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Chinese foreign policy under Jiang Zemin administration------ Take entering WTO for example

 

Research paper supervisor:Dr.Seku Conde
Minzu University of China
2007-2008 Academic Year
 
                      
Abstract: New China was founded more than 50 years; China's foreign policies have been changed to adjust to the continuous forms of development with the times. From 1989 to 2003, President Jiang Zemin was in administration. China’s foreign policy also has changed dramatically. The study of these changes will be of great significance to understand the international situation and foreign policy choices that
 
Ⅰ、The review of the literature of this field
New China was founded more than 50 years ago. In the past 50years, Chinese foreign policy has changed a lot and has made great achievements. Now China’s friends are all over the world, and China is increasing her international status. There are many useful experiences to review. The foreign policies of the successive leaders since the foundation of new China are as follows:
1. At the time of the foundation of new China, since the US-led imperialist countries rejected to the socialist camp and the US felt fear of new China, countries of the western world take the policy of isolation and blockade to China. In contrast, the Stalin-led government supported new China despite there are many problems in dealing with its relations with China. After the establishment of new China, the Soviet Union was the first to recognize China. The two countries established diplomatic relations with each other and signed a series of agreements to give China full support. In the two camps antagonistic sharply situation, it was necessary to prevent the revolution that may be aroused by imperialist armed intervention after the country's independence. There was an urgent need for a socialist country led by the Soviet Union to supported new China. And at the same time, the birth of New China need to heal the wounds of war, rehabilitate and develop the national economy, it needed  external assistance. It is precisely in such situation; the new Republic of China declared a "one-sided" foreign policy, that is, in the diplomatic China would stand firmly on the Soviet Union-led socialist camp and opposed the US-led imperialist camp strongly.[①]
2.In the late 1950s to the late 1960s, the Soviet Union attempted to control China to facilitate the implementation of its global strategy, Soviet Union imposed many pressure on China which made Sino-Soviet relations deteriorated. At the same time, because of the United States still insists on anti-communist, anti-China stance, the US  not only defiance to the mainland by Taiwan's but also sent troops to Vietnam, which posed China a serious threat. At that time, China was in the state of acute confrontation of the two superpowers. Subjectively, after the growth of “Left" mistakes in 1957, it has affected diplomatic work seriously. Therefore, at that time China readjusted its foreign policy, abandoned the "one-sided" and gradually adopted to the "two fists beatings,” foreign policy, that is, in dealing with the relations of the United States and the Soviet Union, China didn’t stand to any of them[②]
3. In the late 1960s to the late 1970s, due to the expansionist of Soviet Union, the Sino-Soviet relations became tenser. After the 1970s, the Soviet Union continue to increase armed forces in China's northeast, northwest and north China and Mongolia in the Sino-Soviet border , formed a serious threat to China. In the late 1960s to early 1970s, in contrast, with the increasing decline of U.S. hegemony, the US changed its policy to China. In order to ensure the strategic focus in Europe and other parts of the world and to compete with the Soviet Union, the Nixon administration's decided to adjust the U.S. global strategy: to shrink in Asia, decently to get out from the quagmire of the Vietnam War and improve relations with China, in order to be against to the Soviet Union.
4.After 1978, Third Plenum of the 11th Communist Party of China, China decided to shift her focus to economic construction. The Chinese government promptly forms China's diplomacy policy according to the basis of the new changes in international situation and domestic tasks of China in order to adjust the new need of China. These policies are including the following main points:
First, in the matter of war and peace we reach to a new scientific thesis. Previously, China has stressed the danger of war and the world war is inevitable. According to Deng Xiaoping’s calm observation and objective analysis, the view that the war is inevitable was changed. The new view is that the world peace factors are growing more than the growth of world war factors.  The world war can be avoided and the world stay for a long period of peace is possible.
Second, China will not establish alliances and strategic relationships with any country in the world. China is an independent country since 1949 and this principle has been upheld.[③] However, due to restrictions on the international situation, in a rather long period of time, China can not be truly non-aligned. As the situation changed, we timely adjusted the diplomatic strategy and decided not to establish strategic alliances or relationships with any superpower; we will not support one party to oppose anther party. On all international issues, we will accord to its own merits and the Chinese people and world people's fundamental interests to make an independent judgment and to decide our attitude and policies.
Third, China will not distinguish countries by social systems and ideologies. In the past, we observed international issues excessively based on social systems and ideologies. Once, this seriously influenced the friendship between China and other countries, which are friends of United States or the Soviet Union and China. Practice has proved that in this way to judge and deal with the international situation and relations between countries will do more harm than benefit. After the reform and opening up, China made the decision to abandon the social system or ideology differences to countries. After that, we quickly resume the relationships with Eastern Europe and the Independent States of former Soviet Union .and we maintain or establish a new national relation. Both of the two sides cooperate in the political, economic, trade, science and technology and many other various fields. Also, we succeeded in breaking the policy of sanctions and isolation carried out by Western countries.
Fourth, China will open up to all countries in the world and accelerate the socialist modernization. At the beginning of the foundation of New China, China decided to develop foreign trade and economic cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Communist Party of China, Chinese Government was in accordance with changes of the international situation and the needs of domestic construction to make decision to open up to the outside. Chinese government clearly pointed out that China should be "open to all countries around the world, to all types of country." During more than 20 years, the number of countries that established diplomatic relations with China was from 110 in 1977 to more than 160 in 1999.We continue to expand our diplomatic positions and more and more country become our friends. We are not only open to capitalist countries but also to the socialist countries, and we not only open to the developed countries but also to the developing countries. China's open policy has made tremendous achievements. In the year 1998 China's import and export trade amounted to 325 billion U.S. dollars, while in 1979's is 20.6 billion U.S. dollars. All this not only promote China's economic development and raise the level of science and technology management, accelerate the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the process of modernization but also strengthen the exchanges between the people of China and the outside world and safeguard world peace.[④]
Ⅱ、The definition of key concepts
1.The implications of Foreign policy
Foreign policy is the guidelines that a country followed for action in a certain historical period in the development of relations with other countries; the foreign policy is an important component of the country’s policies. It reflects a country's attitude and ability in the participation of international affairs and it also shows the country's international status and prestige in the world. Meanwhile, on the countries themselves, foreign policy is the way to keep in contact with the outside world with the countries to pursue their own development and to keep up with world trends. Since the foundation of New China, China's foreign policy has undergone several stages of development, and undergoes several major adjustments to form the independent and peace foreign policy.
2. Jiang Zemin era:
Jiang Zemin administration is from 1989-2003.
Because of China's national strength has considerably increased, and after post-Cold War and globalization, China's strategic environment has changed, so China slightly changed its foreign policy. On October 19th, 2001, President Jiang Zemin and President Bush held a joint press conference for Chinese and foreign journalists. President Jiang said that China and the United States, as two countries that have major influence in the world, share common responsibilities and interests in such aspects as maintaining peace and security in the [...]

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