China’s recent contribution to the world of international relations is the promotion of “building a harmonious world together,” put forward by President Hu Jintao at the 60th anniversary of the UN in September 2005. As the core of the country’s peaceful foreign policy in the new era, this approach has been well received and widely discussed in the international community.

Meanwhile, Chinese foreign policy has always adhered to the strategic guidelines of prioritizing relations with world powers, neighboring countries and developing countries. Combining this with the promotion of a harmonious world, the logical conclusion is that China should place the priority and focus of building a harmonious world on developing relations with neighboring countries, e.g. building peaceful borders.

Boundaries and territory are essential issues concerning a country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, the solution of border and territorial conflicts is of vital significance to the country’s stability and development. Furthermore, how territorial problems are solved has a strategic impact on world peace and development. History is full of cases of wars inflamed by disputes over borders.

Regarding these factors, the Chinese Government has adopted a prudent approach to resolving border disputes. This has been achieved through policies that include maintaining the status quo; peaceful negotiations rather than military intervention and taking into account historical backgrounds.

Since it began resolving border conflicts and stabilizing neighborly relations, China has been able to concentrate on domestic economic construction. An important part of border negotiations has always been the Chinese Government’s endeavor to reach permanent solutions based on equality and not to bring any conditions to the negotiating table.

Negotiations take into account the historical legal background, as well as the current situation of relations between China and the country involved. Based on these guidelines, China signed boundary treaties with Myanmar, Nepal, Mongolia, Pakistan and Afghanistan as early as the1960s.

In the 1980s, the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping put forward several principles toward solving complicated border disputes. First, based on the principle of mutual understanding, countries involved should stick to the method of peaceful consultation. Second, in solving conflicts over marine borders, disputes should be set aside and the region concerned be jointly developed. Third, problems that could not be resolved should be postponed. Fourth, when dealing with inter-state relations, common ground should be sought, differences set aside and historical issues not be allowed to stand in the way of developing relations.

At the dawn of the 21st century, Chinese leaders pressed ahead with new initiatives in neighborly relations, “building a peaceful, tranquil and prosperous neighborhood.” This helped to resolve border conflicts between China and Russia and between China and Viet Nam, while the border negotiations between China and India have also made progress.

China’s neighboring countries are mostly small, except Russia and India. Yet in solving border problems, China has never tried to gain supremacy or bully others. Instead, China has been committed to friendly consultation based on the spirit of mutual understanding and compromise, which is apparent in the solution of border disputes between China and Myanmar and between China and Nepal.

Many of China’s neighboring countries have a heterogeneous mixture of ethnic groups and religions. Thus the solution of border issues with a country might concern the interests of a third country. The Chinese Government deals with such situations cautiously, so as not to harm the interests of the third party involved. The border negotiations between China and Pakistan in 1963 are an example. China made it clear that the two countries would conclude a temporary agreement over the existing border. A permanent border treaty will replace this temporary one after India and Pakistan ratify their Kashmir border and China holds negotiations with the sovereign entity of Kashmir.

In conclusion, the basic principles and guidelines of China’s foreign policies follow the guideline of establishing and developing harmonious friendly relations with neighboring countries. Resolving border differences forms a vital part of this process.

The author is with the China Institute of International Studies