China must not assume it will overtake US as top superpower, warns former commerce minister
- China’s former commerce minister Chen Deming reminds Beijing to stay cool-headed in quest to become world’s top superpower
- China ‘must follow a strategy of seeking multilateral cooperation’ says ex-MOFCOM chief, as US-China trade war continues
China should not take it for granted that it will overtake the United States to become the world’s top superpower, former commerce minister Chen Deming warned on Sunday.
At a forum organised by the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based think tank, Chen warned that the country will remain “in the primary stage of socialism” for a long period of time and said its economic size does not give it the leeway to dictate global rules.
“When China takes part in global governance, China must follow a strategy of seeking multilateral cooperation,” Chen said. “Do not take it for granted that China is number two, and do not make the assumption that we will be the number one sooner or later.”
They reflect growing signs that former Chinese officials and academics are questioning China’s display of power and aggressive diplomatic push.