2016: A Fruitful Year for Chinese Diplomacy

Going Global via the Belt and Road

The Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed in 2014. Over the following three years, China proceeded under the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration. China’s development is thus closely integrated with that of other countries along these routes, where the cooperation concept enjoys popular support. The Spirit of the Silk Road – namely peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit – has fused with the new international relations advocated by China – namely, equality, mutual benefit, and win-win cooperation. China is committed to building a community of common destiny and interests with countries along the routes. Such a concept has extensive support throughout the international community and is already bearing fruit.

First, the initial plan of the layout has been drawn up. More than 70 countries and international and regional organizations have expressed willingness to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. A further 34 countries and international organizations have signed inter-governmental cooperation agreements with China.

Second, connectivity is gradually taking shape. The Hungary-Serbia Railway and Jakarta-Bandung Railway have gone into operation, and the building of railways between China and Laos, and China and Thailand has commenced. The construction of a number of expressways is under energetic promotion, and preparations for maritime connectivity are afoot. The normalization of trains between China and Europe has been realized, and the land, sea, and air network of connections in Eurasia has strengthened.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Polish counterpart, AndrzejDuda (right), welcome the arrival of the first China Railway Express freight train to Poland in Warsaw on June 20, 2016.

Third, production capacity cooperation is expanding. China has signed relevant agreements with 20 countries, and a multitude of major projects has yielded gratifying results in various countries. China has allocated more than US $100 billion to a capacity cooperation fund. The 52 early stage projects existent between China and Kazakhstan, with a total investment of US $27 billion, enact the dual roles of initiating a new pattern of international capacity cooperation and giving play to a vital demonstration effect.

Fourth, breakthroughs have been made as regards innovative mechanisms. They include the opening of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the launch of the first batch of Silk Road Fund investment projects, and financial cooperation funds among countries along the routes. China has built a total of 46 outbound cooperation areas with 17 countries. In 2015, the bilateral trade volume between China and countries along the routes surpassed US $one trillion.

Fifth, people-to-people exchanges have become even more frequent and complex. Sections of the Silk Road have been listed as World Heritage, and the application in that respect for the Maritime Silk Road is in process. The First Silk Road International Cultural Expo took place in Dunhuang, Gansu Province in 2016. The achievements resulting from human and cultural cooperation have injected lasting vitality into construction of the Belt and Road. More countries and their peoples are becoming aware that the initiative proposed by China offers opportunities to the world.

As in-depth construction of the Belt and Road progresses, the joint development and prosperity of countries along the routes will become increasingly manifest.

Win-win Cooperation and Strengthened Partnership

In 2016, China’s major proposal to build a community of human destiny enjoyed popular support, and diplomatic endeavors to build a partnership network made new progress. On the basis of full diplomatic coverage over recent years, Chinese diplomacy strengthened the country’s relationships by establishing partnerships in various forms with more than 80 countries, regions, and organizations. China has made great efforts to build a stable and balanced relationship framework with major countries. Following the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, the country’s conduct of neighborhood diplomacy has given rein to full-scale regional cooperation, so strengthening and heightening solidarity, and elevating cooperation with developing counties to a new level.

China is both the initiator and practitioner of a new type of international relations. Chinese wisdom, adopted in efforts to resolve sensitive regional and international issues and complex global challenges, is widely applauded in the international community. By participating in international anti-terror cooperation, promoting network security, and coping with climate change, China has contributed significantly to maintaining world peace and security, so living up to its image as a responsible great power.

Chinese diplomacy has also gained gratifying progress in the building of a community of common destiny with neighboring countries. By properly dealing with the South China Sea Arbitration unilaterally raised by Aquino III’s government of the Philippines, China effectively safeguarded its national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. More than 70 countries and organizations and 200 political parties in the world expressed their unequivocal support for China over the arbitration. When, on November 19, 2016, President Xi Jinping met President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines in Lima, Peru, he emphasized that both sides should proactively discuss maritime cooperation, promote benign interaction, and so transform the South China Sea dispute into a matter that promotes friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiations both accords with the fundamental interests of the parties concerned and is beneficial to the peace and development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

China has moreover always contributed to regional development, firmly maintained peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and proactively supported Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction. During the BRICS Summit in Goa, India, President Xi proposed contributing more Chinese schemes and wisdom to BRICS cooperation and development. The four goals China raised – namely, market integration, unimpeded financial circulation, improved infrastructure construction connectivity, and enhanced people-to-people exchanges – were approved by all parties. China has frequently expressed hopes of consolidating and adding momentum to its cooperation with other BRICS members and so creating a more splendid future for BRICS.

China has also maintained a healthy momentum of development in its relationship with Europe. Thanks to the link between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Europe 2020 development strategy, the connection between China’s international production capacity cooperation and The Investment Plan for Europe, and the link between China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) cooperation and China-Europe cooperation as a whole, China has tried to integrate the advantages of China, CEE countries and developed countries in Western Europe to boost balanced development and achieve win-win results while advancing cooperation. The Hungary-Serbia Railway made progress during President Xi’s visit to the Czech Republic, Serbia, and Poland , as did the construction of the land-sea express between China and Europe. When Premier Li attended the Fifth Summit of China and CEE countries in Riga, Latvia, he put forward four proposals for the “16+1” cooperation framework, thereby injecting new vitality into the overall development of the China-Europe relationship.

The year 2016 marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Arab countries. President Xi’s visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iran earlier that year elevated cooperative relations between China and Arab countries to a new level. Under the guidance of win-win cooperation, cooperation between China and Arab states have made major achievements in many fields. Five Arab countries have signed cooperation agreements with China under the Belt and Road Initiative, seven countries have joined the AIIB as founding members, eight countries have established strategic partnerships with China, and China became the largest trading partner of 10 Arab countries. Moreover, cultural and people-to-people exchanges have made significant progress.

As a vibrant land brimming with vitality, Africa’s international status and impact is constantly expanding. In 2016, China worked together with African countries to implement the 10 cooperation plans that President Xi Jinping proposed in December 2015 at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in Johannesburg. A number of cooperation projects have brought early harvests and benefits to Chinese and African people.

Sino-Latin American relations have consistently thrived, and mutually beneficial cooperation has reached a new level. President Xi made state visits to Ecuador, Peru, and Chile in November 2016 – his third visit to Latin America as Chinese President. The tour comprehensively promoted political mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation between China and the countries visited, and also promoted sustainable and in-depth development of the all-around Sino-Latin American partnership. Following the trend of the deepening regional cooperation among developing countries, the China-Latin America and the Caribbean Business Summit propelled Sino-Latin American relations to a new stage of integrative and bilateral cooperation. China has become Latin America’s second largest trade partner, and Latin America China’s second largest overseas investment destination, with direct investment of more than US $150 billion. Cultural exchange activities between the two have also blossomed.

In light of today’s volatile international situation, China unswervingly follows the road of peaceful development. It is always at the forefront of building world peace, a significant contributor to global development, and a vindicator of international order. China does its utmost to contribute more to joint human development and progress.

WU SIKE is former Chinese Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue and a senior diplomat.