Diplomacy with neighbors

A sense of community among nations could ease intensity of disputes and pave way for common development

At a conference last week, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech on China's diplomacy with neighboring countries in which he put forward a number of new ideas of far-reaching significance.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of Central Military Commission, speaks during a conference on the diplomatic work on neighboring countries in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 25, 2013. [Photo / Xinhua]

China has witnessed dazzling development, but it also faces an obviously complicated and volatile surrounding environment. Some of the changes in relations between China and its neighbors have been favorable. Its economic and trade links with neighboring countries have seen remarkable progress, political and security ties with many neighbors have been strengthened, its relations with ASEAN countries are being consolidated, especially relations with Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. And after officially ending all outstanding territorial disputes, strategic mutual trust with Russia has been upgraded significantly, leading to more stable bilateral relations, as well as providing more leeway for China in its diplomacy with Central Asian countries. The greater mutual trust that has been established has ensured greater stability in China's relations with Russia and Central Asian countries.

But there have also been some negative developments. Relations between China and Japan have soured and have entered the most difficult period since the normalization of diplomatic relations, and with mutual trust hitting an all-time low, there is a growing risk of clashes over the disputed islands in the East China Sea. China and five ASEAN countries also have long-standing disputes over maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and there has been a flare-up of disputes between China and some individual ASEAN countries in recent years. Also border issues between China and India remain unresolved and there were border confrontations in the first half of this year. And thanks to its long-term involvement in the United States' global anti-terrorism campaign, Pakistan's domestic stability faces serious challenges. Added to these will be the uncertainty created by the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan next year, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's persistence in developing its nuclear program, which is causing instability on the Korean Peninsula.