CHINA DREAM: China’s Major-Country Diplomacy
This blog subjectively represents my summary and reflection on a documentary issued on CCTV channel, China's Major-Country Diplomacy
Resource:China's Major-Country Diplomacy, Historic Path, Episode 1, CCTV 12 September, 2017 @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei9WH6pIhVg
Source: CCTV
On November 15, 2012, Xi Jinping was elected as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China. Since then, the Party recognized “Peace and Development” as the main themes of all times in the wake of global village world. Notwithstanding the magnificent concepts, China faces difficulties which require stability of international environment. What does China want from the world? What does China contribute to the world?
President Xi Jinping has a vision for China to have a distinctive model of international diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, styles, and manners. The model is called Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics, which can be summarized by following aspects.
confidence as a major country under socialism with Chinese characteristics
shared future for mankind
comprehensive diplomacy for global partnership (OBOR)
national sovereignty, security and development interests
new versions and practices for global governance
The diplomacy model acknowledges Chinese relations with Europe, the US and other developing countries particularly Mekong cooperation with ASEAN and reignited cooperation with Japan and South Korea.
To link China to the world, in 2013 President Xi Jinping proposed Belt and Road initiative which, over courses of history, has moved from concept to action, from version to reality.
It is acknowledged that wherever President Xi Jinping goes, he is warmly welcomed by the people. For an instance in Germany, he was welcomed by German Chancellor Ms Merkel’s husband, Joachim Sauer, who rarely appears in public. President Xi Jinping received great welcome during his royal visits to Cambodia and Russia.
Source: CCTV
“Leading, uniting and inspiring the world” is quoted to indicate China’s experiences of development. People’s Republic of China published a book titled Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, which covers President Xi and his contributions to China’s development.
source: CCTV
Over the past 2 years, 6.5 million copies of the book are available around the globe in 21 languages. On 11 April of 2017, Cambodian PM Hun Sen and other Cambodian ministers attended the launching ceremony of Cambodian edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. The PM Hun Sen also shared the soft-copy of the book on his Facebook page for Cambodian people to learn from it.
Having a book copy with Xi Jinping’s signature, former French PM, Jean-Pierre Raffarin quotes, “the book charts the course for innovation, progress, and modernization. On the other hand, Martin Albrow, a British expert in economics and globalization, honored that the China’s experiences shared by President Xi Jinping contribute a lot to the theory of globalization.
Over the next five years, China is expected to expand imports by 8 trillion USD, Foreign Direct Investments by 600 billion USD, overseas investment by 750 billion USD and overseas tourists by 700 million USD. However, the question of how to expand is on the way.
In terms of cultural exchange, in 2015 China kicked off an announcement of South-South Cooperation and Development Academy which a year later welcomed its first bench of students. Onwards, the secrets of China’s development started to be discovered by diversity of students from different countries.
Not only education but also media is another tool for Chinese culture internationalization.That China provided TV satellite access to 10,000 African villages in 2015 gives me an insight into question on whether China’s help enhances productivity or consumerism in the receipt countries. For an example, a poor community in Tanzania could access to satellite digital TV with 5 USD monthly pay. With these TVs, African poor could see the world, according to what China claims. In my opinions, it has two implications. On one hand, the China’s support promotes consumerism instead of productivity unless there is evidence that TV consumption helps the locals earn money. On the other hand, TV consumption plays a role in China’ soft power politics since it is still questionable about how TV programs and channels are filtered.
Online Sinolization: What’s on Weibo
Due to gradual rise of China’ role in the world, more people are becoming what it is called sinologists, who particularly have interests in culture and issue updates in China. Chinese version of Google is introduced and seen at whatsonweibo.com, through which people can access information, maybe with prior filter, related to China.
Open Sky
By July 2017 China reached agreements on 131 countries on visa-free travel while Chinese people can travel to 64 countries without visa or by securing visa on arrival. In the rise of Chinese tourists abroad, there are Chinese tourist officers in foreign countries like Italy.
China Stepping into International Humanitarian
In early 2015, more than 600 Chinese citizens were evacuated from conflicting Yemen by Chinese navy. During deterioration in Yemen crisis, Chinese war ships evacuated 270 foreign citizens from 15 countries including Pakistan, India, Ethiopia, Egypt, Singapore, UK and Belgium. China was internationally praised by international community and press.
MY SINGLE REFLECTION IS CONCERNED WITH INCONSISTENCY OF POLITICAL STRUCTURES OF CHINA AND ITS DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS SINCE CHINA USES ITS COMMUNIST MODELS, BUT SOME OF ITS PARTNERS ALREADY ADOPT CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY. HOW TO ENSURE DEVELOPMENT WITH MINIMUM POLITICAL CONFLICTS?
