Geopolitics Full of Changes

Lu: Just now, we have discussed the overall situation and bigpower relations. The basic tones are featured by reshaping and relax-ation in appearance and tension in reality. The two features are reflect-ed on geopolitics to some extent. Therefore, I suggest we need to dis-cuss world geopolitics and relevant issues from a different angle. Thethree changes in current international geo-politic strategy deserve ourattention: one is that the Atlantic Ocean becomes wider and wider, sec-ond is that…     

China''''s Foreign Policy under New Circumstances (Ⅱ)

The Iraq war and the North Korean nuclear crisis are the two big events that are attracting worldwide attention. The many debates and changes that have arisen around the globe from these two issues, with the former in particular, cannot but cause every     

Several Characteristics of the Current International Situation and the New Security Concept

I. Several features of current international situationi. The international situation is further becoming multi-polarized.The end of the bi-polar pattern in the world situation in the early 90s of the 20th century brought about two consequences: one is that it has broken the former structure of the balance of power and led to a relative imbalance of power in the world; the other is that after the Cold War in which two super powers sought domination over the world, there is only one super power…     

The Transformation of International Politics since 9/11

The strategic legacy of 9/11 will outlive the Korean and Vietnam Wars and the two Gulf Wars because they triggered only quantitative rather than qualitative transformations in the international strategic landscape. The 9/11 disaster sparked the Afghan and Iraq Wars and the global "war on terror," which as yet have no end in sight. It has already led to a qualitative overhaul in the world strategic order, affecting the international power balance and perspectives on international relations so much that even the unfolding upheaval in West Asia and the North Africa known as the Arab Spring seems minor by     

Learn from the Past Experience and Lessons and Push China-U.S. Relations to a Brighter Future

The relationship between China and the United States is the most important bilateral relations in the world. Though being the most complicated relationship, it has been managed as the most successful one in the world. In terms of population, territorial size, overall national strength and international status, both China and the United Sates are big countries with great influence in the world arena. The nature and value of such a relationship between major powers exceeds that of pure bilateral relations. China-U.S. relations not only have a close bearing on the fundamental interests of the two peoples, but also are of vital importance to world peace, security and development.     

International System and China’s Asia-Pacific Strategy

What impact does a shift in the global distribution of power have on the international order? According to the views of traditional realists,power transitions in the international order are usually accompanied by major wars,the best example being the two world wars of the twentieth century.China’s peaceful rise is conducive to the peace and stability of Asia and Pacific regions.The steady rise of China’s position and its role in dealing with international and regional problems have proved China’s success in...     

Multi,polarization and the ＂Strategic Partnership＂ of the Big Powers

The international financial crisis has brought about major turbulence in the political arena of the world. The world is in a transition period. The trend of multi-polarization is dynamic and moves along the changes in the balance of international forces. An apparent feature in the recent ten years is that the strength and international influence of the sole super power--the US is comparatively decreasing. The international pattern that is developing in depth has led to contradictions and frictions of various kinds, especially the political and economic problems among the big powers and between the existing powers and the emerging powers. However,     

Build Up Constructive and Cooperative China-U.S.Relations on the Basis of Mutual Respect and Mutual Trust

C hina and the United States are two important countries in the world. While the United States is the most powerful developed nation, China is the largest and most populous developing country on the globe. The relations between the two countries naturally have very great impact on the welfare of the people of the whole world as well as the general international situation. Sound, stable and cooperative China-U.S. relations are of great strategic significance for the peace and stability in th…     

The Changes of the U. S. and the Constraints It Facing

The war in Iraq is coming to an end, and the military actions are giving place to the reconstructions of that country's political, economic and social systems. This war marks a major event in international rela     

Views on the Current International Situation and Future International Order

The contemporary world situation is undergoing complex and deep changes and at a conjuncture of major transformation and readjustment. Generally speaking, the international situation is stable and the common wish of the people of the world is to seek peace, development and cooperation. The international balance of power is developing in the direction favourable to world peace, leaving little possibility of major scourge of war that may disequilibrate world configuration. But the old problems affecting world tranquillity are still pending with cropping up of new problems and new conflicts. The relations among major world powers are undergoing delicate changes. There is uncertainty in regional conflicts and hot spot issues in the Middle East and Africa. Traditional security threats are intertwined with non-traditional ones.     

Another ＂Complementarity＂ in Sino-Australian Security Cooperation

This paper examines how China has played a "responsible" role in international humanitarian post-disaster assistance by taking the example of China’s assistance to post-tsunami Aceh,and explores policy implications with regard to future Sino-Australian security cooperation.China and Australia took inconsistent approaches to assistance in Aceh,which derived from their different understandings of international "responsibility".However,the inconsistencies do not necessarily hamper cooperation between the two.Rather,it is because of these inconsistent approaches that the two countries’ cooperation can develop into comprehensive and multifaceted assistance.The key to successful cooperation between the two countries,this paper argues,is the notion of "complementarity".In policy documents on bilateral relations,Chinese and Australian policymakers emphasize the "economic complementarity" between the two,but this "complementarity" is also useful when the two explore the way in which they will cooperate on security issues.One example of this complementary approach with regard to assistance for Aceh is the Australian effort to promote stability in both tsunami and non-tsunami affected areas,and Chinese economic investment in Aceh,in keeping with the Acehnese local expectations of long-term economic development and more employment opportunities,which are the foundation stones of stability.While these efforts are not consistent,they are highly complementary to each other,and have great potential to encourage peace and stability in Aceh.     

Contradictions and Compatibility between China＇s Multilateral Cooperation System and the U.S.-led Bilateral Alliance Structure in East Asia

The bilateral alliance structure dominated by the United States and the multilateral cooperation system advocated by China exist side by side in East Asia, which presents distinct dualistic structural feature of the international system in the region. These two systems, in essence, are contradictory and mutually opposing and neither of which could replace the other in reality. In a relatively long period of time, these international systems in East Asia will drive the region to and stability in the process contradictions and compatibility. develop in a direction of peace of accommodation between     

Changes Since September 11

The international situation has changed considerably in the five years since September 11, and there are many new characteristics that require special attention.     

Change Ideas and Take Initiative in Taking Countermeasures

After the September 11 events, the international pattern and great power relations have readjusted. The importance of non-traditional security factors in international politics rise rapidly. The homeland security issue that various sovereign states are confronting has become prominent. These changes re-challenge the traditional security concept.     

The Lagging behind Security Ties and the Way out

The present Sino-Japanese relations have developed smoothly and achieved marked results, but some problems are yet to be, solved. One of them is that, compared with the closer economic ties, political and security relations between the two states are lagging behind, in which security relations in particular have obstructed the deepening of ties between the two nations. As two major powers in East Asia, the ties be-     

International System in Transition： From the Perspective of Financial Crisis

The U.S. subprime mortgage crisis has rapidly developed andspread from the region to the world and from the economic and financial field to the political and social field. It has evolved into an international financial crisis with a powerful force of impact and covering a wide range of fields rarely seen in history, and has become a major historical event that has a profound impact on the United States and the world at large since the 9/11 incident. The international community generally believes that it is a crisis of the existing order and system, and calls for reform of the international financial system are unprecedentedly high. This again has led to a discussion of the reform of the international system. The impact of the crisis on the transition of the entire international system has begun to appear.     

Changes in the International Pattern and Construction of the International Order in an Age of Multi-polarization

Sino-US relations are vital for shaping future world order which,despite the two powers'growing competition,calls for strategic cooperation in response to various threats.The Obama administration adjusted foreign policy in response to the current multipolarity but faced internal and external constraints.With ongoing order construction in the Middle East,Europe and the Asia-Pacific,multiple historical and realistic factors influence the international community.     

Disadvantaged Groups and Asymmetric Conflicts

The article metaphorizes the relationship of extra-system actors with the world＇s dominant international system as a ＂jostle-to-board- the-train Game Model,＂ and transplants the disadvantaged group theory of domestic sociology to international relations. On the basis of this the author proposes a loss-driven model to explain the self-destructive asymmetric conflicts in the world today. As the result of two climaxes in the jostle to board the train games, the author argues that three structural changes have occurred： centralization of power, institutionalization, and legitimization in the international system. These changes have created a ＂spindle-shaped＂ system structure with international disadvantaged groups taking a passive role. Although this structure is highly stable, channels for international disadvantaged groups to express their interests are blocked. As the net losers in the established system and order, international disadvantaged groups have no alternative but to follow the loss-driven model to confront the strong. Their action of ＂beating stone with eggs＂ is surely not capable of overthrowing the whole system, but creates a significant potential threat to world stability and harmony.     

Grasping Changes in Environment from the Economic Angle

It is of great significance to have a clear understanding of the international environment that China faces. But this is an uneasy job. Since September 11, the world situation has become so complicated that it is hard to grasp its essence even with painstaking efforts. To judge such an already complicated international environment from China's perspective adds more difficulties, for different people usually have different views due to the different angles from which they see the situation and different methods they adopt. This, understandably, leads to hot debates within the Chinese academic circles. To provide a stage for exchange of views, at the invitation of the CIR Expert Forum, some well-known scholars and experts on international relations from Beijing gathered to hold a symposium on November 5, 2002, with the theme of "How to assess the international environment that China faces". The speeches at the symposium are published in two installments. Following are the second half.     

Ghina-U.S.Trade --the Path of Development

The United States is the world's largest economy and China is ranked number four; together the two countries comprise one third of the global economy. 40% of the international economic growth is sustained by the two countries. In terms of international trade, the United States and China are the first and the third largest trading nations respectively. Trade developments of these two countries have a huge impact on international imports and exports.