(Tzou Wen-Feng, Assistant Professor, Graduate Institute of Strategic Studies, National Defense University)
The Third Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) 20th Central Committee (the Third Plenary Session) concluded on July 18. It did not specify much about foreign affairs, which did raise curiosity though. Notably, the former Foreign Minister Qin Gang was removed from his position on the Central Committee, but he is still referred to as “comrade” and retains his party membership. The Third Plenary Session also discussed and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPC on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. It evinces China’s ambitions to construct a high-level socialist market economy, to build a socialist cultural powerhouse, and to enhance leadership skills and long-term governance capability; therefore, it definitely needs a relative stable external environment, which is evident in the various diplomatic activities initiated since the Third Plenary Session.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly in Beijing on July 19. Wang noted that China-Canada relations have experienced difficulties and twists over the years, which is not what China wishes to see and requires serious reflection from the Canadian side. He said that there is no fundamental conflict of interest between both countries and that maintaining bilateral relations is in the interest of both sides, stressing the importance of mutual respect, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and promoting the improvement of bilateral relations. He also indicated that next year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Canada strategic partnership, and that China’s plan to construct a high-level socialist market economy will bring new development opportunities to countries around the world including Canada, hoping both sides can utilize the important engine role of economic and trade cooperation to explore dialogues in various aspects. It indicates that Beijing is seeking the ground of common interests and resolve disagreements caused by “Huawei incident” and Canada’s stance on Indo-Pacific and human rights issues, attempting to exert its influence on the Western world again.
On the same day, South Korea Foreign Ministry confirmed that the 10th China-Korea high-level strategic dialogue between foreign ministries will be held in Seoul on July 24. South Korea’s First Vice-Foreign Minister Kim Hong-Kyung and China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu will meet to exchange views on bilateral relations, Korean Peninsula issue, international and regional situation. It suggests Beijing’s intention to lengthen the favorable atmosphere created during the meeting between South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang during the China-Japan-Korea summit in May as well as downplay the previous diplomatic frictions between both sides. It also reveals China’s expectation to maintain the stability in the Korean Peninsula and even in the Northeast Asia and it also implies North Korea not to act rashly on the nuclear issue, disregarding China’s attitude, as its relationship with Russia is elevated.
Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC, went to the Vietnamese Embassy in Beijing in person to express condolence for the recent passing away of his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Phu Trong. In fact, Beijing had issued condolence message immediately upon learning the death of Nguyen. These actions were deliberately to highlight Vietnam’s importance in China’s diplomacy. In the condolence message from the CPC central committee, it emphasized that Nguyen inherited and developed tradition friendship of “comrades and brothers” between China and Vietnam, and he was a close comrade of the CPC. It also pointed out that China has always regarded Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and is willing to work with Vietnam to continuously consolidate political mutual trust and strengthen solidarity and cooperation.
It is because Vietnam has recently submitted a Continental Shelf Delimitation Case in the South China Sea to the United Nations that has caused China’s protest for Vietnam's claim includes parts of the Nansha Islands (also known as Spratly Islands). It has violated China’s sovereignty and maritime interests, prompting China to strongly object and lodge stern representations. Beijing doesn’t want to expand the dispute with Vietnam at this juncture, and instead it wishes to leave room for mediation with the successor of its Vietnamese counterpart through “condolence diplomacy.”
Also on the same day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that he would meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in a sideline meeting during the ministerial meetings of ASEAN in Laos this weekend. Blinken said that it is vitally important to start communicating on areas of disagreements to understand each other’s stances. It is expected that both sides will discuss issues of South China Sea, Taiwan Strait and overcapacity. Given that the US presidential election campaign is in the heat of the battle, Baiden administration might raise the intensity of containment strategies against China to show its tough position while Beijing, considering the serious challenges it faces in relation with the US, it’s of strategic significance to maintain frequent dialogues with the US.
The preparatory committee for the review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is scheduled to take place in Geneva from July 22 to August 2. The Chinese delegation firstly proposed a formal document titled “No-First-Use (NFU) of Nuclear Weapons Initiative” ahead of the meeting. It calls for the signing of this document together by all nuclear-armed states to prevent an arms race and reduce strategic risks. China aims to create an image of pursing international peace, morally restraining nuclear-armed powers from taking risky actions. It also hopes to ease tensions caused by the nuclear threats from Russia-Ukraine war and to counter US efforts in increasing its military capability for nuclear war, thus benefiting from these dynamics.
In summary, the Third Plenary Session focused on expanding internal reform initiatives, leading the future directions for political, social and economic development. It has implicitly provided guidance for the diplomatic policy in the future, which means to stick to the layout set by the Third Plenary Session, striving to stabilize the external environment in bilateral relations or international political strategies. However, if Beijing faces conflicts that are hard to resolve through negotiations, it remains to be observed whether it will respond with stronger measures.
（Translated to English by Tracy Chou）
