Editorial | Countries should accept China’s rise

While the whole world needs to come to terms with China’s growing global importance, Beijing should also do a much better job convincing smaller neighbours that they have nothing to fear

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Chinese sailors wave from a PLA Navy ship after it arrives at Garden Island Naval Base in Sydney. Photo: EPA

Published: 11:53pm, 8 Jun 2019Updated: 12:22am, 9 Jun 2019

Amid rising tension between the world’s two biggest powers, the abiding concern among smaller countries at the recent Shangri-La security dialogue was whether they will be forced to take sides in the increasingly confrontational contest for power and influence. Addressing the issue in his keynote address as host leader, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged the rest of the world to adjust to China’s rise. “Countries have to accept that China will continue to grow and strengthen, and that it is neither possible nor wise for them to prevent this from happening.”

That is good advice as a starting point. China’s rise is inevitable. The whole world needs to take an objective view of its development and come to terms with its growing global importance. Evidence of the need for other countries to adjust emerged in Australia with the surprise appearance in Sydney Harbour of a Chinese naval task force of three vessels, in a move perceived as Beijing flexing its military muscle. Public consternation at the lack of a prior announcement forced Prime Minister Scott Morrison to reassure the public it was a scheduled “routine” port visit which reciprocated an Australian naval visit to China. “That is a demonstration of the relationship,” he said.

According to the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Peter Jennings, the public should “expect almost every year that there will be some sort of Chinese naval visit” as the PLA Navy built its strength and influence in the Indian and Pacific oceans. That said, the overreaction reflected uncertainty stirred up by US President Donald Trump’s unilateralism.

Noting that US-China relations will define the tenor of international relations for years to come, Lee said there were many opportunities for small states to work together to deepen economic cooperation and integration and build up multilateral institutions to strengthen their influence as a group. Initiatives for regional cooperation, such as concepts of “Indo-Pacific cooperation”, should strengthen existing arrangements and not create rival blocs or force nations to take sides. Given the need for peaceful coexistence with a big neighbour without taking sides, there is also a need for China to do a much better job in convincing smaller neighbours that they have nothing to fear.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Editorial | Countries should accept China’s rise

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}While the whole world needs to come to terms with China’s growing global importance, Beijing should also do a much better job convincing smaller neighbours that they have nothing to fear

Editorial | Countries should accept China’s rise

While the whole world needs to come to terms with China’s growing global importance, Beijing should also do a much better job convincing smaller neighbours that they have nothing to fear