Why Is the Abe Government so Anxious to Improve Relations with China？-Why Is Shinzo Abe so Eager to Improve Relations with China？

Editor＇s Note： Sino-Japanese relations have been tense in recent years. In Jparticular, since Abe came to power, Japan has not only been ＂desperately struggling＂ with China on territorial and historical issues, but has also tried to set up an ＂encircling network＂ against China. Thus Sino-Japanese relations have emerged as the most risky bilateral relations in the Asia-Pacific region. As the two largest powers in East Asia, and the world＇s second and third largest economies, the continuing confrontation between China and Japan will have huge negative repercussions on regional and global peace. With the approaching of the APEC meeting, however, the Abe government has repeatedly expressed its hopes for diplomatic dialogue with China. The Abe government＇s shift in attitude towards China from ＂hard＂ to a new ＂moderate＂ position has attracted wide international attention. We cannot help but ask：     

Value and Politics of China and Russia

The 17th National Congress stressed that the Party must keep to the path of political development under socialism with Chinese characteristics. Since the introduction of the reform and opening up policy, China＇s economy has developed quickly, supplementing its political construction. Progress in the economy and political development have raised China＇s confidence and made the Chinese system more attractive to the rest of the world. Though China＇s political development has been achieved under the correct democratic development viewpoint, difficulties may yet arise, and China may need to look outside to other political achievements; importantly, China has the confidence and determination to make its political development harmonious, orderly and effective.     

Chinese Diplomacy towards Its Neighbors： Inheritance,Innovation and Development

Ibelieve that China＇s diplomatic strategy towards its neighbors should serve the general strategic goal of rejuvenating the Chinese nation asenvisioned in President Xi Jinping＇s ＂China Dream＂. It has clear precedence and should be adjusted as the situation evolves. The fundamental goals of China＇s diplomatic strategy, since the implementation of Reform and Opening-Up, have been economic construction and the building and maintenance of a peaceful international and regional environment.     

The Clash in Public Opinion between Europe and China： What, How and Why

Recent years have seen a tension between Europe and China in public opinion, which began in 2006 and climaxed in 2008 when the Tibet riots and the Beijing Olympics put China under the global spotlight. Europeans and Chinese view each other more negatively than in ＂the good old days＂ and there is a growing perception gap regarding the Chinese government. The media （including the Internet） and public opinion leaders （scholars, human rights activists, dissidents, politicians and diplomats） have played a part in causing this both in Europe and in China, and this paper examines their roles. This paper also identifies three reasons behind the clash of viewpoints： First, lack of common values has exacerbated Europe＇s fear of a rising China; second, both Europe and China use this hostility to help redefine their self-identity; third, different development needs in China and Europe have nurtured very different mindsets. In the future, the European public＇s interest in China will continue to grow and Europe＇s and China＇s perceptions of each other will gradually stabilize. In the long run, whether Europe will accept a rising China depends on China＇s ability to develop a ＂Chinese thinking＂ which suits both China＇s and the world＇s development needs.     

Strategic Implications of the Division of Developing Countries

Recentyears have seen accelerated divisionof developing countries, which has greatly affected world balance of power, interest patterns, North-South relations and the respective country＇s own future. Research on this subject will prove to be practically important for assessing the strategic trends in the world＇s ＂great transformation and adjustment＂, defining China＇s international identity and sharing China＇s developing opportunities, meeting challenges and achieving peaceful development and win-win results with other countries.     

China's New Neighboring Diplomacy

China＇s new thinking about neighboring diplomacy in Asia since the end of Cold War can be analyzed theoretically from angle of international institutions. China utilizes institutionalism with great flexibility in four sub-regions-Central Asia, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and South Asia, where institutional models-dominant participation, deep participation, active participation and moderate participation models have been adopted. In the four sub-regions in Asia, China has handled the presence of U.S interests well and responded reasonably to the United States＇ Asian diplomacy. China and the United States have therefore achieved a compatible coexistence in Asia. Compatibility and coexistence between China and the United States in Asia are the fundamental reasons that China has made progress in this new stage, and are the essence of the new thinking in China＇s neighboring diplomacy.     

Changes in China＇s Energy Situation and Its Strategy for Energy Security

As world consumption of energy grows fast, the proven petro- leum reserves are limited in today＇s world, and the oil price fluctuates and most often soars up sharply, energy has become a most crucial factor in the world economy and the energy security problem has increasingly become an important focus of attention for the international community. Owing to the big size and the fast growth-rate of China＇s economy, it is only too natural that China＇s energy situation, including its energy import, and its energy policy and strategy have been watched closely and discussed extensively by the whole world with wide-spread interest. It might be useful for this paper to give a brief account of the actual situation of China＇s energy production and consumption and China＇s relevant strategy for energy security.     

Impact of the Chinese Model in Africa

The Chinese model has a fairly big influence in Africa. Ever since reform and opening-up, China has been focusing on the central task of economic construction, which brought rapid economic growth, strengthening comprehensive national power, improving lives of the people and extending international influence. The success of the Chinese model has aroused much interest in the world, especially Africa, and produced positive effects. It is the outcome of a combination of several factors, such as the attraction of China＇s development, the impetus produced by that development and the appeal of China＇s friendly policies. Nevertheless, China is not going to sell its model and ultimately Africa has to carve out its own way of development.     

Conflicting and Complementary Elements in China and U.S.'s Policy towards Africa

Since the launching of the China-Africa Forum in 2000, the Chinese government has comprehensively strengthened its ties with Africa.China＇s trade, investment, and aid in Africa have been expanding. Africa has been placed at the forefront of national strategy. Also in 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the African Growth and Opportunity Act （AGOA）, increasing America＇s attention towards Africa. Since then, both China and the U.S. have been increasing their trade, investment, and aid in Africa. In 2011, the trade volume between China and Africa reached US$166.3 billion while that between the U.S. and Africa was US$113.2 billion. Unfortunately, China and the U.S. have not sought a cooperative pattern of action in Africa based on complementarity, mutual respect and mutual benefit. Instead, they have accused each other of bad conduct.     

Scientific Outlook on Development and China＇s Foreign Policy

More than half a century has passed since the founding of the People＇s Republic of China. There have been successes as well as failures in China＇s policies and practices at home and abroad. The failures are stepping stones for success; lessons drawn from errors lead to truth. Chinese leader Hu Jintao recently spoke about ＂Scientific Outlook on Development, ＂＇ a summary of past history and an important guiding principle for China＇s economic and social development both now and in future. The authors believe that this is a major development in China＇s strategic thinking following Deng Xiaoping＇s ＂Reform and Opening Up＂ and Jiang Zemin＇s ＂Three Representatives＂ and that it should be upheld and applied to foreign policy decision making.     

Sino-U.S.Drug Control Cooperation： Process,Limits and Strategic Choices

Asia＇s Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent are two of the world＇s largest drug-producing areas.They make about 90% of the world＇s opium—Afghanistan alone accounts for about 74% （2012）.1 Illicit drugs production and trafficking in Asia pose a serious threat to China and the U.S..In recent years,China and the U.S.have been working closer to deal with this threat.Their cooperation,however,has not always been smooth.     

Sino-US Maritime Incident Prevention and Military Confidence Building

As China＇s national power has increased, the People＇s Liberation .Army Navy （PLAN）, which constitutes China＇s maritime forces,has engaged in increasingly frequent exchanges with the navies of other countries while undertaking the pivotal task of safeguarding China＇s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, as well as advancing China＇s national interests overseas. Meanwhile,     

The Changing Asia-Pacific Strategic Picture

Battlefield for Strategic Rivalry
In recent years, the Asia-Pacific strategic configuration has entered a stare of in-depth readiustments. The relative decline of the United States,China＇s rapid rise, Russia＇s fast revival and Japan＇s quickening step toward a ＂normal country＂ have combined to turn regional multi-polarity into a reality. Not surprisingly, the world＇ s strategic structure has begun to focus on the region, with intensifying rivalry among major countries centered on economic competition and aggravating geopolitical game conducive to a security dilemma. As a matter of fact, U.S.-Japanese provocations have been at work in tuming regional hotspot issues into tools for such a game. As a result, escalating security threats to China in the East and South China Seas are converging into potential risks of collision and conflicts with other contenders.     

An Analysis of Military Transparency

Military transparency has become a hot topic among political, military and academic communities over recent years. China＇s efforts to increase its military transparency have been widely recognized by the international community. But some countries are still particular about China＇s military transparency, accusing China of inadequate transparency time and again. Here, I would like to offer some personal views on this issue.     

The U.S. Decline Debate and Its Impact

The possibility that the U.S. is in decline has renewed concerns over the international strategic situation and the global order. The World Bank＇ s International Comparison Program （ICP） released data in April 2014 that suggested China＇ s economy could overtake that of the U.S. as soon as the end of this year （based on purchasing power parity or PPP which takes into account the relative costs of goods and services and inflation rates）. Their figures showed that the size of China＇ s economy was 87% of the U.S.＇ in 2011-that is 15% bigger than previously estimated. China＇ s economy is thought to have grown roughly 24% since 2011, while the U.S. economy is expected to have grown less than 8% .2 The possibility that the U.S. economy is in decline has worried both the public and scholars, and has sparked a new round of lively debate on the future of the international strategic situation.     

Great Reform of China＇s Diplomacy

With the implementation by China of the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, China＇s diplomacy has undergone a great reform of profound significance, and has made outstanding achievements. China＇s development and its diplomacy supplement, enrich and promote each other. The former provides good conditions for the latter＇s development, while the latter safeguards China＇s sovereignty and territorial integrity, creates a peaceful international environment for the country＇s cause of socialist construction with Chinese characteristics, and makes remarkable contributions to the great undertaking of reform and opening-up and the Four Modernizations.     

Common Economic Development Remains the Principal Driving Force in the Region

Security issues have become the focus of U.S. scholars and politicians examining the recent changes to China＇s periphery strategy. This includes such issues as territorial and maritime disputes, changes to ally networks brought about by the U.S.＇ return to the Asia-Pacific, and certain major changes to national security policies. While these security issues are urgent, development is still key for China＇s neighbors. They view this issue from a broader strategic perspective and against a long-term historical perspective. This has had a direct and profound effect on the evolution of China＇s periphery security environment.     

The Development and Changes of China＇s Education, Sports, Medicare and Health Services in the Past 60 Years

Since the founding of New China, with tremendous changes in the Chinese society, social productivity and comprehensive national strength have been greatly enhanced, and people＇s livelihood has also been substantially improved. Great achievements have been made in the aspects of education, sports, medical care and health. For 60 years, the universalization of education in China has come close to the average level in medium income countries;     

Evolvement of New China＇s Relations with Other Developing Countries

China＇s relationship with other developing countries is an important basis for China＇s foreign strategy. Since its founding, New China has accumulated complex experience and achieved rich fruits in how to handle and develop its relations with other developing countries. It has experienced contradictions between ideology and national identity and also made strenuous efforts to safeguard the country＇s strategic independence. Since the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy, China has rapidly enhanced its national strength, providing a new platform for it to play a greater role in the current international system. But China＇s identity as a developing country remains the starting point of its foreign strategy, and hence promoting and consolidating its relationship with other developing countries will also remain as China＇s strategic choice.     

China＇s Think Tanks in Global Transition

With China now the world＇s second-largest economy,the status and role of China＇s think tanks have become an increasing concem.On the whole,the international status of China＇ s think tanks is not commensurate with the country＇ s current international status.The University of Pennsylvania＇ s The Global Go To Think Tanks Report published in 2014 said that as of August 2013,China had 426 think tanks,second only to the U.S.with 1,828.But of the top 100 non-U.S.think tanks in the world only 5 are Chinese,and in the 150 most influential global think tanks,only 6 are from China—with the rest mostly from Europe.China＇ s think tanks lack professionalism and influence.1 This is why China has been pushing to improve its think tanks internationally.In April 2013,President Xi Jinping proposed building a ＂new think tank with Chinese characteristics＂.