A big responsible country needs to tackle internal and external affairs

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, September 27, 2003

A big responsible country needs to tackle internal and external affairs

A large country is usually an objective reality, but to become "a big, responsible country" requires subjective efforts. Therefore, a big country is not necessarily "responsible", conversely, a "responsible" country is not necessarily a big one. What are the matters a country, particularly a large one, should do within its duty? And how should it do these matters within its duty?

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It is a ready matter for a country with a large territory, a huge population and enormous strength to be a big power, but perhaps it is not so easy to be a "big responsible country". The word "responsible" here means doing a job well within one's own duty. A large country is usually an objective reality, but to become "a big, responsible country" requires subjective efforts. Therefore, a big country is not necessarily "responsible", conversely, a "responsible" country is not necessarily a big one. What are the matters a country, particularly a large one, should do within its duty? And how should it do these matters within its duty?

Although the Chinese sayings, "Cultivate one's mind and improve one's character" and "regulate the family, rule the country and bring world peace", refer to individuals, they equally apply to a country. If a country wants to have a lot to accomplish in the international arena, the prerequisite for this is that it must get its own affairs done well. It must first be responsible for itself, only then can it be responsible for the world. "Responsible for oneself" here means protecting its own sovereignty and territory from any foreign invasion, defending its national security and interest against any threats, maintaining the country's continued economic prosperity and its people's good and contented life, and ensuring the country's sustained and stable social development. If a country fails to bear these responsibilities, the result will either be endless internal disorder, or continuous foreign invasions. If a poor and weak country fails to govern even itself, then how can it shoulder responsibility in the international arena? And what responsibility can it undertake? That's the case with modern China which could only be bullied and oppressed by others and had no say in the international arena. Conversely, since the late 20th century China has declared its intention to be a "big responsible country", the foundations for this are the growth of its overall national strength and the world-shaking changes it has experienced.

However, it is far from enough for a "big, responsible country" merely to get its own affairs well done, it should also take an active part in international affairs. These refer mainly to: Firstly, it should bravely undertake its international obligations. For example, actively safeguarding world peace and stability and providing humanitarian aid to backward countries and regions. Secondly, it should play the role as a big country in international affairs. For instance, it should properly exercise its own powers in the United Nations and other international organizations, take the lead in controlling environmental pollution and attacking transnational crimes and international terrorism, and guard against epidemic diseases. Thirdly, centering on the themes of the times-peace and development, it should strengthen its international cooperation with other countries in various fields, bear its own bounden-duty in global and regional multilateral or bilateral cooperation mechanism. Fourthly, making use of its position and influence, it should actively mediate the hot issues of international conflict and strive to promote the realization of conciliation among the various parties involved. Judged from the diplomatic practices over the past few years, the role acted by China as a "big responsible country" is basically in these aspects, its role is especially notable particularly in helping bring about the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue. Of course, what China has done in these aspects is only a beginning. If it wants to become a real big country responsible to the world, diplomatically China should take more initiative to go global.

Only when a big country has got the matters of the above-mentioned two aspects done remarkably well, can it be called "responsible". However, a duty is not something isolated, it is linked first with risk. In terms of the first aspect, for the government and its leaders as the spokesmen for the State, guaranteeing democracy, rule of law and the prosperity of the country and a peaceful and contented life of the people is their bounden-duty; if they fail to accomplish this or make mistakes in this process, they should bear responsibility, the responsibility at this moment is a kind of risk. In terms of the second aspect, a big country (the same is true of any country) should carry out activities in the international arena within the framework of international law and the UN Charter, it is obligated to accept the restraint of the said law and Charter. Otherwise, it would be like the case of the United States. The country had put in no small energy in its attack on Iraq and had consumed huge amounts of human, material and financial resources, but in the end this it did was only a thankless job, as the saying goes, "if the name is not right, the words will not ring true", it was regarded as practicing unilateralism and hegemony, international voice of opposition kept ringing in the ears. The reason for this is that the United States disregarded the international law and the UN Charter, and persisted in going its own "responsible" way..

Of course, responsibility is also linked with interests, otherwise, who will be willing to bear responsibility? A big country shouldering responsibility will win extensive praises in the world, its position in the international arena will keep rising and its influence will expand continuously. Behind these invisible earnings will often be many material gains, such as the attainment of huge business opportunities, the promotion of foreign trade and the absorption of great amounts of direct international investment.

In brief, a "big responsible country" must cultivate its ability to bear responsibility for both internal and external affairs. Only those big countries assuming responsibility for its own affairs according to law are able to undertake responsibility for other countries and the world as a whole according to law. Shouldering responsibility is both a contribution and a risk, as well as a gain and profit. Viewed from the development trend of existing domestic affairs and foreign relations, China is advancing step by step toward a "big responsible country" worthy of its name.

SOURCE: Global Times, September 26. The author of this article is Kong Hanbing.

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