US-China ties allow no deviation from cooperation: Interview

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, January 11, 2004

US-China ties allow no deviation from cooperation: Interview

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Mr. Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Assistant to the US President, accepted an exclusive interview by People's Daily reporter Zhang Niansheng and Wang Tian shortly after his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao on January 7.

The 76-year-old man is an important strategist of the United States, whose thoughts of US global strategies, proposed in his book "The Grand Chessboard" (1997), carried far-reaching influence. He has been working hard to promote US-China cooperation. Once a national security advisor to the Carter Administration, he actively pushed forward the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and therefore won the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" in 1981. His China visit this time was made at the invitation of China International Strategies Society.

Reporter: would you please brief us on your just-concluded meeting with President Hu?

Brzezinski: I mainly discussed two important questions with President Hu. One is the importance of the "Three Represents" thoughts. The other is the importance of US-China cooperation and its maintenance as well as the impermissibility of any deviation from the road of cooperation.

Reporter: you once said at a seminar last October that the US global power is in a historical peak while its international political status has fallen to the valley bottom. Does that mean the US foreign policy needs adjustment? And how do you view the adjustment?

Brzezinski: the base of the US foreign policy formed after the WWII is common understanding between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. With the passage of time I think the country's foreign policy will once again reflect its bipartisan features. The trend to a certain extent of extremism and unilateralism appeared recently is only a temporary phenomenon. From a long-term point of view, the US interests lie in keeping its partnerships with the EU, Japan and China, this has been confirmed by US Secretary of State Colin Powell in his recent article appeared on the "Foreign Affairs" magazine. So I predict there may be some adjustments and corrections in the future US foreign policy.

Reporter: this year will see US presidential election. You are a Democratic Party member, if your party comes into power, what kind of national security policy do you think it will pursue?

Brzezinski: democrats' idea on national security policy bears no substantive difference from the principle followed in US foreign policy that has been holding a dominant position in the past 50 years. I think it is quite identical with the views of those around former President Bush, former National Security Advisor Scowcroft, former Secretary of State James Baker and present President Bush. It reflects the mainstream of today's US society.

When you see those major Democratic presidential candidates, their ideas are also to maintain the bipartisan tradition formed after WWII. In the past two years we have seen some deviations from the tradition by the present government. If the democrats want to win the election, I think, they should have a bipartisan foreign policy.

Reporter: how do you look upon China's role played on the international stage?

Brzezinski: China is a successful developing country, which is playing an increasingly vital role in the world. Its development is positive and beneficial to world stability. It makes US-China cooperation possible on such issues as the Korean nuclear question and makes the Far East more stable. The United States welcomes this kind of positive development.

Reporter: do you think that China will possibly constitute a threat to the United States in future?

Brzezinski: if we wisely handle US-China relations and conduct cooperation on common issues, then, the case of "China becoming a threat to the United States in future" can be avoided. In fact, I personally even think that the possibility will not necessarily exist in decades to come.

Reporter: in the past year East Asian cooperation has become the region's important feature, what's your view about this?

Brzezinski: it's good if other East Asian countries want to expand ties with China, for it will enlarge the interdependence of related countries in the region and contribute to stability and prosperity.

Reporter: in your book "The Grand Chessboard" published in 1997, you believed that close cooperation among East Asian countries including China and Japan is likely to affect US interests in the region. Do you think deepening such cooperation will trigger conflicts with the United States?

Brzezinski: I don't think so. We all know US-China cooperation is also a need of China. If conflicts happen between the two countries, can you imagine that there will be huge amounts of foreign capital flowing into China? Can you imagine there will be so much trade favoring China as you see it now? And can you imagine the mainland would finally unite with Taiwan peacefully? Of course, differences between the two sides are unavoidable and cooperation doesn't mean complete identity of views. The United States and China have conducted extensive, successful cooperation in the past 25 years and have set up a consultation mechanism, and the most important thing is to avoid one-sided change in any forms in this regard.

Reporter: the Taiwan issue is a key question in Sino-US ties. What stance do you think the US government should take on this issue?

Brzezinski: we have made our stance clear. We don't support any words and actions for one-sided change of the status quo; we oppose any words and actions leading to US-China frictions. I even wonder if the UN Security Council could pass a joint statement, stressing that the international community identifies the "One China" principle China upholds, and doesn't support any words and actions for one-sided change of the status quo. Nobody in the international community supports, or intends to support, any attempts to change the status quo. Even if Chen Shui-bian clings obstinately to his own way, it is impossible to change the reality of no support from the international community.

Reporter: how do you look upon the development trend of Europe-US relations? Will Europe challenge the United States in the future?

Brzezinski: the Europe-US relations did worsen a little in 2003, but this situation will change in 2004 since both sides realize that they share many common fundamental interests. I don't believe Europe will challenge the United States, unless the US foreign policy neglects the interests of European countries or Europe intends to separate itself from the United States. Both sides of the Atlantic realize that cooperation will strengthen Europe-US relations while quarrels will only hurt their ties.

Reporter: what's your view on the US-Russia relations?

Brzezinski: the importance of US-Russia relations declined as compared with the past. The US-Europe and US-China relations weigh heavier than US-Russia relations. Russia will improve its prospects if it chooses to become part of Europe. While its national interests will be hurt if it chooses self-isolation or has empire-pursuing ambitions, and the Russian people will pay the price for it.

By People's Daily Online

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