On October 14 and15, 2014, the Institute of International and Strategic Studies (IISS), Peking University (PKU)  held a seminar named Global Conflict in the Chinese Century together with European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). The scholars and experts from both sides had a discussion on international strategy and regional hotspot issues from the perspectives of China and Europe.  

At the beginning of the seminar, Prof. Wang Jisi, President of IISS, PKU and Mr. François Godement, director of ECFR’s Asia & China program, made a speech respectively. Mr. Godement gave a brief introduction of ECFR and emphasized the peculiarity and importance of the dialogue. Prof. Wang pointed out that the world pattern should be revalued in the dialogue and both sides should draw on opinions of the other side on significant international issues  and explore the importance of geopolitics in international affairs.

The first session of the dialogue entitled Noninterference, global responsible and Chinese interests was hosted by Yu Tiejun, Associate Professor and Assistant President of IISS, PKU. Prof. WangYizhou, Vice President of the School of International Studies (SIS), PUK and Mr. Nick Witney, former director of European Defense Agency, made keynote speeches respectively. Prof. Wang Yizhou restated his opinion expressed in his book recently published - Innovative interference: the New Orientation of China Diplomacy that the Chinese diplomacy should be divided into three periods since the founding of China in 1949. In the last period led by Mr. Deng Xiaoping, China did not hitchhiked any more but tried to participate in the agenda of global responsibility after the 18th national congress of CPC. In the first thirty years after founding of China, our diplomatic policy was optional interference, but not noninterference and China was willing to shoulder the global responsibility as shown in the past 60 years’ experience. In the speech of Mr. Witney, he focused on analysis of performance of China on protection of overseas interests and regional issues. According to his opinion, the diplomatic move China makes, whether progressive or conservative, will get much global attention due to its great power and  the measurement was also complex. Later, he pointed out that Europe had global perspectives different from USA.  In the eye of Europe, China is not the barrier of the global agenda but a country that can shoulder more and more global responsibilities.

In the second session for case analysis of “the maritime safety of the East China Sea and the South China Sea”, Mr. Zha Daojing, keynote speaker and professor of SIS,PKU, firstly raised the question -- What is Regional Order and then presented his point of view. According to him, the world order after the World War Ⅱ was decided by a series of international conferences and declarations in 1940s. He also briefly introduced the history of Diaoyu Island and pointed out that, from the perspective of law, there was not any regulation and agreement clearly regulating the ownership of the island and the “effective control” proposed by Japan cannot be defined clearly in international laws. Mr. François Godementre made another keynote speech who opined that it is hard to measure the power of China by a consistent standard and people will have their own opinions on different aspects of China.  So we should not simply compare China with USA when we measure China’s military power and this makes the Diaoyu Island issue more sophisticated. 

In the third session, Wang Suolao, an Associate Professor of SIS,PKU, and Mr. Daniel Levy, Director of ECFR’s Middle East and North African Program, made speeches on Perspectives of China and Europe on the issue of Syria and Iran. Mr. Wang pointed out that China is also confronted with many problems, including the interference from the outside power, so China does not want to see any control by external force in Syria. China always holds that the institutional evolution should not be completed by external interference, but by local people’s self-involvement. Therefore, China is not indulging Bashar regime but is calling for a dialogue on the basis of peaceful resolution of disputes and China took the same stand towards the nuclear issue of Iran. Mr. Levy also stated that USA may not have a Roadmap for the Middle East issue and the whole world is thinking whether USA should have show more or less in terms of its various presence in the Middle East. However, at least in the issue of Syria, USA has prevented local political powers from reaching consensus based on their interests. 

In the evening, Mr. Shi Yinhong, a Professor of Renmin University of China, made a keynote speech in the dinner party entitled The New Pattern of Relations between Great Powers and China’s Global View. Later, Prof. Yuan Ming, Vice President of IISS, PKU, hosted the following Q&A session where the experts and scholars fully interacted with Prof. Shi on China’s global diplomatic strategy and China-EU relation.

There were two sessions the next day. First, Mr. Guan Fuhai, Associate Professor and Executive Vice President of IISS, PEU and Ms. Vessela Tchernerva, Director of ECFR’s Pan Europe program, discussed  the position of both sides on Ukraine and Russia. Mr. Guan pointed out that both China and Europe pay much attention to the relation with Russia and would not like to see any obstacles. As Ukraine issue cannot be expected to be solved immediately, so the conflict between Russia and western countries will continue inevitably. China appeals for peace first and then seeks for economic development in the issue of Ukraine. Ms. Tchernerva said in her speech that Europe has long been reacting slowly to issues relevant to Russia and Putin is always vigilant to Europe. The interaction between China and Russia, especially on Ukraine affairs, is what Europe expects to know more about.

In the last session is entitled Epilogue: experience and future, Mr. Feng Zhongping, Vice President of China Institute of Contemporary Relations and Mr. Richard Gowan, Director of the International Cooperation Center, New York University, made speeches. They both mentioned that China has entered into a new era when more and more Chinese people are participating in affairs both at home and abroad and the new central collective leadership has presented new governing concept and behavioral style after the 18th national congress of CPC. In the future, China will participate in broader global affairs and use the overseas power and resources more confidently - will it be an opportunity or challenge? China and Europe will have more to discuss.