationship. (2) Relationship can play a dynamic role in power, which is manifested in magnifying power or restricting power. (3) Relationship is power, that is, relationship is an important power resource. In simple terms, there is mutual relationship between two actors, in which one side can influence the other side.32

Firstly, according to the assumption of relations as the basic unit, a community of shared destiny is a kind of China-promoted order, China will identify maintenance of its relations with members of the community and its primary national interests as its supreme objective. To this end, China puts forward the unique concepts of win-win cooperation, harmony without sameness, "amity, sincerity, benefit and inclusiveness" and promotes fair and equal international relations, and even includes sacrifice for material interests in order to maintain the relationship. In the international arena, China has set an example, paid attention to behavioral appropriateness in order to maintain the relationship as the purpose, although China’s material strength has improved a lot, yet, China does not bully the weak country as a strong one for the primary consideration of relationship maintenance. Therefore, the relationship as a basic unit assumption rejects the realist (materialism and individualism) logic and thinking on power seeking hegemony.

Even from the consideration perspective of materialistic paradigm, studies can find that the current global interdependence gets deepened, especially true with the interdependence between major countries; the emergence of nuclear weapons makes a comprehensive war among major powers hardly bear the cost of it, full-scale nuclear war also means the human self-destruction. Some scholars have pointed out that the international political system has been evolving into a defensive realism era,33local wars will still crop up here or there, but a World War unthinkable. This shows that to a certain extent, while the material power structure occupies an important position, but in some areas and issues, it cannot always alone play an important role, so relations and process are highlighted. In addition, the power structure, system structure and concept structure in regions surrounding China are neither formed nor fixed. Process constructivism does not negate the role of structure, but believes that the existence of structure lies in process, and process is in existence independent of structure.34Process and actors are a pair of symbiosis and mutually constructed.

Secondly, according to the assumptions of relations rationality and relational identity, a community of shared destiny order embodies a whole symbiotic relationship network, community members get integrated with each other, so individual rationality alone is unable to play the absolute role in this relationship network. The relations rationality assures the members to regard oneself as a part of the whole (the community) so maintenance of stable relationship between members is more important than the pursuit of an individual advantage. Once the relationship changes, identity changes, and interests (and further nations actions) change as well.35Therefore, the policy significance of process constructivism to create community of shared destiny is that for the purpose of community building, community members in the process of interactions meet indeed differences and contradictions, but the relationship is the most important, so in order to maintain the relationship, members constantly adjust their identities, and coordinate their interests among them, thus, the relationship keeps changing, identities keep changing, interests and behavior also keep changing, ultimately flexible approaches, inclusiveness, optimistic cooperation and evolution are achieved.36This means that the security issue is not only an individual nation’s security, but the common and shared security, in the process of adjustment of identities and interests, the most important means of maintaining security is cooperative security, namely, respect others security aspirations while showing concerns to ones own security.

Thirdly, according to the assumption of relational power, the process (i.e. changing relationship) constructs inter-subjectivity, and common norms and conceptual structures emerge and develop in this practice.37Globalization requires us to have a process thinking. Since the construction of community of shared destiny is a long process,38thus, in the process of promoting this cause, each increment is for the ultimate change of quality, so this incremental process is also the process for relations between countries to be maintained and upgraded, which naturally also has significance for China to create a peaceful and stable diplomatic environment. We can take the concept of community as a logical end point,39make good use of the process of constructing community of shared destiny, because this process is the process to maintain the relationship, namely maintaining relationship, promoting friendship and achieving win-win outcome and interactions in the process of building a community of shared destiny can play a role similar to a platform.

Process constructivism with hypothesis of relations as the basic unit as the basic paradigm theory, which is constructed by Chinese scholars, whether it is mature or not is of great significance, reflecting the Chinese perspective and Chinese thinking. This paper argues that understanding and analysis of community of shared destiny need to go beyond the simple research paradigm, applying analytic eclecticism, we can make theoretical explanation and analysis of community of shared destiny, and can discover its positive significance for the Chinese diplomatic practice. However, the analytic eclecticism only makes eclecticism tradeoff analysis on traditional materials and ideas, actors and structures of these western mainstream theoretical concepts, and fail to incorporate process constructivism put forward by Chinese scholars, reflecting Oriental thinking. Therefore, when applying analytic eclecticism to understand and analyze the community of shared destiny, we also integrate process constructivism proposed by Chinese scholars into its analytical framework, thus, having incorporated China's theoretical paradigm into the analysis process and shown a Chinese perspective.

The characteristics of analytic eclecticism are as follows: Firstly, it analyzes the complexity and openness of concrete social phenomena and problems,40and is not paradigm research-oriented. Analytic eclecticism suggests that, in specific time and space, there are many factors paradigm studies, refining the most important and essential factors from a large number of historical facts, ignoring other factors, and establishing causal mechanisms. For example, neo-realism, and mainstream constructivism, etc. cannot explain and understand all events and details of international relations, but can only explain a few major events and phenomena that occur repeatedly because of their singularity and simplicity41

Secondly, the analytic eclecticism establishes a causation theory, including complex interactions between multiple mechanisms of different paradigms and multiple logics42What analytic eclecticism is concerned is .... how actors formulate and seek to achieve their own material and conceptual preferences in different forms in a particular environment.43Therefore, the analytic eclecticism is close to some middle range theories, which does not seek to establish a universally applicable theory, but just to explain a specific phenomenon.44

Thirdly, analytic eclecticism advocates construction of a theory and narration for actual docking with the real society.45Because reality of the environment is perplexing, and constantly changing, so policymakers face even more such environment, analytic eclecticism aims to break the boundaries among material and concept, power, institution and culture, and finds the interactions mechanism between these processes. It is necessary to reiterate and emphasize that the analytic eclecticism is a research method, not the macro theory and the theory paradigm ( but the middle range theories in view of Sil and Katzenstein). Therefore, applying the analytic eclecticism incorporated with process constructivism to analyze and understand community of shared destiny, a specific issue, and also showing concerns to and making studies on the four paradigm factors, i.e. material, concept, structure and process, and further freeing from a single and traditional thinking and avoiding a fall into the existing discourse system and concepts have theoretical significance and practical significance to the study of the community of shared destiny. It is hoped to achieve the following effects and functions:

China with the physical strength enhancement will inevitably have a greater influence on international affairs, but the relations as the basic unit paradigm views China from its diplomatic strategy’s relationship, integrity and symbiosis connotations, the community of shared destiny strategy is pointed at not only promotion of development for China itself, but at win-win cooperation and common development of relevant countries. Cooperation and win-win outcome need to be promoted first of all by a driving force. Therefore, the material force is a necessary means, and its foundation is derived from China's growing strength. But in today's world, symbiosis and coexistence get deepened, the world is a relational network, at a concrete, historical and specific time node, attention should not only be focused on China growing material strength and but also on China’s intention to maintain the system stability and the relationship, thus, China is not a threat, its win-win and symbiosis concept can transcend some physical factors, and play a role in promoting community evolution. On promoting economic development and prosperity of community of shared destiny members, efforts should be made to guide the outside world to know that China’s material strength can provide assistance and public products to the relevant countries, and its strategic intent to peaceful development and win-win cooperation, to look at China with a evolutionary view and not perceive China as a threat as simply by a realistic material view.46

that China is determined to draw the experiences and lessons to avoid confrontation, and hopes to be able to construct an order and system featuring win-win cooperation and common security by using its own material force. In the cause of building a community of shared destiny. it is true China will continue to defend its national core interests, but its aspirations to build a peaceful order concept cannot be denied. That China’s overall diplomatic strategy is a peaceful development cannot be fundamentally denied, and the concept that China hopes to take the peaceful development road cannot be denied either simply because China takes resolute action in maintaining its core interests (such as in the South China Sea and East China Sea and anti-secession, etc.). China as a sovereign state improving its own strength, and getting concerned with its own security is only appropriate, meanwhile, China also realizes security is not an individual concept, there is no absolute security, and common security is only based on taking into consideration and respecting others security.

, we cannot use power, interests and concepts to understand and analyze the community simply and one-sidedly. Meanwhile, we should show concerns to the integrity, process and relationship, China's needs and the relevant countries needs should be taken into full consideration. China should make full use of its own economic strength, political strength and even military strength to promote the community construction, and use rationali means to pursue a constructivist goal, for example, using material force to maintain regional stability and shape a security architecture, and further constructing new concepts and norms about cooperative security and common security along with the continuing and deepening of the interactive process.

III. Develop Partnerships: Paths and Means to Build a Community of Shared Destiny

China promotes the construction of a community of shared destiny, based on a community of interests, constructs a close and political security cooperation mechanism, and gradually forms a common concept in communication and exchanges. This process attaches importance to both the process and results, and identities and interests can be adjusted and changed in order to maintain relations, deepen relations, and promote win-win cooperation. A community construction is a process from economic cooperation to political cooperation and to security cooperation until to high unity of concepts, a long-term process from a bilateral community of shared destiny to peripheral community of shared destiny, to Asian community of shared destiny and even to the mankind community of shared destiny. This structure is the structure in the process, is formed in the process, and actors carry out new dynamic interactions under a new structure among them, and continuously shape new structure, then, the structure may undergo various changes. The general objective of community building is to promote deepened relations with the countries concerned, or at least to keep relations stable. The order of relationship deepening is economic relations, political relations, security relations, and positive identity through the whole process of interaction is gradually deepened.

Therefore, in the process of constructing a community of shared destiny, China could fully play a positive role, to promote win-win cooperation, help build a specific economic, political, and security communities framework, meanwhile, constructing a unified common concept and system culture in the communication and interaction with other countries.47Some scholars believe that at the initial stage of community formation, power can also be an important factor in ensuring other countries to take collectively measures for establishment of a community, such as authority, appreciation and recognition of the weak and the weak’s willingness to join. We should not only pay attention to the construction of material structure and concept structure, but also realize the significance of this process. China, as this community promoter, needs to provide driving power for its construction process so as to promote its establishment, thus, the process itself is very important.

The exposition of Adler and Barnett theory of security community is worth considering and learning. Their theory variables are multidimensional, paying attention to both material and concept, paying attention to both structure (including the power structure and knowledge structure), and process (including communication, international institutions, social learning), and generally emphasizing social construction function of these variables.48They explicitly point out the importance of material and power in the process of community construction,49meanwhile, the interactions under the security mechanism make actors gradually form "the sense of", nurture trust, and promote the construction of common culture, since national identity is changeable, and can be constructed.50

Therefore, this paper argues that we should attach great importance to the mutually interactive and constructive role between actors and structure, according to the constructivist cognition, since a system structure culture is constructed between nation states, then nation states can also decompose and reconstruct a new culture, pay attention to actors’ role and pay attention to the practice course of interactions and finally achieve the variability and evolution of system culture. In the course to build a community of shared destiny, to build partnerships is the main path, to achieve common security is an important guarantee, to adhere to win-win cooperation is the basic principle, to promote cultural exchange is a strong bond, and to promote sustainable development is a necessary condition.51

A community of shared interests is the important basis and the only path for the community of shared destiny.52Whether it is China-Pakistan community of shared destiny, China-ASEAN community of shared destiny, China-Africa community of shared destiny, the majority of which concerned are still in the stage of a developing country, to vigorously develop their economy, improve their peoples’ livelihood and upgrade comprehensive national strength are their primary demands. We should strengthen cooperation with these countries in commodity trade, service trade, infrastructure construction and resource development, so as to build bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation frameworks. Promote and strengthen cooperation with the surrounding regions, and to achieve continuous development and create a win-win situation to promote regional prosperity through cooperation.

Targeted at the present situation of lack of infrastructure, China promotes establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and establishment of the Silk Road Fund to aid infrastructure construction in countries concerned, and plays an important role in providing global public goods and improving the Asian infrastructure construction.53The road interconnection, trade interconnection, and currency interconnection of the Belt and Road strategy in the traditional area of transportation and trade as well as non-traditional areas of investment, currency, etc. greatly deepen Chinese interests interdependence with the relevant countries. Optimize the allocation of resources, cooperation and complementarity, promote economic development, consolidate the common material interests between China and the countries concerned, stabilize the regional situation, and enhance the ability to withstand the impact of international uncertainty. Promote high-speed rail diplomacy, promote peripheral interoperability and interconnectivity, greatly deepen economic convergence between China with neighboring countries, promote cultural and civilization exchanges, and promote the regional integration process.54

In the area of regional economic cooperation, China, directed at the regional reality, is adapted to the situation and adjust its policy to support ASEAN to promote "10+3" and "10+6" East Asia cooperation mechanisms with ASEAN as the center; China actively cooperates with ASEAN to push the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as a regional cooperation mechanism, but also is ready to make efforts to construct an open and inclusive Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP). To deepen the relationship and maintain the relationship in the process of interaction and cooperation, to establish a relatively fixed communication and cooperation mechanism platform, on which China and relevant countries have dialogue and consultation, so that process is maintained and security assured.

China with relevant countries strengthen material cooperation, because of the need for cooperation, the frequency of official and people exchanges, communication, and interaction is improved and intensified, so the policy interconnection and people-to-people interconnection are gradually attained. At this stage too, we should strengthen the building of the international system in order to enhance the information flow, to overcome the market failure, alleviate the suspicions among countries, shape the cooperation expectations among countries, and solidify certainty.55Measures such as the establishment of the AIIB and the Silk Road Fund indicate that China is willing to contribute to the regional development, use its own economic strength to provide public products and international institutions, to bring along development and prosperity of other countries. With the deepening process of communication, in order to ensure smooth development of cooperation, more institutional construction will be needed in the future. At the same time, in terms of institutional cooperation, China and other countries become more interdependent. Although interdependence is not the sufficient condition to guarantee peace, yet it strengthens China’s relationship with other countries, enhances the process factors, while increasing the conflict costs and promoting countries willingness for security cooperation.

Political and security cooperation provides a strong guarantee for closer cooperation on economic interests. A community of shared security is an important component and the core of community of shared destiny, and China’s creating a community of shared security in the process of constructing community of shared destiny does not necessarily mean establishment of a military alliance, but stresses an important role of the material force in promotion and safeguards. Although there are some different views and arguments of China’s academic circle on the traditional "non-aligned" policy, the partnership strategy is always an important part of China’s diplomacy, and also the main path for the Chinese Government to promote the community of shared destiny.56Partnership is open, inclusive, and eclectic in nature; is strategic arrangements and new-type bilateral cooperation not targeted at a third party, is less mandatory than alliance, more flexible, more independent and seeking common interests.57Partnership has greater flexibility, adaptation, and dynamism than alliance, which emphasizes flexibility, openness and inclusiveness. To promote building of a community of shared destiny with partnership strategy indicates that China realizes, in deepening interdependence of today's international architecture, international affairs are numerous and complex, national interests and security demands are complicated and intertwined, thus, the importance of cooperative security is continuously highlighted. The traditional alliance approach is unlikely to solve global security problems and may even deepen suspicions among countries. While the partnership strategy demonstrates China's diplomatic efforts to explore and practice new security concepts other than alliance security.

is the foundation of community building. A problem of collective action is always a common phenomenon in international relations, so bilateral diplomacy is naturally much easier than multilateral diplomacy. The establishment of a sound bilateral partnership between China and members of the community of shared destiny is the indispensable requirement for the community building. The main reasons for developing bilateral relations are: less actors, simpler interactions, no interference by a third party, and clearer preference of both sides on their long-term strategic demands and short-term interests. The more bilateral partnerships China establishes with the community members, the bigger the coverage, the higher the importance and the more solid the foundation. Countries with sound relations with China are the key partners of community building.

China has established all-weather strategic cooperation partnership with Pakistan; established comprehensive strategic cooperation partnerships with ASEAN members including Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, and Thailand; established strategic cooperation partnerships with South Korea, India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan;58these countries are important members of a community of shared destiny to be established bilaterally or multilaterally. On June 3, 2016, President Xi Jinping, meeting with the King of Cambodia, pointed out that China and Cambodia share weal and woe and two countries should further the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership.”59China and Burma are linked by mountains and rivers, their economy is highly complementary, and to further deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership is the traditional friendship policy always pursued by China.60It is true that Thailand is an ally of the United States, but China has still established a partnership with it.61Regarding countries such as Viet Nam having disputes with China in the South China Sea, China and Viet Nam are still willing to uphold the principle of long-term stability, looking forward to the future, good-neighbor friendship and comprehensive cooperation and to promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership for the sustainable, healthy and stable development.62China is also pleased to see Viet Nam develop normal relations with all countries, including the United States.63

build a security cooperation framework and mechanism for a community, and promote interactions and exchanges among community members, so as to formulate a true three-dimensional structure. The number of China's bilateral partnerships with community members constitute only one aspect, which is a fundamental of the community and, of course, should be developed bigger and stronger. However, only these bilateral partnerships are inadequate, since there is still no interaction between these countries at this stage. Only by promoting deep interactions between these countries and establishing good relations, can a community order featuring mutual cooperation, win-win outcome and common development, and gradual accumulation of each other's positive identity be shaped step by step.

Promoting establishment of relevant political and economic security cooperation frameworks and mechanisms is the process of interaction between community members, but is also the phase results. China, as a community facilitator, should play a leading role in this process, and take main measures and means of the unity of opposites in nature, i.e. taking strategic restraint and strategic initiative, both of which point to the same strategic purpose, i.e. establishing and maintaining relations, and ultimately achieving the phased results, which is also the beginning of the new process.

Political security cooperation is a more difficult cooperation after economic cooperation. At the first stage, China strives to create a win-win and symbiotic situation, consolidate the foundation of common interests and deepen relations. However, it is necessary for China to realize that there are still two possible problems. Firstly, some community members still have scruples about relative gains. In the international cooperation, there still exists uneven distribution of benefits, the imbalanced national growth, and the relative strength gap between countries that are an objective phenomenon. Secondly, there is lack of concept identity. Based on differences in history, culture, religion and even ideology, the common "sense of" is not established for the time being.

In view of the above problems, China should play an active role. The first measure China would take is strategic restraint. To maintain relationships, China is bound to show the strategic intention of restraint to weak countries and those countries with strategic suspicions within the community, practice the correct concept on righteousness and benefits, take appropriate altruist action in the bilateral relations, take the amity, sincerity, benefit and inclusiveness as the guiding principle, welcome other countries to take the "ride" on China economic development, so as to maintain the relationship, sustain the cooperation, and keep the social practice uninterrupted, the process of which itself can help maintain relations and promote the system stability, and finally receive their support for the community building and willingness to integrate into the community.

In practice, we will continue to push forward the cause of community building. The process is a kind of relationship, is an dynamic and continuous relationship, a sustainable, practical and interacted relationship emerging in society, and social practice is its foundation. The community of shared destiny is based on relations between symbiosis concept and common benefits, exists in various perplexing relationships, therefore, a community of shared destiny is both a specific result and also existing in the process, in which process China needs share the fruits of development and realize security cooperation with neighboring countries. On providing political security public goods, China should timely help establish political and security cooperation mechanisms from bilaterally to multilaterally, to build a community of shared security and achieve common security. It is necessary to note that this is a co-constructed and shared common security, members are on equal footing in the community, relatively weak community members are safeguarded from the power restraint. Take the East Asian regional cooperation as an example, the Chinese Government was in favor of "10+3" mechanism in the beginning, then the East Asian cooperation expanded to "10+6" or "10+8" promoted by the ASEAN countries concerned and other major powers. China, for maintaining relations and promoting the cooperation process, is willing to participate in this process.

The second method is strategic initiative, that is, China uses its own material strength to push back the influence intended to disrupt and interfere with community building, thus creating a favorable environment. In the process of community construction, some major countries may take advantage of economic means or purposely cook a security issue in order to sow discord among community members. For example, China timely supports the ASEAN-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and take more flexible and supportive attitude toward the Free Trade Area of the Asia –Pacific ( FTAAP), etc. so as to maintain a stable economic environment.64

Regarding disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, China took resolute measures to handle the situation,65which shows China’s strategic initiative to create a new balance of interests, a new relationship and a new pattern. Through the strategic initiative, China prudently and decisively pushed back the phenomenon unfavorable to the community building, thus, making non-regional major countries learn China’s determination to promote community order, respect its core interests, and establish new relations balance. On the basis of this relationship, China can help build the community more smoothly. The forming of political security cooperation mechanism is the core standard of a community of shared security, which can hardly be accomplished overnight, is bound to undergo twists and turns and even retrogression, and is a long-term process. Therefore, it is of great strategic value to endow this process with significance and make use of it. In this process, the maintenance of the relationship itself is the goal and is of great significance. In the process of maintaining this relations, constantly adjust the identities, and then adjust the interests, thus gradually form identities with different countries or regions such as a bilateral community of shared destiny, a peripheral community of shared destiny and Asian community of shared destiny and others.

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Whether it is a limit by the power structure of neo-realism, or neo-liberalism "contract" spirit, which all rely on external factors to promote cooperation and maintain order. And a truly strong and organic community must be supported by collective shared ideas. Therefore, after the forming of a community of shared interests based on economic cooperation and the a community of shared security based on security cooperation, it is necessary to set up a community of shared ideas characterized by shared ideas and collective identity. A clear-cut economic and political security cooperation framework provides a platform for long-term positive interaction among members and a regular international arena for communication and interaction among members. After a long period of interaction, cooperation and win-win outcome are still important content of the community of shared destiny, but the concept factors are highlighted. The process constructivism focuses on relationship maintenance; ensuring the relationship based on the identified concept of the community members; the relationship is more important than short-term material interests; as members attitudes toward the community is not only determined by benefits shared in the community, but the community identity in line with the trend. In the end, shared ideas are formed and community order is built.

Concluding Remarks

As a strategic objective, a community of shared destiny is a final formation of an international order and standard, and is a result; while a push to its formation is a process of long-term efforts, in which the community members have their interests convergence continuously strengthened, clearly recognize and respect each others security needs, have a definite security cooperation framework to safeguard members common security, and deepen their identity for the community. To build a community of shared destiny requires countries concerned to push it with material strength, or even some cooperation arrangements need to be led by some countries concerned, which cannot be equated with strong power seeking hegemony as a conclusion, since we also need to be aware that a community is a network, its members are symbiotic and interdependent, so there is no absolute security but only common security. The forming of a community is a process to attain phased results, and gradually steps to a stable community order, but cannot be completed overnight.

China and countries concerned and peripheral countries have certain differences in historical memories, cultures, religious beliefs, etc., to build a community of common culture is not to eliminate these differences, but to build a shared culture featuring mutual respect, harmony without sameness and inclusiveness on the basis of recognizing these differences, and this shared knowledge is conducive to promotion of peaceful coexistence and common prosperity.

1.Ferdinand Tonnies, translated by Lin Ronyuan, Beijing, Peking University Press, 2010, translator’s Forward, p.2.

2.Zygmunt Bauman, translated by Ouyang Jinggen, Nanjing, Jiangsu People’s Press, 2003, pp.4-9.

3.Richard Van Wagenen, Research in the International Organization Field: Some Notes on Possible Focus, Princeton:1952.

4.Karl W. Deutsch and Sidney A. Burrell, et. al., Political Community and the North Atlantic Areas: International Organization in the Light of Historical Experience, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1957; Karl W. Deutsch, “Security Community,” in James N. Rosenau, ed.,New York, Free Press, 1961.

5.Qin Yaqing, On International Relations Theories: Reflection and Reconstruction, Beijing, Peking University Press, 2012, p.16.

6. Emanuel Adler, and Michael Barnett, eds. “Security Community,” translated by Sun Hong, Beijing World Knowledge Press, 2015, Translator’s Forward, p.7.

7.Ibid. pp.7-8.

8.Xi Jinping’s speech at Central Diplomatic Work Conference, November 29, 2014, http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/29/c_1113457723.htm.

9.Xi Jinping, “Step toward a Community of Shared Destiny, Create New Future for Asia”, People’s Daily, March 29, 2015, p1.

10. Xi Jinping, “Carry forward Bandong Spirit, Promote Cooperation and Win-win Outcome,” People’s Daily, April 23, 2015, p2.

11.Wang Yi, “Collaborate to Build a Mankind Community of Shared Destiny,” People’s Daily, May 31, 2016, p7.

12.Xi Jinping, “May Community of Shared Destiny Awareness Take Roots in Neighboring Countries,” October 25, 2013, p2. http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-10/25/c_117878944.htm.

13. Xi Jinping’s speech at Central Diplomatic Work Conference, November 29, 2014, http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-11/29c_1113457723.htm.

14. Xi Jinping, “Carry forward Bandong Spirit, Promote Cooperation and Win-win Outcome,” People’s Daily, April 23, 2015, p2.

15. Collaborate to Build China-ASEAN Community of Shared Destiny,

16.Xi Jinping, “Carry forward Bandong Spirit, Promote Cooperation and Win-win Outcome,” People’s Daily, April 23, 2015, p2. http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/1004/c1024-23102653.html.

17. Richard Rigby and Brendan Taylor, “Whose Shared Destiny,”, https://www.thechinastory.org/yearbooks/yearbook-2014/chapter-2-whose-shared -destiny/.

18. Analytic Eclecticism is summarized by U.S. scholars Rudra Sil and Peter J. Katzenstein, Beyond Paradigms: Analytic Eclecticism in the Study of World Politics, Hampshire, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010. Translation into Chinese by Qin Yaqing and Ji Ling, Shanghai, Shanghai People’s Press, 2013.

19. Qin Yaqing, “Relationship and Process: Cultural Construction of China’s International Relations Theory,” Shanghai, Shanghai People’s Press, 2012.

20.Cui Liru, ”China’s Diplomacy Faces Competition within the Community of Shared Destiny,”No.4, 2014, p.68.

21. Timothy Heath, “China Overhauls Diplomacy to Consolidate Regional Leadership, Outline Strategy for Superpower Ascent,” The Jamestown Foundation, December 19, 2014, http://www.jamestown.org/program/chinabrief/single/?tx_ttnews(tt_news)=432168&cHash=60479b60857354b736laaae5d32287#.VwpfLOdPrd: Philippa Brant, “One belt, One Road? China’s Community of Common Destiny,”March 31, 2015, http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2015/03/31One-belt-one-road-chinas-community-of-common-destiny.aspx.

22.John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, New York, Norton, 2001.

23.Robert D. Keohane, After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy, Princeton, Princeton, University Press, 1984.

24. Qin Yaqing, “Relationship Theory of International Relations,”, No.2, 2015, pp.4-10.

25. Qin Yaqing, “Relationship and Process: Cultural Construction of China’s International Relations Theory,” Shanghai, Shanghai People’s Press, 2012.

26.Ibid., forward, p.11.

27.Ibid., pp.61-63.

28.A. Wendt, see “Social Theory of International Politics,” translated by Qin Yaqing, Shanghai, Shanghai People’s Press, 2000, pp180, 414-418.

29. Qin Yaqing, “Relationship and Process: Cultural Construction of China’s International Relations Theory,” 2012, pp.62-63.

30.Ibid., pp.63-64.

31.Ibid., pp.64.

32.Ibid. p.69.

33.See Tang Shiping, “Social Evolution of International Politics: From Mearsheimer to Jervis,”, No.4, 2009, pp5-31.

34.See Qin Yaqing, “Relationship and Process: Cultural Construction of China’s International Relations Theory,” 2012, p.49.

35.Ibid. p.66.

36. Ibid. p78.

37.Ibid. pp.49-50

38.Steven Bornstein and William Coleman, “Unsettled Legitimacy: Political Community, Power and Authority in a Global Era,” translated by Ding Kaijie, etc. Beijing, Social Science literature Press, 2011, Forward p.4.

39.Zhai Kun, “New Security Concept Version 3.0: Promote Peripheral Community of Shared Destiny Building,”No.24, 2008, pp.24-25.

40. Zhao Jun, “Community and Communitism in International Relations,”No.12, 2008, pp.55-61.

41. Rudra Sil and Peter J. Katzenstein, “Beyond Paradigms: Analytic Eclecticism in International Politics,” 2013, p17.

42. Ibid.p.17.

43.Ibid.p19.

44.Robert Merton, Social Theory and Social Structure, New York, Free Press, 1968.

45. Rudra Sil and Peter J. Katzenstein, “Beyond Paradigms: Analytic Eclecticism in International Politics,” 2013, p20.

46.Ibid.p33.

47.Zhou Fanggen and Gao Cheng, “East Asian Order: Concept, Institution and Strategy,” Beijing, Social Science Literature Press, 2012, pp261-262.

48. See Yuan Zhengqing, “From Security Dilemma to Security Community: A Constructivist View,”, No.4, 2003, p.46.

49. Emanuel Adler, and Michael Barnett, ed. “Security Communities,” translated by Sun Hong, Beijing World Affairs Press, 2015, Translator’s Forward, p.8.

50. Emanuel Adler, and Michael Barnett, ed., “Security Communities,” Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1998, p.51.

51.Ibid.p.44.

52. Wang Yi, “Collaborate to Build a Mankind Community of Shared Destiny,” People’s Daily, May 31, 2016, p7.

53.Ibid.p.7.

54.Xu YongJiang an d Wang Jiaqing, “AIIB: A Milestone for China to Provide Public Products to the World,” Theoretical Vision, No.4, 2015,pp.62-63,73.

55.Gan Juxian and Mao Yan, “Revival of the Silk Road: China’s High Speed Train Diplomacy,”, No.7, 2010, pp23-30.

56.Robert D. Keohane, ”After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy,” Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1984.

57. Wang Yi, “Collaborate to Build a Mankind Community of Shared Destiny,” People’s Daily, May 31, 2016, p7.

58.Men Honghua, “China’s Partnership Strategy Assessment and Prospects,”, No.2, 2015, p.68.

59. Ibid., p.84.

60.Xi Jinping having talks with Cambodian King, June 4, 2016, http://news.xinhuanet.com/mrdx/2016-06/04/c_135411842.htm.

61. Wang Yi meeting with Burma President, April 6, 2016, http://www.fmpre.gov.cn/web/wjbz_673089/zyhd_673091/t1353583./shtml.

62.Xu Jin, “Conception on a Four-wheel Structure for China’s Future East Asian Security Policy,”No.1, 2014, p13.

63. Jointly Write a New Chapter for China-Vietnam Friendship,” http://news.xinhuanet.com/mrdx/2016-11/07/c_134792427.htm.

64. Routine Press Conference by China’s Foreign Ministry Spokeman, http://www.fmpre.gov.cn/web/wjdt_674879/fyrbt_674889 /t1365671.shtml.

65. About 40 countries support China’s position on the Couth China Sea disputes, http://www.chinanews.com/gi/2016/05_14/7870303.shtml.

66. A. Wendt, see “Social Theory of International Politics,” translated by Qin Yaqing, Shanghai, Shanghai People’s Press, 2000 .