US will find itself alone if it tries to divide region

Editor's Note: In a speech at the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Sunday, Michael Swaine, director of East Asia Program of Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, cast doubts on China playing the main role in safeguarding security in the Asia-Pacific region because it is growing stronger by the day. Following are excerpts from former vice-foreign minister Fu Ying's response to Swaine:

China lags behind the United States in fields such as science and technology, but that doesn't mean China and the US can't pursue development in multiple areas while benefiting from each other's growth. If China is a threat now because of the size of its economy, what happens if, in case, India becomes a bigger economy? The fact that the US sees China as a threat primarily because it has grown stronger is unacceptable.

Perhaps the US' skewed logic derives from the Western "power competition theory". But China is different from Western countries in that it has its own long history and civilization, moral standards and values — and most of all because it is a socialist country. Besides, China has proposed to help build a community with a shared future for mankind, and promotes equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect, and respects the right of every country to choose its own development path.

Judging by Swaine's logic, China could play the main role in safeguarding security in the Asia-Pacific had it remained a poor country. Is this argument even logical?

China is not threatening any country. It has reached where it is peacefully and will continue to grow further peacefully. What has made the US jittery is the changing world order and the emergence of market economies like China. It is afraid of losing its leading position in the world. The US faces problems both at home and on the global stage today because of the monumental mistakes it has made. And China is not responsible for its predicament.

No one knows how long it will take the US to realize its misjudgment of China, or how long it will take for it to play a positive role in regional and international relations. Almost all Asian countries have refused to take sides in the competition the US has launched against China, because they don't want to become victims of power politics.

As such, the US will soon find itself alone if it continues to try and divide the Asia-Pacific, and politicize the region's development agenda.