(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
[chronicle] The world has gained a new global player. China. Strongly driven by economic interests, China has become increasingly woven into the global community over the past 15 years. It has basically been good for the world. But the main questions remain. With China as an active and global player, will everything be as before? Will they become a protector of the existing or will they help to introduce a new order? Is the country increasingly putting its weight behind the established international system? Or is the country a Trojan horse that the Western faithful have welcomed into the international community, as editor Hugo Restall writes in the May issue of the Far Eastern Economic Review.
Increased economic and cultural relations.
The answer is not simple. One sensible approach is to look past foreign policy rhetoric and consider Chinese behavior on relevant international issues.
North Korea. The six-party negotiations finally came to an end. Although it looks dark for the part of the deal that deals with Japan, including the abduction of the Japanese, it is a fact that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are back. The closure of the facility will improve the security situation in Northeast Asia and could contribute to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
The cooperation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization an example of Chinese initiative to improve regional security. The cooperation has since 1996 contributed to clarification and demilitarization of border lines in Central Asia. The result is a significantly better neighborhood with increased opportunities for economic and cultural communication.
Acceptance of the international trade system has been a key element in China's economic reforms. Economic openness and Chinese membership in the World Trade Organization have helped to accelerate globalization and have a positive impact on the world economy. Economic growth has created new opportunities for Chinese workers and led to a sharp reduction in extreme poverty in China. Similarly, consumers in Norway and other Western countries can thank China for increased purchasing power in recent years.
These and other examples indicate that China is increasingly accepting and adapting to the existing international system. The country sees that they can earn a lot from following international rules of the game. However, it is important to emphasize that this is a path that China has just begun. Mentioned examples are from the last 10-15 years. The future is still uncertain and Chinese policy is in many cases unclear, as the following examples illustrate.
Ambitions for high status.
Darfur. The news of a possible Chinese change of attitude was perhaps the most important thing that came out of the conference on Darfur held in Paris earlier this summer. There is reason to applaud the positive signals, but the most important thing is to follow and push for further development. For China, a change of attitude is far from over. Sudan is a strategic supplier of oil and deviations from the traditional non-interference doctrine do not come by themselves.
What the West learns from the art of persuasion vis-à-vis China in Darfur may come in handy when it comes to Iran. The conflict over Iran's nuclear weapons program is set to be another example of how China's non-interference policy will be put to the test. History has shown that only an international consensus led by a unified Security Council can work against Iran. In the process leading up to any sanctions, the degree of Chinese activity will be noticed. Passive behavior and possible opposition will greatly reduce the trust the country seems to be creating.
Chinese companies are helping to tarnish the country's reputation. Disclosures of life-threatening export products and brutal behavior by Chinese companies in Africa, for example, destroy the Chinese authorities' ambition for high international status. The world will not accept that dubious practices regarding the control of products and corporate social responsibility are exported from China and out into the world.
A global challenge that places particularly high demands on China is the problems associated with the environment and climate. Urbanization and economic growth have created severe environmental problems that also have direct consequences for neighboring countries. Economic growth is leading China to the top in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The world undoubtedly needs a responsible China to succeed in achieving the necessary emission cuts and measures needed to save the world's environment.
The world depends on China.
Although there are some examples that suggest that China is moving towards becoming a responsible international player, it is quite obvious that difficult issues remain. The examples also illustrate that the world is dependent on China to solve ongoing international challenges. The question then becomes what the West can do to influence China to become a responsible player.
Some people rightly talk about a kind of Olympic effect. Just as the Lillehammer Olympics were a national boost for Norway, the Beijing Olympics is a solid prestige project for China. Profiled hints that the country may not be a worthy organizer are taken very seriously. Consequently, the authorities will be very concerned about the country's international reputation leading up to the Games. This may be a factor behind the apparent Chinese stance on the Darfur issue. If this is true, that's fine. Nothing is better than the Olympics affecting China in a positive direction.
However, an Olympics ends and has only a temporary effect. Ultimately, the power of example is paramount. It is inevitable that the incorporation of China as a responsible international player over time will also require changes in the rest of the international community. The best way Norway and the rest of the international community can encourage and pressure China to act responsibly is by acting as credible and responsible international actors. This includes active support for the UN and other multilateral organizations and processes. Darfur and other examples show that collective pressure works best. The invasion of Iraq, some elements in the fight against terrorism and some countries' actions in the ongoing WTO negotiations are examples of the opposite. In cases where the world community is united and the spotlight is on China's sole position, there is much to suggest that the country, after some deliberation, will follow the good norm of the international community. A good part of the answer to the question of whether China will go further along the way to becoming a responsible international player thus lies with the international community itself.
Svend Haakon Kristensen
is Embassy Secretary at the Norwegian Embassy in Beijing. The chronicle expresses the author's own views.
