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May 24, 2021 Special Dispatch No. 9350

Chinese Scholar Lists 'Eight Strategic Goals Of China': 'Military, Foreign Relations And Ideology Are The Top Priority'

May 24, 2021
China | Special Dispatch No. 9350

An article by Chinese scholar Shi Yinhong, director of the Center for American Studies at the Renmin University's School of International Studies, enumerated "eight strategic goals of China" for the next 20 years. According to Shi, China aims to upgrade its military and combat capabilities, achieve military dominance over the U.S. in the West Pacific region, establish "an indestructible strategic military existence" in the eastern Indian Ocean, and become a world leader in ideological influence.

Titled "Scholar In Beijing Reveals The Eight Strategic Goals Of China: Military, Foreign Relations And Ideology Are The Top Priority," the article, below, was published by Duowei News.[1]


Shi Yinhong (Source:YouTube)

'Achieve Military Dominance'

"… Shi Yinhong, Director of Center for American Studies, School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, previously spoke to Duowei News and stated that China desires to make quite some difference over the next twenty years, including at least the following eight goals:

"1.Make China's GDP rank No. 1 in the world

"2.Achieve upper-middle level in national income per capita

"3.Upgrade military armed forces and combat power capabilities to among the top in the world

"4.Attain high-tech R&D and application levels either to lead or to be among the leading countries in the world

"5.Unify the country across the Taiwan Strait

"6.Achieve military dominance, however marginal, over the U.S. in the western part of the West Pacific, not including Okinawa or Japan

"7.Maintain an indestructible strategic military existence in the Eastern Indian Ocean: 'I mean not that China wants to dominate the Eastern Indian Ocean, but to maintain a basic strategic existence that's difficult to be harmed or destroyed.'

"8.Have 'top advantages' on the world diplomatic stage, in terms of prestige and ideological influence.

"China's goal of 'improving Chinese people's lives' will impact relations on the world stage

"Among the eight goals, the first two have much to do with China's own development, but the last two will inevitably create strategic interference and interactions with other countries and regions, including the U.S., Japan, Europe and India, and others.

'Most Countries Will Avoid Entanglement In The Declining China-U.S. Relationship'

"In regards to the reality of China's ever-growing power, Chinese officials have always emphasized that a strong country is not necessarily hegemonic, because a hegemonic country will fail… [Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs] Le Yucheng reemphasized that 'China's pursuit of development is neither about surpassing or replacing anyone else, nor about competing for global supremacy. Rather, it is about improving Chinese people's lives and contributing our share to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.'

"However, from a practical perspective, there is still a long way to go before China's notion can be accepted by other countries in the world, given the fact that China has become the 'elephant in the room.' Competition between China and the U.S. will exist far into the future, and the evolution of strategic triangles such as China-U.S.-Europe, China-U.S.-Russia, and so on, will largely determine changes in the world pattern.

"Despite short-term 'issue-oriented' world patterns, most countries will avoid entanglement in the declining China-U.S. relationship.

"In his previous interview with Duowei News, Shi Yinhong pointed out that over a long period of time, the world pattern will be divided by three forces: U.S.-centered close alliances; smaller close alliances such as between China and Russia, or between China and Iran; and a vast middle ground in between.

"In contrast, short-term world patterns are issue-oriented. 'Europe, Japan and the U.S. are already close allies. On hot issues, Continental Europe has never been so close to U.S.,' [Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs] Le Yucheng says. Maybe that is just a temporary gesture, as many major powers may change their mind due to the fear of being dragged into the swirl of China-U.S. confrontations.

"He believes that so long as the China-U.S. relationship continues to decline, most other countries will passively avoid the conflict. Others, if more aggressive, will condemn both China and the U.S., saying, 'The world is multipolar, not bi-polar,' and will encourage dialogue between China and the U.S."

 

[1] Dwnews.com/%E5%85%A8%E7%90%83/60237305/%E5%86%9B%E5%8A%9B%E5%A4%96%E4%BA%A4%E6%84%8F%E8%AF%86%E5%BD%A2%E6%80%81%E7%9A%86%E8%A6%81%E5%A4%B4%E7%AD%89%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E5%AD%A6%E8%80%85%E6%8F%AD%E7%A4%BA%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%85%AB%E5%A4%A7%E6%88%98%E7%95%A5%E7%9B%AE%E6%A0%87, April 21, 2021. The article was written by Dai Lun.

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