China ready to face challenges: Speakers

ISLAMABAD:

China does not want war, but it does not fear war either.

This was stated by Prof. Zhou Rong of the Chinese Guangming Daily on Wednesday at a discussion titled “China: An International Perspective”.

He maintained that China was determined to protect its sovereignty over disputed islands. The US might be involved in stirring up maritime disputes but China would need to demonstrate that it would respond firmly to such tactics.

Chinese People’s Daily Pakistan Bureau Chief Mu Zongcong called the dispute a legacy of World War II and added that the US had an interest in Dayou Island because it is very close to China. He said that the US was not only afraid of China’s growing power but also the potential challenge it posed to its dominance in the world economic order. Though he added that the US policy of containing China might not necessarily lead to war.

China Association for International Friendly Contact Vice President Li Xiaohua said his country believed in peaceful development based on non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. He expressed concern over the announcement of the shift of US naval pivot towards the Pacific and its growing involvement in South China Sea.

Dr Shaheen Akhtar maintained that the US wanted India to play a “rebalancing role in Asia Pacific”. She was of the view that the Taliban might be willing to negotiate because they seemed incapable of dislodging the government in Afghanistan. She called for strengthening trilateral dialogue between Afghanistan, China and Pakistan.

The conference was organised by the Institute of Regional Studies.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2012.