Asian countries can control their own destiny

Over the past 40 years, East Asia has been one of the fastest-growing, most peaceful and stable regions in the world.

Peace, development and stability are mutually reinforcing — peace provides an enabling environment for development, which in turn promotes stability. Despite the chaos in the world, East Asia must remain committed to the path of “peaceful development”.

The region must realize that because it has become so important in the global economy, countries, big and small, outside the region are interested in it. To some extent, East Asia has become the world’s center of gravity.

Among its many challenges, the region needs to be very wary that the United States is seeking to polarize the international order, an endeavor that could have a very negative impact on Asia.

A major country’s status was once measured by victories and losses on the battlefield, but it is now measured by a country’s ability to provide international public goods. China’s provision of international public goods distinguishes it from any previous major power. That also indicates the international order it is committed to building will not be based on the law of the jungle.

Asian countries are capable of taking their own destiny into their own hands, and China should help Asian countries to control their own destiny.

China must shoulder its responsibility as a major country and provide more international public goods, not least properly handling its relations with the United States.

Most countries in East Asia have very deep relations with both China and the United States. If Sino-US relations develop well, they will have both security and development guarantees.