The notion of a "responsible China" was first put forward by former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, when he said in an address in September 2005 that he hoped China would be a "stakeholder" with the United States in the current international system and should take its responsibilities in international affairs. American and Western media picked up on the term and now China also refers to itself as a "responsible big nation." Although both sides speak of "responsibility," they mean different things by it. In the view of Wu Jianmin, President of the International Bureau of Exhibitions and former Chinese Ambassador to France, China's "responsibilities" are mainly in the following areas:
Effective handling of domestic affairs
China is the world's largest developing country, and, with a population of 1.3 billion, it is home to one fifth of the world's people. Handling our own affairs well is our biggest responsibility to the international community. Since reform and opening up began more than two decades ago, China has reduced the number of its people living below the poverty line by 300 million, thereby contributing significantly to worldwide poverty reduction efforts and winning the acclaim of the United Nations.
Member of global community
As a founding member of the UN, China has always observed the UN Charter and international laws. The country has signed nearly 300 international treaties and is a member of more than 130 international organizations. To fulfill one's duty according to the rules is necessary for the rule of law, and this is what China has been doing.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China should of course carry out the responsibilities that come with that status. It has a good record in terms of fulfilling its international duties and responsibilities. As its overall strength increases, China's contribution will grow. For example, once China did not take part in UN peacekeeping missions, but it is now providing more peacekeepers than any of the other permanent members of the Security Council.
Dealing with universal challenges
The world must unite to fight the challenges that face mankind-climate change, environmental pollution, natural disasters, international crime, drugs and epidemics. During its 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-10), China is determined to cut its energy consumption per 10,000 yuan of gross domestic product by about 20 percent from 2005 levels and to cut its pollutant discharges by 10 percent. These targets have been made compulsory, which reflects China's sense of responsibility as a big nation.
Promoting peace and development
Peace is a precondition for development. China supports the peaceful resolution of international disputes and is opposed to any unilateral use of force or even the threat of using force that is contrary to the UN Charter and international law. Important progress has been made in the six-party talks on the Korean nuclear issue and China's role in this has been recognized and acclaimed by all parties and the international community. This reflects China's commitment to its responsibility to promote peace.
Development is another big issue facing the world, which has been highlighted by the increase in poverty-stricken population worldwide. At the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing in November 2006, the Chinese Government committed itself to a bigger contribution to common progress of the international community. At the start of this year, President Hu Jintao visited eight African countries to fulfill the promises made at the forum. China and Africa have been cooperating as equals for some time now, and the relationship is mutually beneficial. This shows that China is living up to its responsibilities to give a boost to world development.
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