CHAPTER 1

THE PROPOSAL OF PEACEFUL DEVELOPMENT AND A HARMONIOUS WORLD

With the end of the Cold War, peace and development have become the major themesof our time, and the international situation has begun to assume certaincharacteristics inclining toward stability and moderation. The collapse ofbipolar structure and the termination of antagonism between capitalism andsocialism have brought a fundamental change to the once intense internationalrelationship; the menace of easily provoked wars does not exist anymore, and thepossibility of direct clashes between major powers is prominently diminished.Instead of fierce confrontation, relationships between countries take the newform of peace and cooperation; furthermore, the aspiration for cooperationbetween countries has, generally speaking, never been stronger; problems causedby war far outweigh benefits from it; and the cost for major powers tomaterialize their national interests through war is accelerating. Thus, eachcountry is pressing for a peaceful and stable international environment for itseconomic development.

The accelerating economic globalization affords every country a preciousopportunity to develop its economy. Establishment of the worldwide unifiedmarket enormously boosts free transnational movement of products, capital,services, and workforce and makes global distribution of resources possible.World trade has achieved unprecedented development, and the world economy keepsopening up. Meanwhile, the international division of labor in commodityproduction is becoming more complex, and the number of multinationalcorporations is growing rapidly. The development of communication andinformation technology is strengthening the political and economic relationshipsbetween countries and expanding exchanges between cultures and societies. Thissituation has resulted in much closer contacts between countries in the aspectsof production, trade, and other sectors, as well as greater interdependence andmore prominent mutual sensitivity and vulnerability. The interests of differentcountries are interwoven, and the growing joint international interests havecurbed the clash of interests between countries. Owing to this, seeking economiccooperation and maintaining common interests have become the major aspects ofinterstate relations, taking the place of conflict and confrontation. And thecompetition over comprehensive national strength rooted in economy, science, andtechnology has become the major competition mode between countries, substitutingfor arms races.

What's more, with the development of globalization, the world is confronted withever more prominent global issues in regard to environment and ecology, AIDS,and so on posing serious threats to the survival and development of humanbeings. Thus, economic globalization not only affords each country the preciousopportunity for economic development but also calls for more cooperation betweencountries. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, peace and developmentas the era's theme are gaining more prominence. The international and regionalregimes for politics, economy, and security have become a significant force inmaintaining international peace and promoting development. As the largestintergovernmental organization, the United Nations has been actively engaged inresolving international crises, tackling global issues, and aiding developingcountries. Through advanced mechanisms such as a single currency and commonforeign and security policies, the European Union (EU) has become the mosthighly integrated regional organization, whose peaceful development mode sets anexcellent example for the subsequently rising major powers or groups of nations.Another important impetus behind regional peace and development is the variousregional organizations such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), theNorth American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN), the African Union (AU), and especially the Shanghai CooperationOrganization, ASEAN "10 + 3," and ASEAN Regional Forum, in whose establishmentand improvement China has played a proactive role. Contributing to theprosperity and stability of Asia and to a favorable environment for China'seconomic development, these international and regional regimes are "an importantplatform for the rise of China." It is against this general background that theconception of peaceful development and a harmonious world gradually took shapein China.

This conception completely overthrows the thinking of colonial expansion andhegemony in modern history and remains an inevitable choice that fits thecurrent international value system. In modern history, even up to the end ofWorld War II, and in an international system where the law of the jungleprevailed, colonial expansion and wars were legitimate policy instruments forstates to accumulate wealth or achieve diplomatic goals. This sent those eager-to-risemajor powers on the track of wars for hegemony. However, in our worldtoday,...