A Chinese author and scholar has underlined new opportunities for China's pursuit of stability against an increasingly turbulent world.
Over 100 guests and representatives from think tanks, universities and media from China and abroad attended an international seminar held in Beijing, which saw the launch of a book titled "New Strategic Opportunities: China and the World Toward 2035".
The guests exchanged views on topics such as China's development and international cooperation, with many speaking highly of the positive influence of China's Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative on promoting common development and improving the global governance system.
Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies and author of the book, argues that China could leverage what he calls "new strategic opportunities" to sustain its growth and potentially become the world's largest economy by 2035.
"I think one of the biggest strategy opportunities is from the United States because in the coming many years the U.S. will throw into a very troubled domestic disorder, and the U.S. has totally lost the capacity of containment to China," he said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on the sidelines of the event.
Wang said the other major opportunity is China's domestic confidence, which may be further underpinned by ensuring a stable environment.
"I think one very important thing is stability. China will always keep the social order and social stability. So this is very, very important. You can imagine 1.4 billion people, as long as the society will be stable, it is very natural to maintain the economic growth. So, I think, keeping stability is the key point to seize the new strategic opportunity for China," he said.
Wang also shared what he deemed the biggest long-term challenge to China's development.
"In my opinion, the biggest risk for China's development is not the U.S.; it's not a West containment; it's not a military war, but the aging problem. How to avoid the risks, in terms of the 15th Five-Year Plan? We try our best to push high-quality population policy," he said.
External turbulence, domestic confidence define "new strategic opportunities" for China: scholar
Japan should stop military expansion and avoid turning itself into a "missile archipelago," said a Japanese peace advocate living in Shizuoka Prefecture who is opposed to the government's decision to deploy new missiles in the region.
As a native in Shizuoka, 73-yera-old Kiichi Watanabe said people's daily lives have long been disturbed by the military training at the Camp Fuji of Ground Self-Defense Force in the region.
"At worse moments, military exercises can last for days in a row, running from 07:00 to 22:00. The equipment used in the exercises is also changing. Although the information released to the public isn't very detailed, we still could see that weapons like mortars and howitzers are used, including hand-held mortars. Trainings involving drones are also on the rise. They use Osprey transport aircraft disregarding regulations and would even arbitrarily fly them as low as 60 meters above ground. Such dangerous hidden hazards have already triggered accidents in many parts of Japan," said Watanabe.
Japan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that long-range missiles with counterstrike capabilities have been brought into service for the first time at two Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) bases in the country.
The deployment of the missiles at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, and Camp Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, marks a major shift from the country's long-standing exclusively defense-oriented policy under its war-renouncing Constitution, according to Kyodo News.
"Once missiles are deployed, a country attacked by them will certainly retaliate and fire back here. If someone says deploying missiles at Camp Fuji is a good thing, then Japan will become a 'missile archipelago' with missiles deployed everywhere. Just as it is in the initial stage of missile deployment, if we fail to voice our opposition and our call to halt it, then it means acquiescence, right? So I think the first step is the most important," said Watanabe.
For decades, Watanabe and many local residents have opposed the expansion of military forces at the Camp Fuji and the adjacent East Fuji Maneuver Area, but they have been frustrated to find that military exercises have not decreased, while armaments have increased day by day.
"When the trainings become intensely realistic, making it feel like 'training to kill,' it truly makes one furious. So, we must not let such trainings go on. No matter what, we must not let this place become a base for war. We should get along well with China and live in harmony with all Asian nations. I wish the word 'war' would not appear any more," said Watanabe.
Japan shouldn't become "missile archipelago": peace advocate
