The beginning of the 21st century and the next few decades is a period when major changes will take place in global new technological revolution. The high-tech wave now sweeping the world is causing unprecedented changes and adjustments in the whole international relations.

Since the middle of last century, although international relations have received great impact from the development of high technologies in many aspects, which has given rise to a series of changes, the industrial society and the mindset, theories, decision-making and management system formed by its production and behavior pattern are still taking the dominant position and reluctant to exit the historical stage. Against the backdrop of industrial society most countries go after the maximization of material interests in economy, stress absolute sovereignty over resources or even expansion in military affairs, thereby laying down the ideological and theoretical foundation for the domestic and foreign policy of these countries in that era. Even today in the more developed west high technologies are generally used as means for accomplishing political and military objectives or supporting measures to augment economic output value. The foreign influence of the science and technology in developing countries, due to their relatively backward economy and culture, play limited role and some cannot but copy the development mode of the west.

Nevertheless, a great many facts in modern international relations show that the continuously advancing high technologies and its industrialization are greatly changing past indirectness of the relationship between technologies and politics, economics, military and security, resulting in expanded scope and accelerated speed of international relation changes. High technologies promote the development of international relations with its role mainly shown in the following:

High technologies led by information technology and their industries have spread all over the world. International political and economic order and great powers' interests are beginning to restructure; supported by scientific and technological advance transportation and communications are becoming increasingly developed. Plus, economic interpenetration and frequent cultural exchanges cannot but turn countries or even the international relations into a system structure that cannot be separated and have strict arrangement and particular operation mechanisms; the difference and contrast in political and economic development of different countries are being increasingly manifested through overall national strength with high technologies as its core part. Contest of overall national strength growing fierce is the prime root of the uncertainties in international relations. The further in-depth development of high technologies is bound to complicate the uncertainties.

After entering the 21st century, be it peace and development or the common security and interest assertion of various countries, none can alienate itself from the direct participation of high technologies. Quite obviously, only a multi-polarized world pattern with political purposes, guided by science and technology and based on economics is the essential feature of today's international relations. Though the international situation is constantly changing, science and technology, economics and politics are no doubt the starting point and end-result of observing and analyzing various international issues. In recent years, world economy is quickening pace in becoming more advanced and integrated. World economic structure is becoming increasingly inseparable from trade and the financial market. Resources, ecological treatment are frequently seen interacting and coordinating with international relations. The multi-win solutions to economic competitions, political differences and security crises are reached by using exchange and cooperation of high technologies so as to find good channels and achieve corresponding effects.

The coordinated advance of high technology development, and world pattern, its system are always exerting tangible and intangible influences. It is these influences that give rise to the transformation of international relations from the old order to the new order. For now, centering around industrial structure, regional cooperation, South-North coordination, ecological optimization, social environment quality and soft, hard national strength, international relations are locked in a new round of seesaw struggle of existence and development advantages in the political, economic, technological, cultural or even military area. Here, the new order of international relations mainly includes new world economic order, new global resource allocation system, new development concept and world consciousness. Though the developed and developing countries have different opinions on the mode and content of new world order, the threat and pressure that challenge the condition of human existence will eventually force various countries to gather around the same goal while science and technology are without doubt one of the cohesive forces in the process.

The article, written by Feng Jiangyuan and translated by People's Daily Online, is carried on the 7th page of People's Daily on October 14.