APD Review | China is playing a responsible role in world development

By APD writer Roy Lu

As leaders in the Asia- Pacific region gathered at the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in the Papua New Guinea capital of Port Moresby, one thing is on the mind of those nation heads: the region and the world at large was standing at the crossroads of future development.

APEC leaders pose for family photo in Papua New Guinea

Unfortunately for the international community, we now have to deal with a U.S. administration relentlessly and selfishly pushing for “America First” and brandishing the threat of trade war and even “cold war” as coercion.

The good news is, however, China, the second largest economy in the world, is clearly signaling that it would continue to assume its responsibility- like other major powers except America do- to safeguard multilateralism and free trade, two cornerstones of the improvement humanity has made in the past decades.

After decades- long period during which humanity has benefited at large from globalization, wealth inequality and stark damage to the environment is now threatening to deny us a brighter future. We face an uphill battle to tackle the difficulties and no panacea seems available, which in turn, unfortunately, has made attractive instigators’ calls for disruption to the existing rule- based international economic order.

The result of failing to properly deal with the issues could be damaging. In one of his speeches during the APEC Summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping made an analogy which couldn’t be more applicable for the situation we are facing now.

President Xi speaking on the APEC Summit

According to Xi, “we are all indeed fellow passengers in the same boat” striving to “brave the rough waters of the global economy and confront the many risks and challenges.”

“It is all to befitting that we have come together on this ship to chart the course for future development and cooperation,” Xi added.

For anyone familiar with international news, the world we are living in now is different from what it used to be. Hegemony, whether it is a military or economic one, is struggling to become a catchword again and multilateralism and free trade is under assault.

In the past 20 months, despite a hiccup in globalization and free trade, China has showed its unswerving advocate for multilateralism and most importantly a rule- based international order. In the latest endeavor to rally international support for multilateralism, China has pledged to advance opening-up and brace economic integration in the Asia- Pacific region.

In his speech, Xi recalled the changes which happened to China in the past four decades, and he had made clear that reforms and opening- up was the key to China’s impressive rise.

To become even more open and inclusive is Xi’s pledge on behalf of the Chinese to the world.

Rather than being blank pledges on paper, China is concrete in delivering steps forward. Xi pledged that China will continue to expand market access, strengthen IPR protection, and increase imports.

China also stands in stark comparison to the United States in its adamant support for upholding the WTO- centered multilateral trading system and a rules-based approach to advance the reform the global governance system. Most importantly, China calls for the principle of conducting consultation and collaboration for shared benefits.

The world is now in danger because of instigators’ blatant calls for disruption in rule- based world order and disrespect for others’ interests. China is showing that it will not shun its responsibility to correct the slip.

Roy Lu, researcher of APD Institute. Lu covered the 2016 U.S. presidential election till the very end of Donald Trump’s upset victory. He is a political contributor to APD.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)