Chinese Foreign Policy

Dr. Khalid Manzoor Butt

Background
China mainly focused on the domestic issue and national sec
urity and stability before 1980.

Chinese foreign policy formally start after the Chinese Refo

rm and Opening(1980) which led by Deng Xiaoping.

The main tasks of Chinese foreign policy are defensive and h

ave not changed much since the Cold War era:
to blunt destabilizing influences from abroad
to avoid territorial losses,
to reduce its neighbors' suspicions,
to sustain economic growth.
Foundations of Chinese Foreign Policy
Five principles of peaceful coexistence (FPPC)
1. Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
2. Mutual non-aggression.
3. Mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
4. Equality and mutual benefit.
5. Peaceful co-existence.
Purpose:
. Implies that good-neighborly relations come from preventing external instabili
ties from spilling over to fuel internal frictions.
. Suggests non-interference in internal affairs, mostly notably Taiwan and Tibet.

New security concept

. Adhere to the FPPC, but emphasizes on the bilaterally beneficial economic co
operation among states.
Purpose:
. It marks the new proactive Chinese approaches to international affairs.
Foundations of Chinese Foreign Policy
Peaceful rise/development
reassure the international community, particularly the neighboring co
untries, of Chinas benign future and that Chinas rise will not be a z
ero-sum game.
Harmonious world
Manifest Chinas commitment to global peace and stability, and the g
oal of a more just and equitable international system.
I. Diplomacy to U.S.

Before the Cold War, the USSoviet tensions drove China

US cooperation against Soviet expansion.

The collapse of Soviet Union led the divergence of Chinese

and American strategy.
Q: How China & America see each other?

Principle contradiction of Sino-U.S. relation:

security and territorial integrity
instigate the independence of Taiwan and sales arms
meet the Dalai Lama who want the Tibetan independence throug
h a series of inflammatory speeches
contact with the Rabiye Qadir who is responsible to a series of
violent and bloody terrorist attacks in Xinjiang
the different vision of future
U.S.: want to keep its unipolar status quo
China: achieve entirely access to globalization, meet its sustaina
ble development
Q: How China & America see each other?
Difference of American Experts and Publics view to China:

Expert:
far less concerned about Chinas rising power
more likely to support building a strong relationship with China
mostly describe China as a competitor of the United States

General public:
concerned about Chinas growing economic strength and the nega
tive effect on U.S.
more likely than the experts to label China as an threat
should be tough with China on trade/economy
II. Energy secure policy

Overview

Domestic inequality of resource supply and demand

20% world population, 12.6% world coal reserves,

1.3% oil and natural gas reserves.

Vulnerable to high prices, supply fluctuations, and increa

sed competition for geographically concentrated energy r
esources.
II. Energy secure policy (Oil)

Oil Strategy: diversify suppliers and secure energy sourc

es.
Poor domestic production
 Given the instability of Iran politics, China increases its coo
peration with the oil-producing Persian Gulf countries.
II. Energy secure policy (Iron ore)
Iron Ore Strategy: shift from resource trade to resource i
nvestment bilaterally.
Australia is the largest iron ore exporter to China.
Invest in Australian resources in the hope of integrating its s
teel production and supply chain.
III. Territorial claims

Proclaim the disputed regions as inalienable part of China.

Major territorial claims regions:

Taiwan
Diaoyu Islands (with Japan)
South China Sea (with Philippines)
Aksai Chin (with India)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsU7wjbOPZ4
III. Territorial claims
Q: What is the Chinese Military Might for?

show the military capability to surrounding countries

enhance the domestic security confidence
self-defense rather than active attacks or aggression
 Is it a threat?
China's Armed Forces Are the
Biggest in the World!!!

Yes, but depends on how you count.

Shrinking active personnel by 1.7 million in last decade.
(2,200,000 out of 1.3 billion population, compared to USs 1,455,375 out of 312 millio
n)
Much less defense spending than US.
($ 100 billion vs. $738 billion in U.S.)
Limited global range
(no overseas bases vs. 285,773 American active-duty personnel overseas)
Think about the one-child policy
IV. ODA and foreign investments
Region: Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia

Formation: Partially resembles official development assistance

(ODA), partially shares characteristics of foreign investment.

Consist: concessional or low-interest loans and government-ba

cked or subsidized investments in infrastructure and natural res
ources

Goals:
I. Promote regional peace and economy
II. Filling unmet development needs
III. Secure and transport natural resources
Implications & Questions

What is the right way for U.S. treat the aggressive minorities
(Dalai Lama) ?

Where are Chinese territorial claims really comes from? And is

there a appropriate solution towards them?

How China deal with the contradiction between the energy d

iplomacy and the close relationships with unsavory regimes
(such as Libya, Iran)