2011 report to congress - U.S.-China Economic and Security Review ...

327Although the slogans change over time, official PRC foreign policynarratives overlap with, and do not supersede, one another. Instead,they represent shifts in message emphasis rather thanchanges in actual policy.The Foreign Policy Guidelines of Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping’s ‘‘24-Character Strategy’’ first emerged in 1990 inresponse both to the global backlash from the 1989 TiananmenSquare crackdown and to the CCP’s sense of alarm following thecollapse of the communist states of Eastern Europe. 49 The strategyprovided basic principles on how China should protect its nationalinterests while increasing its interactions with the world. The ‘‘24-Character Strategy’’ has been roughly translated as:Observe calmly; secure our position; cope with affairs calmly;hide our capacities and bide our time; be good at maintaininga low profile; and never claim leadership. 50Chinese officials and scholars have interpreted these policyguidelines to mean that China should avoid military rivalries;gradually grow China’s comprehensive economic, military, and politicalstrength; and minimize international responsibilities. 51 CCPGeneral Secretary Jiang Zemin continued this policy throughoutthe 1990s, making it a central tenet of Chinese foreign policy formore than ten years. The result was that China’s strategic orientation‘‘demonstrate[d] unusual consistency from the 1980s throughthe 2000s,’’ with China’s leaders ‘‘insisting on the importance ofsticking to Deng Xiaoping’s realist legacy.’’ 52Overview of Three Leading PRC Foreign Policy NarrativesChina’s GlobalNarratives‘‘Five Principlesof PeacefulCoexistence’’ 53LeadingSpokesman Year SynopsisZhou Enlai 1954 States should conduct relations withone another on an equal basis, withhigh regard for sovereignty and noninterferencein each other’s internalaffairs.The ‘‘24-CharacterStrategy’’ 54DengXiaoping1990 Keep focused on domestic economicgrowth while avoiding the burdens ofinternational commitments and militarycompetition. Stay alert for effortsto subvert China through ‘‘peacefulevolution,’’ but do not challenge westerncountries.dkrause on DSKHT7XVN1PROD with $$_JOB‘‘Peaceful Rise’’ 55—shifts to—‘‘PeacefulDevelopment’’ 56Zheng BijianHu JintaoNov.2003April2004Remain focused on economic growthabove all other priorities while pursuingpeaceful integration into theinternational system as a great power.As above, but with less emphasis onChina’s emergence as a great powerand greater emphasis on how China’sgrowth benefits other countries.China will undertake selected internationalroles while avoiding bindingcommitments or military competitionwith other powers.VerDate Nov 24 2008 13:46 Nov 10, 2011 Jkt 067464 PO 00000 Frm 00339 Fmt 6601 Sfmt 6601 G:\GSDD\USCC\2011\067464.XXX 067464