Much of today’s discussion is on the Chinese foreign relations under the leadership of President Xi in the past one and a half years’ time focusing on the following four aspects:

1. Studying more comprehensively and thoroughly Xi’s Thoughts on China’s foreign relations. Although we mainly discussed China-U.S. relations and their interaction with the regional order in the Asia Pacific, we should take into full consideration of the overall environments both internally and externally. Globalization, multi-polarity, cultural diversity and socialized information are the trends of today’s world. Internally speaking, China has entered the second 30-year period of Reform and Opening-up. President Xi’s Thoughts on China’s foreign relations are the products of these profound changes. In pursuing the “Two Centennial Goals” and “Chinese Dream”, President Xi is thinking seriously on the relations between China and the world. Unlike its first 30-year period of Reform and Opening-up which emphasized material building and catching up, China is now attaching greater importance to cultural and intellectual interchanges with the world. President Xi repeatedly calls the nation to be a learning one and learns the good parts of all civilizations. As the old Chinese saying goes, one must be a student before he can be a teacher. However, China works hard at theory building and conceptualization in order to provide the world with more public goods both materially and intellectually. President Xi’s efforts in theory building are combining Chinese characteristics and compatibilities with the world.

2. Analyzing more deeply President Xi’s efforts to conceptualization of foreign affairs. In all the four main areas of China’s foreign policies, President Xi put forward new and updated versions.

In terms of China’s neighborhood relations, President Xi made two distinctive contributions. One is the four-word concept of good neighboring policy. They are affinity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. In October 2013 the People’s Republic of China held its first ever conference on neighborhood diplomatic work, at which Mr. Xi Jinping put forward the above-mentioned four-word concept of guidelines. The other is the New Asian Security Concept. In his speech at the CICA Shanghai Summit on May 21st, President Xi Jinping put forward the New Asian Security Concept based on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. Both of the two concepts are responses to the new development of Asian security issues. The main tune is peace, development and win-win cooperation despite the increasing security challenges.

In terms of China’s relations with other big countries, President Xi tries hard to develop and implement the New Model of Big Country Relations (NMBCR). The NMBCR is focused on but not limited to China-U.S. relations. During their informal summit at Sunnylands, California in June 2013 Presidents Xi and Obama agreed on the NMBCR, which calls for no confrontation or conflict, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. The spirits of building up NMBCR are applicable to China’s relations with other big countries such as the EU, BRICS and even the so-called Middle Powers.

In terms of China’s relations with fellow developing countries, President Xi underscores the need to adopt the right approach to upholding justice and seeking interests in growing relations with other developing countries. Politically, China should uphold justice and fairness as a guiding principle. Economically, China should pursue mutual benefit and common development. China will also accommodate their interests rather than seeking benefits at their expense or shifting troubles unto them.

In terms of multilateral diplomacy, President Xi emphasizes that China will live with the existent international system while trying to reform and update the parts according to the changed situation. At the Meeting to Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence on June 26, 2014, President Xi pointed out that China is a participant, builder and contributor to the current international system. This clearly shows that China is a status quo state but not a revisionist one.

3. Trying to better understand President Xi’s strategic thinking. President Xi is a man of strategic thinking and stresses many related things: top-level planning, bottom-line thinking, strategic vision, strategic concentration, strategic patience, strategic endurance, strategic targets and strategic pursuance. Although President Xi’s overall international strategy is still evolving, its outline is emerging with its goals, means, policies and institution building. Under his initiative, China launched the National Security Commission on April 15, 2014 and endorsed his idea of overall concept of national security. Now China is prioritizing its strategic goals and readjusting its relations with Russia, the United States and others.

4. Defining accurately President Xi’s foreign policies. Foreign policies are ways and means to achieve the strategic goals. However, there are some misleading characterizations as follows:

Firstly, not assertive but proactive. Some people describe the current Chinese foreign policies as assertive or aggressive. However, China has become more proactive in defining and carrying out its foreign policies along with the growth of both powers and responsibilities. Actually, the international community also wants China to play a greater role in global and regional affairs. Therefore, the proper word is “proactive” instead of “assertive”.

Secondly, not tough but decisive. President Xi has to make a lot of difficult decisions both at home and abroad with determined political will and statecraft. He should posses both soft and hard qualities in carrying out Chinese foreign strategies and policies. The word of “decisive” or “determined” is more proper to characterize the style of President Xi’s diplomacy.

Thirdly, not contradictory but dialectical. Recently, some people attack China for its contradictory words and deeds in terms of peaceful development. President Xi pointed out many times that peaceful development is a two-way principle, to which all parties concerned should keep. On the one hand, China declares its commitment to peaceful diplomacy. On the other hand, China will resolutely defend its legitimate rights in face of non-peaceful assaults. To strive for peace and development and prepare against negative destruction is not contradictory but dialectical.

To conclude, we must pay greater attention to the ongoing improvements of China’s foreign strategies and policies promoted by both self consciences and reactions to the outside forces. President Xi Jinping and his colleagues are making great efforts to build up Chinese foreign strategies and policies more mature, achievable and sustainable. China should make more concrete results to enhance domestic and foreign supports and extend the gravity of economy to more aspects including political, cultural and social ones in the upcoming years. In this regard, the Chinese and foreign think tanks have a great deal to contribute in this respect.

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