Instill harmony into power structure of East Asia

• Source: Global Times
• [01:45 November 06 2009]
• Comments

China's rapid growth has stimulated discussion in East Asia about diplomacy toward both China and the US. With China's rising power causing concern among some neighboring countries and strongly impacting geopolitics, wisdom and discernment are in order.

The first reaction by the US and some East Asian countries has been to try and strategically balance China's power.

But overly emphasizing the possibility of a power imbalance because of one country's growing influence could prove toxic, dragging down momentum in East Asia and condemning the region to repeat history.

China has made peaceful development a central component of its national policy, avoiding conflict with neighbors and global powers. The Chinese government even shuns use of the word "rise" in describing China's development.

Before and during the Cold War era, creating a balance of power often caused opposition between nations, with separate military blocs created by each side.

That is a situation China wants to avoid. Modesty and maintaining a low profile are often the approaches China adopts when engaging with other countries. An example is China's handling of territorial and boundary disputes, in which it has tried to avoid intimidation and saber-rattling.

Relying too much on a doctrine of checking one nation's power creates a difficult, risky situation.

Patience and courage are needed to explore the possibilities for a new security framework in East Asia, one that will result in a mutually beneficial situation for multiple countries, large and small. Common rules need to be observed by everyone for harmony to prevail in the region.