Time:2013/6/25

On 6th June 2013, Professor Zhang Haibin, Associate Professor Wangdong, Professor Zhang Qingmin and Associate Professor Yu Wanli from the Center for International and Strategic Studies (CISS), Peking University, and Professor Xu Hui from College of Defense Studies, National Defense University, gave briefings to the delegation from the Royal Danish Defence College (RDDC) at Zhongguanxinyuan Global Village, Peking University. Professor Zhu Feng, Deputy Director of CISS, PKU, Friis Arne Petersen, Danish Ambassador to China, and Rear Admiral Nils Wang, Commander of RDDC, attended the activity.

The day began with opening remarks by Professor Zhu Feng and Rear Admiral Nils Wang. Professor Zhu Feng pointed out that as a transitional power, the image of contemporary China is full of complexity and variability. Rear Admiral Nils Wang expressed gratitude for CISS and hoped every member of the delegation could benefit from these briefings. Then, Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen briefed China-Denmark relations. In his opinion, China’s rapid development in recent years has attracted international attention. Denmark and Europe Union attached importance to their relations with China and speak highly of cooperation with China in advanced technology, energy and agriculture fields. Economic and trade relations has been a cornerstone for bilateral relations. With the development of communication and mutual understanding, it is believed that China-Denmark relations have a bright future.

Professor Zhang Haibin introduced China’s new opinion about climate change and national security. Based on first-hand materials including official documents and governmental spokesman’ statements, Professor Zhang Haibin explained Chinese government’s perception about climate change. With the rising importance of non-traditional security issues, climate change, which affects the quality of territory, environment and economic development, has been a potential threat to China’s national security. It is believed by Chinese government that climate change has a lot to do with sustainable development. To tackle climate change effectively, the world’s main powers must cooperate with each other. In Q&A section, Professor Zhang Haibin clarified the role non-governmental organizations played in the process of China’s reaction to climate change. He pointed out that although the social organization took active action in climate change issue, Chinese government still play the main part. This phenomenon exists not only in China, but also in Japan and Korea. It is determined by the special culture and historical tradition in East Asia.

Associate Professor Wang Dong’s briefing focused on Military Operation Other Than War (MOOTW). He summarized relations between MOOTW and China’s diplomacy and military affairs and the process in which Chinese military circle and academia accepted and developed the conception of MOOTW, then introduced representative research works and research institutes. China is full of the practice of MOOTW, including production and construction such as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, rescue and disaster relief such as the case of Wenchuan Earthquake relief, fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, countering terrorism, stability maintenance and international peacekeeping. The future trajectory of China’s MOOTW is connected with two factors. One is rules and laws; the other is its relation with China’s overall diplomacy.

Professor Zhang Qingmin provided a panorama of China’s diplomacy and analyzed China’s conception of international community, core national interest and foreign policy decision-making model. Based on his years of research, he used charts and statistics to display the evolution of China’s guiding diplomatic ideology. China’s internal-oriented foreign policy focuses on domestic security and economic development. In recent years, formerly revolutionary China actively integrated with the international system and participated in the construction of international order. The new pattern of China’s diplomacy is forming. In Q&A section, Professor Zhang Qingmin explained the notion of strategic partnership proposed by China, China’s investment in Africa and island disputes.

Starting with the perspective of grand history, Associate Professor Yu Wanli talked about Chinese politics from the past to the present. The concept of China came into being at the ancient times, but the modern conception of nation state and territory actually have formed since the Opium War in 1840, which is the starting point of modern Chinese history. China is a country with vast territory, and accent in different region vary from each other. Standardized writing system plays a crucial role in keeping the whole nation united and the Chinese history integrated. In the 21st century, China’s political system institutionalizes gradually. Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee and party committee at all levels act as important role in political lives. Recently proposed “China Dream” aims to consolidate the legitimacy of CCP. China is currently directed by the catch-up strategy, seeking the great-power status in new century.

Professor Xu Hui talked about China’s maritime strategy and policy. He emphasized that China was an oceanic country, and China had great interests and concern on foreign trade and maritime territory disputes. Traditional maritime disputes still exist, and new maritime security threats such as the piracy off the coast of Somalia are emerging, which complicate maritime policy. China has recognized that maritime security is of great significance in world peace and prosperity, and pays great attention to it. In today’s world, both traditional and non-traditional threats pose serious challenges to maritime security. China insists on managing disputes with peaceful means, and it is seeking to promote the economic, security and political co-operation with all the party concerned in the spirit of good neighborhood, harmonious border line and common prosperity.