Editor’s note: The following are excerpts of a speech given by Cui Tiankai, former Chinese ambassador to the United States, at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last week, as well as his responses to some of the questions he was asked about Sino-US relations:
China and the United States must have a clear understanding of each other. If we regard each other as opponents, and if we believe that there must be a zero-sum competition between major powers, we may have to resort to unnecessary deterrence, which is likely to escalate into open conflict.
If our goal is to work together for a more stable world, even if there are differences, we can still regard each other as a potential partner for common goals and shared interests.
The Ukraine crisis and the conflict in the Middle East have served to spur the world to strive to establish a balanced and effective new security architecture. We Asians have learned the lessons of war and have been working together effectively over the past few decades in that direction. Although we have various differences, we see greater common interests and find new ways for coexistence.
The global security architecture should not abandon historical legacies, such as the United Nations Security Council, which was established by mankind based on the lessons of the two world wars. We must recognize that the legitimate security interests of all countries should be taken care of and a balanced approach should be adopted. No one should have the illusion that once they have the upper hand on the battlefield, they can force the other side to compromise at the negotiation table. Doing so will only result in the continuation of war and an arms race.
We must also take into account some emerging possible security threats, such as those associated with artificial intelligence. China has started dialogue with the US on AI in an effort to help build a new global security architecture in that regard.
As for the South China Sea issue, we still hope to communicate and negotiate with our Philippine friends and try to resolve the problem peacefully and bilaterally. The situation between China and the Philippines has not always been like this. We must think about what has changed and what has caused these changes.
No party should have the illusion that they can violate China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity without paying the due price. That some people frequently mention defense cooperation treaties with other countries can only be regarded as an open threat. Such coercive remarks will only escalate tensions.
Under the framework of ASEAN+, we have carried out many maritime cooperation projects with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Had there been no interference from any external forces, everything would have gone smoothly. External forces are trying to take advantage of existing disputes, aggravate them and make things more difficult to resolve. This is the situation we are facing today.