A response to “All talk, no dialogue on Asian security”
By MA Ke, Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Tonga
The world is undergoing profound changes, unseen in a century. Hegemony and power politics are on the rise. And the deficits in peace, development, security and governance are growing. All of these are posing unprecedented challenges for human society.
For its part, China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, stands firmly against all forms of hegemony and power politics, and pursues a defensive national defense policy. China’s development strengthens the world’s forces for peace.
China’s national defense policy is totally defensive in nature, in pursuit of harmonious coexistence. However, when faced with external interference, China has the firm resolve and the ability to safeguard sovereignty, security and development interests. We ask: Who is disrupting peace in the region? What are the root causes of chaos and instability? And what should we stay vigilant and guard against? These questions must be answered in the interests of the security, stability and future of the Asia-Pacific countries.
Whose security?
Recently, some Tongan readers may have noted a commentary article entitled “All talk, no dialogue on Asian security” written by a Fellow from the Asian Society Policy Institute on the Shangri-La Dialogue, held in early June in Singapore. We believe that some views in this article, especially on China, were one-sided, not based on facts, and full of ideological overtones. The Chinese Embassy wishes to make clarification so as to eliminate misunderstandings, and ensure that readers can see the whole picture of China and its contributions to world peace and development.
History has proven that bloc politics, division and confrontation have never delivered genuine security, and they can only escalate tension and destabilize the region. Today what Asia-Pacific needs is open and inclusive cooperation. We must never forget the catastrophes inflicted by the two world wars and the Cold War. We must never allow such tragedies to happen again.
Taiwan question
On the Taiwan question, the fundamental cause of the tension in the Taiwan Strait is crystal-clear. External forces have been meddling by distorting the one-China principle, selling arms to Taiwan, and creating chances for Taiwan to expand its so-called “international space”, and endangering peace and stability. The Chinese delegation raised the question at the Shangri-La Dialogue: why did all the so-called “unsafe” and “unprofessional” incidents happen near the airspace and territorial waters of China, but not other countries? This deserves some serious thoughts.
An isolated event
On the issue of the unmanned Chinese civilian airship, drifting over another country, China has made it clear that it was a purely unexpected and isolated event caused by force majeure. It was a civilian airship used for meteorological and other research purposes. China firmly rejects political manipulation of this event.
Peace and prosperity
Coming back to the Shangri-La Dialogue, it is worth noting that leaders of many countries, including Indonesia and Singapore, said that they don’t want to see a “new Cold War” or be forced to choose sides between super powers. Those remarks are a clear indication that many countries in this region are alerted by and opposed to any attempts to set off a “new Cold War” in Asia and force regional countries to choose sides. What countries want in this region is to maintain strategic independence and keep the region stable and prosperous.
Asia-Pacific is the most economically dynamic and promising region in the world. It can offer a vast stage for win-win cooperation, and should not be divided into isolated, exclusive blocs. Asian and Pacific countries welcome common efforts to succeed together. China would like to work with all countries and partners to uphold the spirit of open cooperation, and together make sure that Asia-Pacific will remain a pillar for peace, a pacesetter for development and a promising land for cooperation.
China welcomes opinions, advice and constructive suggestions from various parties who really care about China’s development and the world’s peace. Misinformation and misleading news cannot hide the truth and facts from the world.
__
