What has China's diplomacy gone through over the years?

Published : 25/09/2024

1. "Lean to One Side" in the bipolar structure of the Cold War

In 1949, the founding of New China occurred with everything in need of development, and survival and development were of paramount importance.

At that time, the international bipolar pattern of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union had been formed. Regarding China, the United States supported the defeated Nationalist Party government in Taiwan and did not recognise the Communist Party-led New China, even joining some Western countries in economically blockading China.

Conversely, the Soviet Union and the socialist camp were the first to establish diplomatic relations with New China and were willing to provide assistance in funding, technology, etc.

In the international environment, the leaders of New China had to make pragmatic choices and "lean to one side" towards the Soviet Union and the socialist countries. Of course, China's "leaning to one side" was not equivalent to unprincipled alignment with the Soviet Union.

2. Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence

In the early 1950s, besides maintaining relations with Soviet-aligned countries, the PRC actively sought to establish new international ties. During this period, China proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence — mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence — which gained broad international recognition.

In 1955, the Bandung Conference was held in Indonesia, attended by delegates from 30 Asian and African countries. Premier Zhou Enlai personally led the Chinese delegation and engaged with participating nations, particularly many that had not yet established diplomatic relations with China, emphasising the principle of "seeking common ground while reserving differences."

The conference concluded with a communiqué that put forward the Ten Principles on Handling International Relations, regarded as an extension and development of China's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

Following the Bandung Conference, China opened up new dimensions in its diplomatic landscape. In 1964, the PRC established diplomatic relations with France, a major Western power — an event described as a "diplomatic nuclear explosion."

3. Sino-Soviet split and the Soviet invasion of Zhenbao Island

China's relationship with the Soviet Union, often referred to as "Big Brother", began to develop cracks in the late 1950s owing to ideological differences, conflicting foreign policies, and China's refusal of the Soviet proposal to establish a "joint fleet", amongst other reasons.

By 1960, the Soviet Union had unilaterally torn up contracts, withdrawn its experts, and suspended all aid to China.

Subsequently, bilateral relations deteriorated sharply. The Soviet Union increased military pressure by massing a million troops along the Sino-Soviet border. In March 1969, Soviet forces invaded Zhenbao Island (situated in Heilongjiang Province) on the Ussuri River.

The People's Liberation Army were forced to counterattack in self-defence, ultimately expelling the Soviet forces from Chinese territory.

Following the Zhenbao Island incident, the Soviet Union threatened a nuclear strike against China. In response, China adopted the maxim "dig tunnels deep, store grain everywhere", preparing comprehensively for war.

This marked the beginning of a prolonged period of hostility between the two nations, which persisted until the normalisation of relations in the late 1980s.

In 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, China established diplomatic relations with Russia. The former ambassador to the Soviet Union was subsequently reassigned as the ambassador to Russia.

4. From "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" to China-U.S. diplomatic relations

In 1950, U.S. troops intervened in the Korean War, bringing the conflict to the Chinese border. To defend the nation, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army crossed the Yalu River to join the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. During this period, the U.S. even "actively considered" using atomic bombs against China.

After the war, China and the U.S. remained hostile towards each other until the Sino-Soviet Zhenbao Island armed conflict.

Based on considerations to counter the Soviet Union, then U.S. President Nixon sought to reconcile with China, while China, to avoid "fighting on two fronts," signaled adjustments in its foreign strategy to engage with the U.S.

In April 1971, the World Table Tennis Championships were held in Japan. Chinese player Zhuang Zedong took the initiative to approach the American player Cohen who had mistakenly boarded the wrong bus.

Subsequently, China invited the U.S. table tennis team to visit, accelerating the progress of China-U.S. relations through this "Ping-Pong Diplomacy."

In July of the same year, then U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger secretly visited Beijing. In February of the following year, U.S. President Nixon publicly visited China, achieving the "handshake across the Pacific," and the jointly signed "Shanghai Communiqué" became an important cornerstone for China-U.S. relations.

China and the U.S. formally established diplomatic relations only on January 1, 1979. However, since Nixon's visit to China, the relationship between the two countries had already begun to thaw, significantly changing China's diplomatic situation.

In the early 1970s, China had already established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom and normalized relations with Japan.

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5. Restoration of legal seat in the United Nations

China is a founding member of the United Nations and one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. After the founding of New China in 1949, the Central People's Government immediately requested the expulsion of the representatives of the Taiwan authorities from the United Nations.

However, this legitimate request was repeatedly obstructed by the United States, resulting in the Taiwan authorities occupying China's seat in the United Nations for a long time.

It was not until the late 1960s and early 1970s that China's international status gradually improved, coupled with the increased influence of Asian, African, and Latin American countries in the United Nations that supported China, that the situation began to change.

On October 25, 1971, the 26th session of the United Nations passed a resolution by 76 votes in favor, 35 against, and 17 abstentions, restoring all the legal rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations.

The Chinese people, accounting for one-fourth of the world's population at the time, reappeared on the United Nations stage.

6. Independence, keeping a low profile, making a difference

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, China began its Reform and Opening-up, shifting the focus of national development to economic construction.

The leader, Deng Xiaoping, clearly stated that securing a relatively long period of international peace and a good surrounding environment should be the tasks of China's diplomatic work in the new era.

At this time, the international situation was generally shifting from tension to relaxation, with increasing economic cooperation among countries, and new changes were emerging in the strategic triangular relationship among China, the United States, and the Soviet Union.

In the new situation, China appropriately adjusted its diplomatic positioning, clearly adhering to an independent foreign policy, which prioritizes national sovereignty and security and does not align with any major power or bloc.

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, against the backdrop of the drastic changes in Eastern Europe and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Deng Xiaoping put forward the guiding principle of "hiding one's capacities and biding one's time, and making some achievements".

He advocated avoiding making enemies, striving to gain more friends, focusing on economic development, actively promoting the reasonable settlement of major international security issues, and taking the initiative to participate in and advance the establishment of a new fair and reasonable international political and economic order.

Subsequently, China's comprehensive diplomatic layout gradually took shape. Initiatives such as promoting the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, hosting the Boao Forum for Asia, and joining the World Trade Organisation were all symbols of China's active integration into the world.

7. Major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era

Entering the 21st century, the trends of world multi-polarisation, economic globalisation, and the democratisation of international relations are unstoppable, but unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism are still prevalent, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change.

At the same time, China's economic rise and significant enhancement of comprehensive national power mean that solving international political, economic, and security issues increasingly involves China's participation, and the international community also expects China to play a greater role.

Against this background, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the CPC Central Committee, focusing on the "profound changes unseen in a century" and the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, proposed the strategic deployment of advancing "major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics," building "A Global Community of Shared Future" and establishing a "new form of international relations."

The concept of "A Global Community of Shared Future" aims to surpass conflict and confrontation with peaceful development, replace absolute security with common security, discard zero-sum games with mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, prevent clashes of civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning, and protect our planet with green development.

In 2013, Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, which is precisely the practice of building a "Global Community of Shared Future."

Read more: What is the "Belt and Road"?｜Understand China's Policies

The "new form of international relations" refers to friendly cooperation with all countries based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepening and expanding equal, open, and cooperative partnerships.

Currently, China has established various forms of partnerships with more than a hundred countries and regional organisations, for example, a "comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era" with Russia, and "comprehensive strategic partnerships" with several European countries such as the United Kingdom and France.

In addition, China emphasises supporting the United Nations in playing an active role and expanding the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs.