China, US capable of ironing out differences

Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently reiterated China's friendship with the United States and what Beijing expects of Washington to maintain good bilateral relations. At a news conference on the sidelines of the annual session of China's top legislature, he also said China, as a responsible country, has a broad and open mind and long-term vision for world peace.

Wang said China has no intention of "displacing anybody or dominating anybody". He made particular mention of the "American mindset", and said it is the source of "America-style concern" that the US exhibits while dealing with an emerging power like China.

The US is obsessed with the "act-by-itself" mindset in international affairs, which makes it see "potential foes" everywhere, and its misperception of China is the result of its own worries, anxieties and misjudgments.

China has no ambition to replace the US as the world leader. This fact is not related to whether China has the ability and capacity to do so; instead, it is related to the Chinese mindset and is deeply rooted in the Chinese nation.

Chinese people have long believed in the adage "Don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you".

Contrary to Chinese people's belief that a country can influence another only with virtue, the US believes in making other countries follow its line through force. The main difference between Chinese philosophy and the US mindset is that the former emphasizes sharing while the latter advocates exclusive enjoyment.

The scrambling for a bigger say and greater influence between China and the US on a series of issues is in essence a result of such ideological discrepancies. But what China pursues is "a reasonable development space and right of say" under the framework of the extant international order. It is not seeking to challenge the core interests of the US

Therefore, there is no reason for Beijing and Washington not to work for peaceful coexistence and mutual coordinated development.

Since China and the US have many common interests, they should show the world their ability to deal with issues of common concern.

The collaboration and understanding between China and the US at the UN climate change conference in Paris and over cyberspace security have demonstrated that they do not have to engage in a life-or-death struggle, and the two countries have every reason to pursue common development.

One superpower like the US is enough for the world; there is no need for a second of the same size because the world cannot endure the consequences. China knows that full well. So any talk of China trying to write another set of rules to counter those inked under the US leadership is baseless. What China pursues is a better world.

Mutual understanding is vital to the peaceful coexistence of China and the US If the US changed its ingrained thinking, then there would emerge a broader space for Beijing and Washington to work together.

We need not worry too much about the future of Sino-US ties, because Washington and Beijing are capable of maintaining relations and offering better times to the world.

The author is a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

(China Daily USA 04/01/2016 page4)