A Cooperative Approach to Security

By+Lan+Xinzhen

A white paper titled Chinas Policies on Asia-Pacific Security Cooperation was released by the State Council Information Office on January 11. It dwelt upon Chinas security vision for the AsiaPacific region， its relations with other major nations in the region， its views on regional hotspot issues， its participation in major multilateral mechanisms in the region， and its role in regional non-traditional security cooperation. The white paper represents the countrys active response to the current Asia-Pacific security situation.

To promote peace and seek stability and development is a strategic goal and common aspiration of most countries in the Asia-Pacific region. However， the region still faces multiple destabilizing and uncertain factors such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and Washington and Seouls continuous attempts to deploy the THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea. While the United States strengthens its military presence in the region， Japan has tried to build up its military forces by reclaiming the right to collective self-defense through constitutional revision. These actions have added to the security risks of the region. In the meantime， other threats such as terrorism， natural disasters and cross-border crimes are becoming increasingly prominent.

As an important player in the Asia-Pacific region， China deeply understands that the nations peaceful development relies on the stability of the area. The white paper shows that China upholds a “common， comprehensive， cooperative and sustainable” security concept for the region. However， not all nations take the same stance as China. The United States， Japan and South Korea seek regional security by building a military alliance and threatening other countries.

As peace and development have become the trend， why are these countries still pursuing security with a Cold War mindset？ This is primarily due to distrust. Notably， the United States and Japan lack trust in Chinas peaceful intentions， and North Korea is alerted to the military threats of the United States and South Korea.

Whether China-U.S. mutual trust can further improve in the wake of Donald Trump assuming the U.S. presidency on January 20 is uncertain. The purpose of issuing the white paper just prior to Trumps inauguration is to clarify for the international community， especially the United States and other regional nations， Chinas commitment to Asia-Pacific cooperation and its intention to strengthen regional security cooperation.

China and the United States are two important forces influencing and contributing to the maintenance of Asia-Pacific security， and the regions security requires cooperation between the two countries. The United States， in spite of being a superpower， cannot maintain security in the region by itself. The two countries need to take joint action.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinpings state visit to the United States in 2015， Sino-U.S. relations have progressed stably， with exchanges at all levels becoming increasingly frequent and positive results achieved in cracking down on online crimes， coping with climate change， and economic and trade cooperation. The two nations have also continued to communicate closely to deal with divergences. As a result， the Asia-Pacific situation has remained stable in spite of pressure from the United States.

The white paper indicates that China is willing to push for dialogue and cooperation on security with other countries in the region based on the principle of mutual benefit. Some may say Chinas military forces are developing rapidly， which constitutes a threat to Asia-Pacific security and is unfavorable to security cooperation in the region.

This view is ill-founded given that Chinas military forces are a pioneer， driver and participant of international security cooperation. China carries out military exchanges with other countries in a manner of nonalliance and non-confrontation， not targeting any third party and based on the principle of peaceful diplomacy.

China has worked to promote the establishment of just and effective collective security mechanisms. It has increased interaction and cooperation with the armed forces of other nations and intensified cooperation on confidence-building measures in border areas. China has also promoted dialogue and cooperation on maritime security， participated in UN peacekeeping missions， international counterterrorism cooperation， escort missions and disaster relief operations， and conducted joint exercises and training with other countries.

Hopefully， all countries in the Asia-Pacific region can work together to promote regional security cooperation and contribute to peace and stability both within the region and around the world.