By JIANG CHENGLONG

Experts Call for Multilateralism and Mutual Understanding at Xiangshan Webinar

Experts Called on US and China to Strengthen crisis management and preventing differences from turning into conflicts, especially on the Taiwan issue.

They also underlined the importance of multilateralism, mutual understanding and benefits in Asia-Pacific while the region faces the risk of increased diplomatic polarization.

These remarks were made during the Beijing Xiangshan Forum webinar held from Thursday to Friday, during which 42 experts from 14 countries and a international organization discussed six major topics related to global cooperation and security.

Michael Swaine, East Asia Program Director at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft in Washington DC, said security in Asia -Pacific and development p acific are now facing greater threats due to the negative interaction between China and the United States.

He said that there are differences on the Taiwan question between the two countries, but that the United States should maintain the one-China policy and adjust some of its strategies to prevent conflicts in this area.

The United States should limit its ties with the island and reduce shipping activities in the South China Sea, Swaine said, noting that the first step must be “meaningful dialogue” between China and the United States, with support from other countries in the region on a range of different issues.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan has further reduced communications between China and the US, so we need to better strengthen crisis management, he said. he declared, adding that at the same time he d should be more exchanges between the Chinese and the United States. military, making Sino-US relations more resilient.

Moon Chung-in, president of the Sejong Institute in the Republic of Korea, said that the United States has implemented its “Indo-Pacific” strategy to contain China and decouple economically from China, which left the Republic of Korea in a dilemma. .

“China is our biggest trading partner, so we cannot join the United States in decoupling with China, but in the meantime, we share similar values ​​with the United States”, a- he said, noting that this worrying situation has led to serious diplomatic polarization.

Moon stressed the importance of promoting cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and called for maintaining the “true multilateralism” advocated by Beijing.

“We need inclusivity rather than exclusivity in Asia Pacific,” he said, pointing to the difficulties China faces in finding ways for peaceful coexistence.

“So , we must return to the principles of multilateralism that Beijing has proposed,” Moon said, adding that mutual respect and strategic understanding will promote harmony and common prosperity.

Zheng Yongnian, professor of international affairs at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Shenzhen, highlighted the differences between the multilateralism promoted by China and the United States.

“The multilateralism that China has proposed is open, inclusive and does not target any third parties”, he said , adding that it is “true multilateralism”, which aims to solve problems common to all participating countries.

He cited the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the Asian Bank of infrastructure investment as examples of new global multilateral mechanisms that any country can join, including the United States and Japan.

Zheng added that the United States has promoted multilateralism based on its values, but that it is “closed”, targeting parties such as China and Russia, essentially dividing the world.

The professor pointed out the many aspects on which China and the United States can cooperate, such as nuclear non-proliferation, the public good and climate change.

In In the meantime, he warned that the two countries should reflect on the management of their clashes and conflicts in the South China Sea and in particular with regard to the Taiwanese question, which is at the heart of China‘s interests and leaves no room for negotiation.

Professor Douglas Dillon of Government at Harvard University, Graham Allison, who was the first to refer to “Thucydides’s trap” regarding the current situation between China and the United States. United, said China and the United States should coordinate their actions and cooperation so that they can maintain international order and coexist.