Chen Jian: China Will be a Country with Duality

The so-called “responsible great power” isdefined by western countries who want us not to challenge the United States andthe current international system. To deal with it, we need to develop politicalinfluence, or China needs to become a country with both influence and affinity.Yet China is still not doing enough in those two aspects at present.

Reporter: Wang Yizhu

Reporter: As a senior diplomat, how do you think ofChina’s cultivating an image of a“great power”?

ChenJian: There actually doesn’t exist the issue of“cultivating an image of a great power”. The image of a great power will comeout naturally as long as China is strong. Now the issue is, it is the west thatwantsChinato be a responsible great power. The so-called “responsible great power” is defined by westerncountries who want us not to challenge theUnited Statesand the currentinternational system. To deal with it, we need to developpolitical influence, orChinaneed to become a country with both influence and affinity. Yet China is stillnot doing enough in those two  aspects atpresent.

Influence, reflecting in our own success, includes that is broughtby the achievements on economic construction and that already in China’s systemsand values. Our values should be not only accepted by the entire Chinesepeople, but also regarded as an advanced system of values by internationalcommunity. Thus, we would have the political influence. Meanwhile, we also haveto develop our affinity in diplomacy. We need to provide the world publicgoods, promoting the most interests shared among various countries.

Reporter: How wouldChinadefine its international position for another decade from your viewpoint?

ChenJian: I should say it’s the most difficult toposition China, because we are ranked as the global second by GNP and wouldprobably pass the United States and win the first place in the next decadeaccording to various estimates.Chinais already a big guy in the sense of total amount, but its per capita GNP isstill low; soft power and hard power, such as technology level, are far awayfrom those in developed countries. That’s the reason thatChinahas a duality: it maintains the charactersof developed countries, for instance, developments in southeast coastal areaand in cities likeShanghaiandBeijingare comparable to thosein developed countries; but some hinterland still suffers desperate poverty. Thisduality would exist for quite a long time, more than 10 years.

The government has formulated the goals of development which consistof sustainable development, eliminating poverty, reducing the gap, etc. If thegoals could be met, we would become a moderately developed country in thefollowing decade or so and move to developed country ranks. Our difficulty nowis, we are considered and asked to take responsibilities as a great power,whereas we know we are still weak, large but not strong. The contradiction isalways there.

Reporter: How do you think ofChina’sdiplomatic performance onHuangYanIslandevent?

ChenJian: We did well onHuangYanIslandevent. Based on historicalexperience, we ought to be both reasonable and righteous.Chinashould possess aninternational vision all along, seeking the commanding heights of its own interestsas well as standing on the moral high ground. Neither is dispensable. It’s adiplomatic difficulty.

Reporter: What stance do you think shouldChinatake in the futureinternational negotiations on carbon emission and environmental protectionresponsibility?

ChenJian: In my opinion,Chinashould take moreresponsibilities than ordinary developing countries and less than developedcountries. Emphasizing that we are only a developing country is not enough anymore sinceChinais already one of the world’s biggest polluters and the world’s second largesteconomy. However, in a sense of historical responsibility and per capita, weindeed should not foot the bill for developed countries. Therefore, ourposition should be like this which is more acceptable to international society.

Reporter: The United Union is another important stage for great powers tocompete. Some might say, the UN could be easily driven bythe interests of great powers. Since you have worked in the UN for manyyears, how do you evaluate this viewpoint? What shouldChinado?

ChenJian: The UN could be easily driven by theinterests of great powers – it’s absolutely right. The UN is founded on thebasis of great power unanimity. If great powers are not unanimous and the rightof vetos is cancelled, there will be no UN at all. That’s why the UN would bedriven by great powers definitely, which is normal and we need to accept. ForChina, the key is how to utilize the power toaccord the interests ofChinawith those of numerous developing countries. In this way, we would not be asuperpower with hegemonism like theUnited Statesthat tries todominate the world; we would stand on the moral high ground then.

Reporter: Various nations now take much count of people-to-people or publicdiplomacies. With the enhancement of national strength, shouldChinado anything in this aspect?

ChenJian: The best example for people-to-peoplediplomacy is the disturbance of Olympic torch relay inParis. Western media basically did notcomment the speech from Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs then, some of whicheven opposed to it. But during theParistorch relay, Chinese oversea students were holding both French flag and Chineseflag, which drew a lot of attention. The benefit of people-to-people diplomacyis it has much more influence; sometimes governmental speeches are oftenconsidered to have a fixed pattern and thus could not be paid attention.

Introduction:

Chen Jian, graduated from Dept. of English,FudanUniversity,Chen Jian has longtime worked for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and wasone of the first Chinese diplomats at United Nations afterChinarestored the legitimate seatin UN. He used to beChina’spermanent representative to the UN and the Director-General andspokesman of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry. He served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the UN from 2001 to 2007.