Many events have recently occurred in China's periphery – the issue of Huangyan Island was not yet solved and the farce of purchasing the Diaoyu Islands surfaced; the Japanese warship visited the Philippines, the Indian Prime Minister visited Myanmar; the U.S. Defense Secretary announced that it would strengthen its navy deployment in the Asia-Pacific area. Therefore, some people who desire to stir up trouble in the world seized the chance to preach the "China containment theory."



It is somewhat self-deceiving to say that the eastward shift of U.S. strategic focus does not target China. However, it is also ridiculous to say that the United States is committed to contain China. U.S. President Barack Obama will be the first to deny it. Obama had repeated said publically that the United States welcomes a strong, prosperous and stable China and the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also said that China is not the former Soviet Union and the United States will not be an enemy of China. The Time even said that the South China Sea is not the core interests of the United States and the states has no intention to intervene in the South China Sea dispute. As for the Huangyan Island, the U.S. government has also repeatedly stressed that it will not support any side and will also not blindly help Philippines.



Those people clamoring “containing China" overlook a basic fact, namely the mutual interests and interdependence of China and the United States are far important than their differences. In 2011, the China-U.S. trade volume was over 440 billion U.S. dollars. Both sides maintained close communication and cooperation in such international issues as the financial crisis, the Iranian nuclear issue, the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and the global climate change and they have established more than 60 dialogue and consultation mechanisms. At the latest China-U.S. strategic and economic dialogue, both sides have decided to actively explore new ways to get along with each other and make efforts to the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.



No one in the surrounding area of China believes the "China containment theory”. China now is the most important trading partner of almost all neighboring countries and its trade volume with Asian countries has exceeded 1 trillion U.S. dollars. Although the Philippines had squabbled with China on the issue of Huangyan Island, it still is eager to expand cooperation with China. Some Japanese instigated to purchase the Diaoyu Island but it did not affect the Noda government's decision of opening the direct transaction between yen and yuan. The successful convening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Beijing further deepened the good-neighborly cooperation between China and Russia and the Central Asia countries.



China has really gone toward the world. The number of annual outbound Chinese has exceeded 70 million and 18,000 companies have registered in 178 countries and regions, with overseas assets reaching 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars. The number of overseas laborers has over 820,000. China is playing a positive and constructive role in almost all global issues and showing an image of responsible power.



Those who are credulous to the “China containment theory" should recognize the trend of the times. China does not engage in power politics, mark off spheres of influence and seek military alliance. Instead, it insists on mutual respect, equal treatment and the periphery policy of "being a good neighbor and partner." A prosperous and powerful China will work with its neighbors and the world forever.



Read the Chinese version: “围堵中国论”没有市场

, source: Guangming Daily, author: Zhang Yunan

