Traditionally, the foreign policy of China has an approach of the world divided basically in two groups: The developed countries and the developing countries. Thus, since Mao through subsequent chiefs exposed categorization for developing countries and colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America, making demarcation with the developed countries such a Japan, Canada, Oceania as capitalism countries of Western, and especial categorization for superpowers such as US.
Despite old ideological rhetoric, China has finally been predominantly pragmatic in its foreign policy, however this pragmatism has improved in the current time, when China has as main objective its economic development. Thus, at the late of 1970s, once started the economic reform, China was inside its pragmatic orientation, while accentuating its economic development, firstly its relationship with the US became a priority Mitchell (2007).
After the end of the Cold War, China had as priority its relationship with developed countries, while with the developing countries became subordinated Mitchell (2007). Due to that US stayed as the only superpower, China started the promotion of a New World Order and regional and global multilateralism, apparently to diminish US power and increase Chinese one.
Nevertheless, continued its relations with the Third World, then using a rhetoric of mutual benefit of “win-win gain” and South-South cooperation. Likewise, China joined international organizations such as the Work Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and started a promotion of multilateralism and a new world order, nonetheless, apparently its objective of own economic development seem to be its main purpose.
In sum, the different reposition of the China’s foreign policy in response to the changing external environment has been successful in terms of achievement of economic development and economic growth. China’s leader have acted effectively to any circumstances, even in the recent context of the international financial crisis China overcame.
It is important to highlight that given the set of successful strategies of China, probably the most important is the sustainable supply input for its economy, which is feed mainly for both industrial goods and technology provided by developed countries, as well as raw materials provided which come from the developing countries.
A greater details of the diverse reposition of the China’s foreign policy is stated in the following two parts. In the first part, we describe the situation in the developed world, basically focusing in US and Japan. While in the second part, we can see the China’s strategies in the Third World, covering the regions of Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as the Chinese policy with many important developing countries.
China and the developed countries
China apparently has gotten successfully its main goal in the developed world. Given its objective of economic development and high level of economic growth, China have attracted huge amount of foreign investment, and transfer of technology and industrial goods. In the developed world the main countries for China are US and Japan. Although China have not had excellences relations, its pragmatic foreign policy allow it desired results. Actually the relation China-Japan is much thinner than that of the China-US.
Although rhetorically at the 1980s, in the context of the Cold World, China proclaimed its “independent foreign policy”, making distance from the US and claiming leadership in the Third World, in the practice China always has a pragmatic behavior toward US and the Soviet Union Heginbotham (2007). Where the focus of China is the achievement of economic development, being necessary a peaceful and stable environment.
Additionally China’s pragmatic foreign policy it, during the 1990s, normalize relation with more and more countries among Singapore, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Israel, South Korea and so on Heginbotham (2007). Which is, definitely, an important contribution for a peaceful and stable environment.
One clear example of the result of the Chinese practical foreign policy is, as pointed out by many scholars, that the pragmatic behavior of China about having good relationship specifically with the US is to peacefully compete and surpass Japan.
In terms of Stallings (2008), China is playing well its cards, although is very diffused its demand for raw material, China need crucially of the US and Japan to provide capital and high technology products to its economic. Unbelievable, the large majority of imports to China are industrial good, including both inputs and equipment. Basically, this kind of good can come from industrial countries.
In fact, the Economic Interdependence theory has failed in the case of the China-Japan relations Yahuda (2006), but China would be getting its desired goals. Thus, there is a close and significant economic interdependence between them, and no a corresponding overflow to the other areas such as the social, political, intellectual, academic, civilian, even no security engagement.
Likely desired by China, there is a Chinese cliché that in its relation with Japan “economics are hot and politics are cold”, but being very well used by China. For instance, while China is improving its manufacturing capacity through Japanese industrial transfers, at the same time, China disqualifies Japan to be a permanent member of the Security Council and disputes some sovereign claims.
The pragmatism of China also could be viewed, when it joined regional multilateral consultative organizations, launched with a key role of Japan, and having as one of the objectives involve China into norms and restrictions. Meanwhile, China’s leaders, pragmatically, accept the challenges of take advantage of new opportunities.
Some Japan’s measures are also exploited by China. For example, the fact that in Japan there are American military bases and the wishes of Japan’s of strengthening is security alliance with US, due to its wary about the rise of China; all this is taken, by China, as a way to encompass the necessary stability in order to achieve its principal goals of economic growth Yahuda (2006).
There are predictions about a positive future of the relationship between China and Japan, in favor of China. Although now a good relationship help to China to become stronger and there is a competition with Japan for the leadership in Asia, but according to Shirk (2008)in the future when China will be the number one, Japan will accept the situation and therefore the relation will be better.
China and developed countries’ interests sometimes overlap, in areas as of buttressing stability, fighting against terrorism and so on. But while China cooperate, at the same is improving it influence. For instance, in the past cut off support for communist guerrillas, improving cooperation with developed countries as US as well as official regimes of the Southeast Asia region.
But at the same time, sometimes China look for surpass other power in terms of influence, such as the case of the support to the countries affected by 1997 international crisis, while US and Japan wrongly delayed their response. Additionally, China has an aggressive promotion of FTA with Southeast countries, which soon will eclipse their trade with US and Japan Kurlantzick (2008).
China and the developing countries
In the Third World, China have been very dynamic; signing investment agreements, building public infrastructure, emphasizing and cultivating soft power, gaining membership in regional organization around the globe, etc. Thus, China had signed “strategic partnerships”, with Brazil (1993), Venezuela (2001), Mexico (2003), South Africa (2004), Argentina (2004), India (2005), Kazakhstan (2005), Indonesia (2005), Nigeria (2006), Algeria (2006), and so on.
China’s principal interest in the Third World is to get secured access of natural resources, and eventually has new markets to sell its own products. Also, China had realized that some developing countries are growing faster than developed ones, therefore the formers are potential partners in a future multipolar order. Then, China called itself the world’s largest developing country, appealing to a developing world that had also felt the impact of colonialism by powers.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) provide to China a key instrument to get its achievements in the Central Asia. One is the energy potential in Central Asian countries, which is a big interest for China. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have invested in many oil fields and the construction of the pipeline from the Caspian Sea area to China.
In Central Asia, China has achieved stability with an important part of its periphery. One important point, which also is their foundation, is the demarcation and demilitarization of the border between China and its Central Asian neighbors. Unbelievably, China ceded territories for Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which initially were claimed as Chinese territories. Besides, there were established agreements of military-to military exchange.
China presents some achievements in Southeast Asia region. During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, while US and Japan delayed response, China refuse to devaluate its currency and stepped forward with aid for the countries affected, for example an aid package of US$ 1 billion for Thailand. The secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN), qualified the China behavior during the crisis as exemplary.
Additionally, Chinese soft power have improved considerably in favor of the Southeast Asian countries. According to one survey of the National Defense University, in 2003, the Chinese aid had vastly outstripped US aid in Laos, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia. The trend suggest that, to date, China would be the first supporter of aid in the Southeast Asia Kurlantzick (2008).
The main interest of China in African is the existence of natural resources, given particularly the Chinese need for energy. In this sector, China’s main energy presence is in Angola and Sudan Alden (2008). The increase of prices of oil and other commodities such as nickel, copper, gold, titanium, etc., had benefited South African and foreign companies, as well as the attraction of Chinese investment for African countries.
In Africa, China, through its companies, had quickly built a lot of physical infrastructure, including roads, railroads, telecommunications and so on. Due to sever critics, China had offered voluntary restraints on export in order to care African industries as well as compensation in case of any Chinese company would make inappropriate conduct.
Finally, also Latin America is viewed as a resource-rich region by China. In general, Venezuela is viewed as supplier of energy, Peru of mineral such as copper, tin, zinc, platinum, iron, while Brazil and Argentina of foodstuffs such as soybean and beef. In fact, the third of Chinese agriculture imports come from Latin America, explained almost totally by Brazil and Argentina Teng (2007).
The Brazilian case is very interesting and means a change in the type of Chinese investment toward a greater cooperation beyond natural resources. Where, the relation between both countries have extended to trade, technology, even international fora. Thus, Brazil is taking some opportunities such as the wider of its steel industry due to the Chinese demand, develop of aeronautic and satellites project, the possibility of construction of nuclear plants in China, and so on.
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