China’s reluctance to shoulder more international responsibilities has several roots.
By Daniel at 14 November, 2009, 6:30 pm
The first is Deng Xiaoping’s admonition that China “should adopt a low profile and never take the lead.” Despite China’s meteoric rise to become the world’s third largest economy, that mentality prevails. Chinese Ambassador to the UK Fu Ying has written that “there is a long way to go for China to reach the level of world power. It may be destined to contribute more to world peace and development - as many in the West are calling for - but this will be an incremental process, and China can’t play a role in the world beyond its capacity.”
This reluctance to step up is more than a desire to avoid responsibility and maintain freedom to maneuver on tough issues. And it is more than the fact that China’s domestic challenges are more overwhelming when viewed from Zhongnanhai than as seen from the outside. It also stems from a different conception of international leadership.
This divergence in U.S. and Chinese views was evident in a recent Pacific Forum CSIS survey of Chinese elites from a range of institutions. They take great pride in China’s rising international stature and accomplishments - especially in China’s successful economic development.
But in their responses, these Chinese elites seemed to show little sense of international responsibility or desire for global leadership. Almost all of them believe that China should be active internationally, but when asked what role their country could play, over 70 percent thought China’s greatest contribution would simply flow from securing China’s own stability and development.
Chinese respondents overwhelmingly rejected suggestions for how Beijing might take on larger international leadership roles. Over 90 percent rejected an international leadership role for China, and two-thirds rejected the idea that China should take a special role in resolving international disputes. Our respondents even hesitated to endorse a leadership role for China in Asia. While agreeing that China has a positive regional economic influence, 95 percent claimed that China is not ready to take a regional leadership role. And over 80 percent rejected the idea that China might take leadership in promoting regional security.
- rojt88
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