Public opinion signals that while influence maintained by political pressure and bloc confrontation is fragile and short-lived, economic and trade cooperation based on market demand and long-term stability can be solid and enjoy popular support.
Rather than spending energy fabricating tales to discredit a rival, it’s far better to pour that energy into getting one’s own work right, in turn creating a more attractive, bigger picture.
China’s position and influence in the world is changing rapidly with the effects of projects such as the Belt and Road Initiative being witnessed first in developing countries.
Chinese medical expert team assists with the Ebola outbreak in the DRC.
History suggests that charges of overcapacity recur when dominant positions in international trade and investment eventually give way to new rising economic powers.
Yet even at this early stage, the notion deserves attention. It reflects an important intellectual shift in how China may now conceptualize its relationship with the United States.
Washington must support peace and development in our changing world.
As the SCO begins its next chapter, its most enduring legacy may not be the infrastructure it builds, but the confidence it creates.
The tangible impact of China’s efforts to push global governance reform is not one-way assistance, but rather two-way empowerment through trade and the cultivation of long-term development capacity.
The main test for Chinese diplomacy will be whether it can move from broad principles and consultations toward a continuously functioning negotiation framework.
