China says it doesn’t want to ‘lord it over’ other countries, as it prepares to sign US trade deal

Commentary in Communist Party mouthpiece stresses that the country’s rise is peaceful and sends message it is not seeking to displace the United States

It also says ‘cooperation, not conflict, and mutual promotion, not mutual containment’ is the foundation of bilateral ties

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Beijing said it had not caved to pressure from Washington on trade. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:00pm, 31 Dec 2019Updated: 1:09pm, 15 Feb 2020

China has again stressed that its rise was peaceful, saying it did not want to “lord it over” other countries in a commentary in Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily on Tuesday.

It also sought to send a message that it was not seeking to displace the United States, just as Beijing and Washington are preparing to sign an interim deal to defuse trade tensions.

Beijing would also keep its promises to open up and contribute to the world economy and improve global governance, according to the year-end commentary wrapping up 2019.

“China has never wanted to threaten, challenge or displace anyone, nor has it wanted to lord it over others,” said the commentary, written by Guo Jiping, a People’s Daily pen name used to outline Beijing’s stance on key international issues.

It also reviewed four decades of China-US relations, saying “cooperation, not conflict, and mutual promotion, not mutual containment” was the foundation of the countries’ bilateral ties.

The world’s two biggest economies reached agreement in mid-December to de-escalate the trade war. Under the so-called phase one trade deal, China has agreed to increase its purchases of US agricultural and manufactured goods in return for the US rolling back tariffs on Chinese products. The two sides are expected to sign the deal as early as next week.