Deputy Director-General Hu Hao Met With Robert Kaplan, Senior Research Fellow Of Center For A New American Security
On Dec. 13, Deputy Director-General Hu Hao met with Robert Kaplan, Senior Research Fellow of Center for A New American Security and national correspondent of Atlantic Monthly. The two sides exchanged views on Sino-US relations, the situation in Korean Peninsula, US re-entering of Asia, situation in Afghanistan and Middle East, geopolitics and the contacts between think tanks. Present at the discussions were Yang Hongxi, Research Fellow of CCCWS and some people from Institute for American Studies of CASS, Department of International Relations of Tsinghua University.
Robert Kaplan held the views as follows: Despite various disagreements, US and China still manage to maintain a generally positive relationship and contribute to peace in the Asian-Pacific region. Geographical factors play a significant role in international politics while geopolitical theories still apply to the analysis of current regional and international situation. While seeking to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan and Iraq as scheduled, US begins to turn more attentively to Asian-Pacific region. Maritime disputes in this region continue to escalate, with related sides stepping up arms race. Though there is little probability of a large-scale war, no one can rule out cases of contingent incidents resulting from competition. With its fickle political regime and formidable military might, Japan is regarded by some US scholars as a sleeping giant whose future moves are rife with uncertainty. The political turmoil in West Asia and North Africa is likely to linger for years. US and other Western countries are not likely to use military forces against Syria while 2012 will see greater probability of sudden Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities than 2011. The street politics in some West Asia and North Africa are in essence not democratic changes. The US commits itself to regional democracy while paradoxically seeking its own security interests in this region.
Deputy Director-General Hu Hao met with Robert Kaplan, Senior Research Fellow of Center for A New American Security.
Dr. Hu Hao appreciated the reasonable comments on Sino-US relations. Hu Hao held the views as follows: Smooth communication can be achieved through various channels involving the governments, the military, political parties and think tanks. Dr. Hu proceeded to brief R. Kaplan on China’s strategy of peaceful development and the foreign policy of being kind toward neighbors and treating neighbors as partners. According to Hu, with the development of China’s overseas interests, it is imperative for China to protect its overseas interests and nationals while promoting regional and international peace in a responsible manner. A case in point is Chinese Navy’s mission to escort both domestic and foreign merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. China is a pivotal force in maintaining peace in the Asian-Pacific region. The so-called freedom of navigation in South China Sea under threat has been a false proposition in the first place. The issue of South China Sea is to be resolved by relevant countries through talks on a bilateral basis, while irrelevant countries are not supposed to meddle. CCCWS research fellow Yang Hongxi exchanged views with R. Kaplan on situation in Afghanistan, the shift of US focus, etc.
Robert Kaplan used to be a guest professor in US Navy War College and won the Distinguished Public Service Award for US Congress. His academic focus is US foreign policy and US national security strategy. Robert Kaplan is good at incisive analysis of history and geopolitical strategy as well as prediction of forthcoming events.