New Turbulence in the Middle East

Americans often say that September 11 has transformed the world, but in fact, it has primarily changed the U. S. itself. The Middle East, as well, due to a shift in U.S. policies and strategies,has gone through significant changes. This in turn has exerted substantial influence on future development of the international situation.What kind of change has taken place in the Middle East? We might find some answers from historical and realistic perspectives.     

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.     

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     

How much has the world changed？

The U.S. president responded quickly to the 9/11 terrorist at- tacks. Confronted by a changing world, the United States had to im- plement newstrategies in order to deal with problems of the post-9/ 11 era, one of these strategies being its war on terrori…     

Surpassing the Cold War Mentality

Five years have passed since September 11. What has been the influence of these events on international relations? What has changed in the world since then? The majority of scholars hold that the September 11 terrorist attacks were essentially a key event, a "turning point" in the international strategy transformation after the Cold War.Yet some others believe that the September 11 terrorist attacks cannot have had so profound an impact on international relations. For example, in America's Foreign Policy, most articles commemorating the fifth anniversary of September 11 fall into the second category. These articles suggest that, five years after September 11, security issues have not slowed down the pace of globalization; potential strategic competition among the big powers has not been weakened due to their cooperation in counter-terrorism and international terrorist organizations, represented by Al Qaeda, still exist. Meanwhile, many proturning-point scholars think that, after September 11, terrorism has become the main threat to international security and that the strategic focuses of major powers have also undergone a big adjustment, valuing cooperation over competition. There is even a saying that "the central content of international relations is to meet challenges from the non-state actors represented by terrorism."     

Facilitating Local Economic Development through Efforts that Center on National Diplomatic Strategies

正Weifang City of Shandong Province is the birthplace of the kite,and is the City of Kite known across the world.In recent years,the city has been actively engaged in international exchanges.We kicked off these exchanges with activities related to kites and then expanded international economic and trade cooperation.Bearing in mind the national strategies     

陆国忠文英译文

Ever since Sept. 11 events, international situation has undergone remarkable changes. Not only has the United States made major readjustments to its security strategy and foreign policy, but major powers in the world have also adjusted their foreign and security policies in order to adapt to the new development in international situation. In its effort to fight terrorism, the U.S. has to rely heavily on its allies, and in Asia it attaches much importance to the role Japan can play while the latter has given active support to the former in that war. The greater intimacy of the Japan- US relations has become even more outstanding in the recent interrelations of major powers in the Asia- Pacific region. This development and its effect on the international situation deserve to be reckoned with.     

A Ten-Year Reflection on the Events of 9/11 and Their Impact on China

The 9/11 attack was undoubtedly one of the most important events to influence international relations in the 21st century. On September 11th, 2001, al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, attacked the US heartlands. The attacks caused the death of nearly 3000 people and led to direct economic losses of around US$ 100 billion. This was the most serious external attack on the US since the War of Independence of 1812. In influence it surpassed even the attack on Pearl Harbor in the Second World War. 9/11 highlighted the importance of non-traditional security and raised it to a position almost parallel with that of the world’s traditional security agenda. The events have profoundly influenced the outlook and behavior of the world’s sole     

Cultural Diplomacy and a Harmonious World

The cultural diplomacy of China today has entered into a period of rapid development. Yet there is still much room for improvement in promoting China＇s new diplomatic thinking. In step with China＇s growing economy and increased weight in international affairs, the Chinese government has changed its diplomatic strategy to ＂building a harmonious world.＂ To make this concept more attractive and acceptable to other countries and peoples, China should expand its soft power resources, strengthen international cultural exchanges to draw on the fine achievements of foreign cultures, enhance the influence of Chinese culture worldwide, exploit new channels for international cultural exchanges, develop its cultural industry, and improve its comprehensive power.     

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,     

On the Mechanism of the Internet’s Impacts on International Politics

The Internet expands the field for international politics. It unveils its inner operational logic by exerting its influence on international politics. The Internet, by either guiding or negating the conducts of actors through its own unique innate quality, forces these actors to obey its inherent laws so as to better maintain their own interests. Firstly, this paper attempts to reveal, through level analysis, how the Internet made an impact on international politics, namely by the route of the individual, state and international system. Secondly, taking state interest, power and security as the core of Internet’s action on international politics, it demonstrates that there is no absolute Internet freedom and that the interests and security of the state come before all. The third part of the paper illustrates the catalytical, synchronical and constructional role of the Internet in promoting the transition of international structure. As an information medium, the Internet helps promote changes in international politics. As an advanced technology, it helps international politics constantly identify itself with the development of the times. The all-inclusive interactive communication following the advent of microblogs and Social Networking Services (SNS) helps provide conditions in which international society is evolving itself into a world society in the world of Internet.     

Impacts of March 11

Feng: The world-shocking September 11 terrorist attacks occurred in the United States in 2001, and two and a half years late the world saw panic-stricken terrorist attacks of the same kind in Spain. Ever since then March 11 has become another day that is engraved on the mind of the people all over the world. The terrorist event in Madrid has not only produced great impact on Spain and other European nations as well as on the common people, but also spurred the European nations to reflect on a series of important issues and to make some adjustments of their policies.……     

9/11 and Global Strategic Stability

In the past ten years since 9/11, terrorism has become a growing threat to international security, and to people’s lives and property. Increasing incidents of terrorism have underlined the fundamental structural flaws in the international system, showing that American hegemony has reached a certain limit. Not only have the major security concerns of the United States changed, but existing international strategic relations have also been shaken. This has directly affected global strategic stability.     

The Rise of China: The Sustained Development of the World System or the End of It? *

It has been a controversial issue in the past thirty-odd years in academic circles at home and abroad whether China’s economic rise as a unique development model sustains and supplements the world system or brings an end to it. This article makes an analysis of the basic features of the three historical stages of the world system established 500 years ago from the perspective of the relationship between the world system and the rise and fall of countries. The analysis finds that the stages of mercantilism (1500-1750/1800), liberal economy (1800/1850-1914/1945) and mixed economy (1945-2030) were mainly based respectively on “geographical discovery” and “colonialism,” “industrial revolution” and “free trade,” and “economic globalization” and “system innovation.” For the above-mentioned reasons, “geographical discovery,” “international trade and finance,” “science and technology” and “international institutions and mechanisms” are the four fundamental driving forces that the world system has depended on for its existence for 500 years. The world system provided a context for the rise and fall of each individual country in the past 500 years, while the economic success China has achieved in the past three decades mainly benefits from its constant integration into this world system still in existence today. Therefore, the challenge to China in its future development will come, to a great extent, from the world system and its impact on China’s domestic politics, economy and social structure.     

Why Counter-terrorism Breeds Yet More Terrorism

The global campaign against terror has achieved considerable success over the past five years since the events of 9/11. The Taliban forces in Afghanistan have been destroyed and Al-Qeda has received a devastating blow. In Russia, Chechen secessionist terrorist forces have also suffered heavy losses. Nevertheless, the major terrorist attacks that took place in the UK, Spain, Russia, Iraq, India and Indonesia clearly demonstrate that terrorism has not yet disappeared.Terrorist attacks are on the increase, the targets are becoming more varied, and the methods more covert and more violent. Terrorist groups and organizations have become better organized in their activities and there is a trend towards the use of high-tech in the attacks.Some world public media refers to these phenomena as "counter-terrorism leading to yet more terrorism". Therefore, two fundamental questions may be posed to all countries throughout the world: What are the roots of terrorism? How can terrorism be eradicated?     

Big Powers Cooperation: Today and Tomorrow

The world changed after the 9/11 events, so did big-power relations. The war against terrorism drew the big powers closer, and the negative influence of ideological difference and cold war mentality was weakened. Big-power relations are always the determinant factors affecting international security and stability. Whether they cooperate or confront with each other often set a tune to the major trend of the     

Probing into the Theories on the Rise of Great Powers

The existent international relations theory has not given a clear definition of “the rise of great powers,“ and “rising“ is also not a fundamental concept in international relations or world politics. However, for whatever version of international relations history, it must be a recounting of the relations between countries that rise and fall; and for whatever international relations theory, it must admit the fact that the rise and fall of great powers is one of the natural laws characterized international relations development. As Paul Kennedy puts it, the “relative strengths of the leading nations in world affairs never remain constant, principally because of the uneven rate of growth among different societies and of the technological and organizational breakthroughs which bring a greater advantage to one society than to another.“① Therefore, it can be said that theories related to “the rise of great powers“ are so common, particularly concentrating on the possible influence of the rising power and its relations with war, the means and policies to deal with it as well as how to realize the peaceful transition of power. This article intends to explore and summarize all these theories and also make some comments based on the rise of China.……     

New Changes in the International Situation and China's Strategic Choices

The international situation is evolving more impressively than it has at any time since the end of the Cold War.Globalization has been in decline.Nations are scrambling to gain greater influence.The international strategic pattern is being adjusted.Many countries have problems with public management,and are faced with a new array of social trends and increasingly popular movements.The world is entering a new era full of chaos and anxiety.Mankind once again faces significant trade-offs and choices in peace and conflict,development and recession,openness and isolation,liberalism and conservatism.China strives to advocate win-win cooperation and lead the trend of reform and opening to maintain a favorable external environment despite world chaos,and enhance status and institutional rights in the international system.China's 30 years of development was successful in the process of integrating into the existing international system;China is a participant as well as a builder of the international system,rather than a challenger or a subversive.In the future,with a constructive attitude,China will promote the international system in a more reasonable direction together with international partners,in order to better safeguard world peace and security,and promote sustainable development throughout the world.     

Somali Piracy： Causes and Countermeasures

The recent rampant piracy off the Somali coast has caused serious consequences and become a top concern internationally. In the latter half of 2008 the United Nations has successively adopted four resolutions calling on all nations in the world to actively participate in the actions of combating Somali piracy. In order to effectively repress and completely eradicate Somali piracy, an international public hazard, the international community must continue to push forward the peaceful process in Somalia, enhance cooperation in the fight against the evil and strengthen crackdown efforts on it. China, as a big responsible country, is striving to play an active role in resolving this problem.     

New generation of leaders of the major world powers begin to operate the rudder

The period from mid-2007 to the end of 2008 is the peak time for the change of power in world major countries. Starting from the enthronement of French President Sarkozy and to the election of a new president for the United States this year, the one and a half years＇ time will witness the change of leaders in four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. A new generation of world leaders have come on stage and a fresh chapter of international politics has been opened.