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Beijing's diplomatic bridge-building
By Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN Senior China Analyst
(CNN) -- Beijing has taken far-reaching steps to counter what it regards as a flare-up of American hegemonism. Apart from the impending war against Iraq, perceived U.S. aggressiveness has manifested itself in the National Security Strategy paper that President George W. Bush submitted to Congress late last month. The document not only justifies the doctrine of pre-emptive strikes against "hostile" regimes but states that Washington will prevent potential adversaries from "surpassing, or equaling, the power of the U.S." While alarms are being sounded throughout the Chinese diplomatic establishment, reactions from official spokesmen have been surprisingly mild. Source close to Beijing's foreign-policy think tanks said the leadership of President Jiang Zemin had decided to let Russia, France and Germany take the lead in the diplomatic slugfest over Iraq. While Beijing is opposed to an American invasion of Iraq, it does not want a head-on confrontation with Washington. And it is almost certain that Beijing will not use its veto should a resolution come up at the United Nations Security Council on using force against the regime of Saddam Hussein. As for the National Security Strategy, there has been little official response apart from a few critical commentaries in the state press. The party's Propaganda Department has asked mainstream media not to publish the views of nationalistic -- and America-bashing -- cadres and scholars. European counterweight
The verbal cautiousness has contrasted with concrete actions that Chinese leaders have taken to thwart America's "unilateralism" -- and its alleged anti-China containment policy. While touring Europe last week, Premier Zhu Rongji made it clear Beijing hoped its new-found friendship with the EU would act as a counterweight against American preponderance. Zhu, who is much more popular outside China than back home, has just finished what is probably his last major foreign visit as head of government. Without mentioning the U.S., Zhu said in Paris last weekend Europe should lift the boycott on the sale of weapons and related technology to his country. Immediately after the Tiananmen Square massacre, the EU had followed Washington's lead in stopping the shipment of military hardware to China. "Don't sell your military equipment to Taiwan," Zhu told an audience of French businessmen. "Sell them all to me -- I want them all. I have US$260 billion in foreign exchange reserves." "And this is good for world peace," the premier claimed. "If you sell them [weapons] to China, there is no problem because China is a peace-loving country." Zhu is accompanied by the Minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, Liu Jibin, who is in charge of arms-related research and procurement. While talking to Hong Kong reporters, Liu claimed European arms sales to China would not tip the balance much because "we mainly depend on our own capacities for [military] research and development." It is understood Liu has done vigorous lobbying during marathon meetings with defense officials as well as arms manufacturers. Multi-polar world
Diplomatic analysts say Beijing is convinced that France and Germany's opposition to many aspects of Washington's Iraq policy marks a fundamental difference of worldview between the U.S. and the EU. And it is in China's interest to ensure that solid Sino-EU ties could help usher in a multi-polar world order, or one that is not dominated by the U.S. The second prong of China's "anti-containment policy" is to consolidate ties with its neighbors, including those that have quasi-alliance relationships with the U.S. Jiang made a relatively conciliatory speech late last month marking the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-Japanese ties. The president reiterated that while the right lessons must be drawn from history, the emphasis for both countries should be forging a partnership for the 21st century. In the course of attending the Asia Europe Meeting in Copenhagen last week, Premier Zhu met counterparts from Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. Good willWhile talking to Premier Phan Van Khai of Vietnam, with which China fought a brief war in 1979, Zhu said bilateral ties should be based on the principles of "long-term stability, a forward-looking orientation, neighborly good will, and comprehensive cooperation." At the same time, Defense Minister Chi Haotian was pushing Beijing's vaunted "diplomacy of good neighborliness" in Malaysia and Philippines. While visiting Kuala Lumpur late last month, General Chi signed a memorandum with the Malaysian top brass on beefing up military ties. And he tried to reassure Manila of Beijing's sincerity in making waters around the contested Spratly Islands "an area of peace and cooperation." The local media reported that General Chi also offered help in modernizing the Philippine army. Indeed, despite President Bush's warnings against countries trying to challenge U.S. military supremacy, there is little doubt that Asia's rising quasi-superpower is nakedly projecting its power. Blue-water ambitionsThe People's Liberation Army celebrated last week the first-ever global circumnavigation by Chinese naval vessels, deemed a milestone in Beijing's long-standing effort to build an effective blue-water fleet. The PLA is also wrapping up its annual, six-month-long military exercises along the eastern coast, which have featured state-of-the art jet fighters and submarines. According to a report in the Chinese-run Hong Kong daily Wen Wei Po, one highlight of this year's maneuvers has been the "three hit-outs and the three defenses." This is a reference to the PLA's readiness to hit out at stealth fighter aircraft, cruise missiles and armed helicopters -- and to defend China against surgical strikes by missiles and other weapons, against electronic sabotage, and against surveillance by enemy spy planes and vessels. Despite having acceded to U.S. demands by publishing last August a ban on the export of missiles and other weapons, it is unlikely that Washington will resume the transfer of military know-how to China. The PLA is already assured of a reliable supply line of sophisticated hardware from Russia. And Beijing's confidence in thwarting American "hegemonism" will be much enhanced if it succeeds in building new bridges to both Europe and Asia.
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