IV. Providing Certainty and Positive Energy For the World

IV. Providing Certainty and Positive Energy For the World

By Professor Zheng Yongnian

The East Asian Institute , National University of Singapore

Today's world situation is unpredictable and full of uncertainty. Comparatively speaking, the uncertainty comes from the inside of the Western world, while China is providing certainty for the uncertain world with posture of a responsible major power.

Since the 1980s, economic globalization and technological progress have created huge wealth for mankind. As the leader of globalization and the center of technological innovation, the West has experienced general prosperity. Then, some problems are followed in the Western society that are hard to solve. The wealth created by globalization and technological progress falls into the pockets of a very few people, the income gap is becoming larger and larger, the social differentiation is becoming more and more obvious, and the basic fairness that a healthy society depends on for survival is lost. What's more, because the middle class that supports the Western democracy shrank in the past, multi-party politics evolved into parties strife, there was not much consensus among the different parties, the opposition opposed for the sake of opposition, the basic governance was in serious crisis, and the government's ability to maintain social order was greatly reduced. Such internal problems have led to the rise of populism. Because of the difficulties of internal reform, some countries simply push the responsibility to the outside, to the globalization and other countries, leading to the rising economic nationalism and trade protectionism. When politicians are determined to externalize the internal crisis, the internal hardliners are on the rise, and the conflicts among countries are no longer limited to the simple trade field, but expand to other fields.

China and other developing countries continue to rise as a stabilizing force in the world situation. Leaders of developing countries, represented by BRICS countries, strengthened communication, consensus and coordination, and continued to promote globalization on the basis of multilateralism. Whether it is the western developed countries or the developing countries, people turn their attention more to China.

It has been found that, at both the international and domestic levels, China presents a totally different situation from the United States. The United States "retreated" one after another, and China accelerated steps to the world. China has steadily promoted the Belt and Road construction, and turns the Belt and Road construction into effective institutionalized building, and stresses green, high-quality and sustainable development. China has also signed upgraded versions of free trade agreements with some countries. The negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was concluded as a whole. Even on the South China Sea issue, which is constantly disturbed by foreign powers, China and ASEAN countries have made positive progress in their consultation on the South China Sea Code of Conduct. In China, the success of the Import Expo not only shows the huge Chinese market, but also shows the transformation of China to a big consumer country. Free trade zone (port), Dawan District, financial opening and other "big hand" program, showing the "major country doing great things" style. At the same time, China actively promotes internal structural reform to achieve high-quality and sustainable development. Despite the downward pressure on China's economy, it still contributes the largest share of world economic growth.

China provides the international public goods necessary for today's international order, avoiding the "Kindleberger Trap" that people have been worried about, that is, the world is out of order due to the lack of sufficient public goods. In particular, it should be pointed out that China's doing so is neither "making a new start" to establish a world or regional order with itself as the center, nor, like other major countries before and now, building "groups" aimed at other countries. What China advocates and strives for is reform and supplementation, and it has no intention of introducing subversive factors into the existing world order. China advocates reform because the world system needs reform. The existing system is established and controlled by the West, but after the rise of emerging economies, their interests and representation are not reflected, resulting in the poor operation of the world system. China has the Belt and Road construction collectively, BRICS New Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which show that China has developed its ability to make institutional supplements to international order and regional order.

One of the manifestations of the externalizing internal contradictions by the United States and other Western countries is to "demonize" emerging economies, especially China, by virtue of their international discourse power. However, the practical logic of the operation of the world system will not be changed, the externalization of internal contradictions will not solve the internal problems of the West, and a rising China will not be arbitrarily manipulated by the United States and the West.

China has the ability to achieve internal sustainable development while avoiding external "Thucydides Trap". Despite concerns about the lack of political trust between China and the United States (West), there are huge common interests between China and the United States (West). No country will give up the Chinese market. It is the belief of the West in the past as well as today that it does not oppose its own interests.

New China is built up in the course of resisting imperialism and hegemonism. While pursuing national rise and rejuvenation, Chinese leaders insist on "never seeking hegemony" and do not believe in the logic that "a strong country is bound to seek hegemony". The idea of building a community of shared future for mankind advocated by China is not only a reflection of the reality of globalization, but also a reflection of the values of shared destiny for mankind. Whether it is to try to avoid the "Thucydides trap" or to actively provide the necessary public goods for the international community, China is practicing the value of the community of shared future for mankind and promoting the construction of the community of shared future for mankind.

A stable China is the biggest source of certainty for this uncertain world. This is the case today, and it will remain so for a long time to come.

(Edited excerpts of the article in People’s Daily 26 December 2019)