Challenges await this decade.docVIP

Challenges await China this decade By He Wei (China Daily)Updated: 2011-01-06 08:09 BEIJING - The key to a wise diplomatic strategy for China in the coming decade will be to balance its coexisting four international identities in the face of a decentralized, multi-polar world, experts say. As illustrated in the official guidelines of major powers are the key, surrounding areas are the first priority, developing countries are the foundation, and multilateral forums are the important stage, Chinas foreign policy has reflected several elements simultaneously. This has led to todays contending perspectives on Chinas role, since Beijing is viewed as a major power, a regional power, an emerging power and a developing nation, said Sun Zhe, director of the Center for US-China Relations at Tsinghua University. Thus, how to cope with these conflicting, yet complementary identities, Sun noted, remains a big challenge in the next decade. Changing powers Beijing has long resisted the label of being a major power given the widespread recognition of a unipolar post-Cold War structure. But China has gained a markedly higher standing influence on the world stage over the past years. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that China has fulfilled notable achievements in the past five years by holding the China-Africa Cooperation Forum Beijing Summit, Beijing Olympics, World Expo Shanghai and tackling world financial crisis and climate change. Related readings:?Embracing a brighter future?Hu: China to work for balanced growth, yuan?Comment: Being an amicable neighbor?China, US preparing for coming talks These five events have accelerated Chinas move to an obvious position on the international stage, and showed that China is an important force in maintaining world peace and promoting common development, Yang told reporters recently. Today, the power shift from the West to emerging powers, like China and India, has reshaped the global geopolitical structure, said Jin Canron