Over the last two decades, one of the key presuppositions of China's foreign policy has been the world's accelerating trend towards multi-polarization. Adhering to this philosophy, which was instituted in the Deng Xiaoping era, China has made great efforts to foster strategic ties with other major world powers, including the U.S., Western Europe, and Russia. China has also attached heightened importance to maintaining stable and positive relations with its regional rivals such as Japan and India.

With the world's strategic and economic center of gravity shifting to the Asia-Pacific region, China may need to reexamine its foreign policy strategy.

Visions of a multi-polar world can often be so grand as to impair our ability to understand the balance of power at local and regional levels and confront a pressing agenda of global concerns, such as a volatile economic climate. Besides, an over-adherence to the ideology of multi-polarization spends too much political capital and conveys the image of a lack of focus and continuity.

China should give priority to its foreign policy concerns in Asia, not just because people are all talking about the Asia century nowadays, nor because the United States seems to be shifting its focus from the trans-Atlantic region to the Asia-Pacific, nor because of Asia's size of population and its aggregate of economy and trade. China has to build its position as a leading Asian power if it wants to assert its identity as a leading world power. Second, China has to effectively spread its influence in Asia before it can project its influence worldwide. Third, collective security in Asia can increase the security of China as a major stakeholder in the world. Finally, an Asian focus is both a reasonable and a natural choice for China if geopolitical, cultural, and historical factors are taken into consideration.

Some might be worried that China's diplomatic latitude will narrow if it prioritizes Asia in its foreign policy strategy. In fact, exactly the opposite will happen. As its focus shifts, China will have more extensive interaction with countries such as South Korea and Japan and regions such as South Asia and Southeast Asia through already-existent channels and frameworks, and play a leading role in addressing important regional issues. Due to the importance of Asia in an increasingly globalized world, Asian issues will not simply be international or regional issues, they will have global significance. The expanding US presence in Asia added global significance to issues important to the region.

Although China should play a greater role in Asian affairs, it should not retreat from its other endeavors around the world, including building partnerships with countries in Africa and Latin America and multi-dimensional cooperation with Europe. Indeed, China needs to further enhance its traditional ties with third-world countries and assume a more active role in international relations and the resolution of global challenges. This is what the world expects of China as a responsible power.

Being more active on the international stage should not run counter to China's long-time principle of "taoguang yanghui" (meaning "to conceal one's abilities"). There is a big difference between being active and being aggressive. Being more active is a manifestation of confidence, capability, and responsibility. If China actively participates in world affairs and actively contributes to the resolution of global challenges while safeguarding its own legitimate national interests, it is likely to achieve more lasting cooperation and support from the international community.

As the strategic importance of the Asia-Pacific region continues to increase, China should more explicitly emphasize its foreign policy priority shift to Asia, to its neighbors and the entire international community. Prioritizing Asia, while assuming a more active role in global affairs, will further establish China as a pragmatic and responsible world power and provide much-needed space for China's sustainable growth.

The author is a China.org.cn columnist. For more information please visit: http://www.h5a3.com/opinion/luohuaiyu.htm

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