{"id":139192,"date":"2019-08-05T12:00:14","date_gmt":"2019-08-05T11:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=139192"},"modified":"2019-08-01T11:23:24","modified_gmt":"2019-08-01T10:23:24","slug":"the-dragon-lays-out-its-road-map-denies-seeking-hegemony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2019\/08\/the-dragon-lays-out-its-road-map-denies-seeking-hegemony\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dragon Lays out Its Road Map, Denies Seeking Hegemony"},"content":{"rendered":"

China\u2019s \u2018National Defense in the New Era\u2019 white paper shows where the country aims to be by 2049.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

27 Jul 2019 – <\/em>The key merit of China\u2019s National Defense in the New Era<\/a>,\u00a0a white paper released by the State Council in Beijing, is to clear any remaining doubts about where the Middle Kingdom is coming from, and where it\u2019s going to by 2049, the mythical date to, theoretically, be restored as the foremost global power.<\/p>\n

Although not ultra-heavy on specifics, the white paper certainly should be read as the Chinese counterpoint to the US National Security Strategy<\/a>, as well as the National Defense Strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that every sentence is being carefully scrutinized by the Pentagon, which regards China as a \u201cmalign actor\u201d and \u201ca threat\u201d \u2013 the terminology associated with its \u201cChinese aggression\u201d mantra.<\/p>\n

To cut to the chase, and to the perpetuating delight of China\u2019s supporters\u00a0and critics, here are the white paper\u2019s essentials.<\/p>\n

What global stability?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Beijing leadership openly asserts that as \u201cthe US has adjusted its national security and defense strategies, and adopted unilateral policies\u201d that essentially \u201cundermined global strategic stability.\u201d Vast sectors of the Global South would concur.<\/p>\n

The counterpart is the evolution of \u201cthe China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era,\u201d now playing \u201ca significant role in maintaining global strategic stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

In parallel, Beijing is very careful to praise the \u201cmilitary relationship with the US in accordance with the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.\u201d The \u201cmilitary-to-military relationship\u201d should work as \u201ca stabilizer for the relations between the two countries and hence contribute to the China-US relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another key counterpart to the US \u2013 and NATO \u2013 is the increasingly crucial role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which is \u201cforging a constructive partnership of non-alliance and non-confrontation that targets no third party, expanding security and defense cooperation and creating a new model for regional security cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The white paper stresses that \u201cthe SCO has now grown into a new type of comprehensive regional cooperation organization covering the largest area and population in the world\u201d, something that is factually correct. The latest SCO summit in Bishkek did wonders in featuring some of the group\u2019s much-vaunted qualities, especially \u201cmutual trust,\u201d \u201cconsultation,\u201d \u201crespect for diverse civilizations\u201d and \u201cpursuit of common development.\u201d<\/p>\n

On hot spots, contrary to Western skepticism, the white paper asserts that, \u201cthe situation of the South China Sea is generally stable,\u201d and that a \u201cbalanced, stable, open and inclusive Asian security architecture continues to develop.\u201d<\/p>\n

There should be no illusion regarding Beijing\u2019s position on \u201cTaiwan independence\u201d \u2013 which will never deviate from what was set by Little Helmsman Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s: \u201cSeparatist forces and their actions remain the gravest immediate threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the biggest barrier hindering the peaceful reunification of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the same applies to \u201cexternal separatist forces for \u2018Tibet independence\u2019 and the creation of \u2018East Turkestan\u2019.\u201d How Beijing dealt with \u2013 and economically developed \u2013 Tibet will continue to be the blueprint to deal with, and economically develop, Xinjiang, irrespective of the Western outcry over China\u2019s subjugation of more than a million Uighurs.<\/p>\n

In regard to the turmoil Hong Kong and the degree it reflects interference by \u201cexternal forces,\u201d the white paper shapes Hong Kong as the model to be followed on the way to Taiwan. \u201cChina adheres to the principles of \u2018peaceful reunification,\u2019 and \u2018one country, two systems,\u2019 promotes peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and advances peaceful reunification of the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the South China Sea, the white paper notes that \u201ccountries from outside the region conduct frequent close-in reconnaissance on China by air and sea, and illegally enter China\u2019s territorial waters and the waters and airspace near China\u2019s islands and reefs, undermining China\u2019s national security.\u201d<\/p>\n

So there won\u2019t be any misunderstanding, it says: \u201cThe South China Sea islands and Diaoyu Islands are inalienable parts of the Chinese territory.\u201d ASEAN and Japan will have to deal with what Beijing says are facts.<\/p>\n

No hegemony, ever<\/strong><\/p>\n

While noting that \u201cgreat progress has been made in the Revolution in Military Affairs with Chinese characteristics\u201d \u2013 the Sino-version of the Pentagon\u2019s \u2013 the white paper admits that \u201cthe PLA still lags far behind the world\u2019s leading militaries. The commitment is unmistakable to \u201cfully transform the people\u2019s armed forces into world-class forces by the mid-21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n

Special emphasis is placed on China\u2019s relatively quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy. \u201cChina has played a constructive role in the political settlement of regional hotspots such as the Korean Peninsula issue, the Iranian nuclear issue and Syrian issue.\u201d The corollary could not be more clear-cut. \u201cChina opposes hegemony, unilateralism and double standards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arguably the most important point made by the white paper \u2013 in stark contrast with the \u201cChinese aggression\u201d narrative \u2013 is that \u201cNever Seeking Hegemony, Expansion or Spheres of Influence\u201d is qualified as \u201cthe distinctive feature of China\u2019s national defense in the new era.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is backed up by what could be defined as the distinctive Chinese approach to international relations \u2013 to respect \u201cthe rights of all peoples to independently choose their own development path,\u201d and \u201cthe settlement of international disputes through equal dialogue, negotiation and consultation. China is opposed to interference in the internal affairs of others, abuse of the weak by the strong, and any attempt to impose one\u2019s will on others.\u201d<\/p>\n

So the road map is on the table for all to see. It will be fascinating to watch reactions from myriad latitudes across the Global South. Let\u2019s see how the \u201cChinese aggression\u201d system responds.<\/p>\n

_______________________________________________<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em>Pepe Escobar is a Brazilian independent geopolitical analyst. He is a frequent contributor to websites and radio and TV shows ranging from the US to East Asia. He is the former roving correspondent for Asia Times Online. He has been a foreign correspondent since 1985, and has lived in London, Paris, Milan, Los Angeles, Washington, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Even before 9\/11 he specialized in covering the arc from the Middle East to Central and East Asia, with an emphasis on Big Power geopolitics and energy wars. He is the author of \u201cGlobalistan<\/a>\u201d (2007), \u201cRed Zone Blues<\/a>\u201d (2007), \u201cObama does Globalistan<\/a>\u201d (2009) and \u201cEmpire of Chaos<\/a>\u201d (2014), all published by Nimble Books. His latest book is \u201c2030<\/a>\u201c, also by Nimble Books, out in December 2015.<\/em><\/p>\n

Go to Original \u2013 asiatimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

27 Jul 2019 – China\u2019s \u2018National Defense in the New Era\u2019 white paper shows where the country aims to be by 2049. The key merit of China\u2019s National Defense in the New Era, a white paper released by the State Council in Beijing, is to clear any remaining doubts about where the Middle Kingdom is coming from, and where it\u2019s going to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":77665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[180],"tags":[239,244,331,354,401,267,1126,504,109,644,380,75],"class_list":["post-139192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brics","tag-brics","tag-china","tag-development","tag-economics","tag-environment","tag-geopolitics","tag-hegemony","tag-international-relations","tag-politics","tag-silk-roads","tag-solutions","tag-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139192"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139192\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}