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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| China tells Asia it will never be a threat (*snicker*) |
| 2005-04-06 |
| The Scorpion begins his dialog with the Frogs. A stronger China will never pose a threat to other countries, Premier Wen Jiabao told a meeting of 26 Asian countries on Wednesday. We only want Asia's natural and human resources and large market gave it a incomparable advantage for economic growth but peace, stability and cooperation were necessary for prosperity, Wen told the Asian Cooperation Dialogue forum in the Pakistani capital. We only wish to live long and prosper. This is an ancient and famous Chinese saying by Li Wu-Tang Spock-Choy, y'know. "Some people are worried that a stronger and more developed China will pose a threat to other countries," he told the forum's opening session. "Such a worry is completely misplaced." It was here a minute ago, but now we can't find it. China was still a developing country with annual per capita gross domestic product of slightly more than $1,000, he said. "We will continue to concentrate on addressing domestic concerns," he said. "We still have a very, very long way to go before China is modernised. Even if we become stronger and more developed, we will not stand in the way of others, still less, become a threat to others. We will not do such things, except though suborned proxies. Our hands will be clean. "China will never seek hegemony." We just want to be one of the Gang. The Asian Cooperation Dialogue was set up in 2002 to promote pan-Asian cooperation unencumbered by the many thorny political issues that have restricted such efforts in the past. Ministers at the meeting have called for cooperation beyond the economic sphere to achieve genuine integration in their diverse region stretching from the Middle East to the Pacific. Wen said the region faced numerous difficulties which posed a serious impediment to growth. "There are problems left over by history, such as territorial, ethnic and religious disputes," he said. "There are also hot-spot issues, uneven economic development, terrorism, transnational crime, environment degradation, spread of infectious disease and other new problems." We are a "NEIGHBOURLY RELATIONS" Wen said China would continue to handle appropriately issues left over by history, such as border disputes. As an example, he cited agreements on joint development in the South China Sea, which is claimed in whole or in part by China and several of its neighbours. What is appropriate, of course, is that we win. He did not mention Taiwan, which China sees as a renegade province and has threatened to invade if it declares independence, but said China would "unswervingly pursue its policy of building good neighbourly relations". We love everyone. As a province. Analysts see the ACD, which held its inaugural meeting in Thailand in June 2002, as a move towards an Asian version of the European Union or the North American Free Trade Agreement . Just another Chinese game to try to squeeze out all Western influence - and fill the vacuum itself. Not a hegemony, no, of course not. Wen said Asia should remain open to the outside world, and greater collaboration should not be seen as a challenge to anyone else. "Asian cooperation is not exclusive, nor it targeted against any third party," he said. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. ACD members are Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The first tier of Members enrolling this week are Iran, Mongolia, United Arab Emirates and Bhutan. Nothing to fear from us. No. We are not imperialistic - that is only myth and rumor-mongering. |
| Posted by:.com |
| #4 More than a couple VietNamese friends have expressed concern over China's future 'good intentions'. I would bet that sentiment is widely shared amongst China's neighbors. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2005-04-06 12:41:01 PM |
| #3 A stronger China will never pose a threat to other countries, Premier Wen Jiabao told a meeting of 26 Asian countries on Wednesday. Out of curiosity, how long can a nose grow before it gets too heavy to hold up? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-04-06 10:44:03 AM |
| #2 ...meanwhile expansion and modernization of the Chinese military continues. Why do I get a flashback to the newsreel of Hitler addressing the Reichstag making fun of Roosevelt's letter asking assurances of the safety of numerous small European countries. As events evolved, it wasn't as funny 60 years ago this April. |
| Posted by: Groluck Jutle8212 2005-04-06 9:14:02 AM |
| #1 And this coming on the heels of China's claims on 'disputed areas' of India: we will never be a threat as long as we get what we want, and we want Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, parts of India, parts of Russia, . . . |
| Posted by: Spot 2005-04-06 8:26:13 AM |