构建中美新型大国关系的路径选择

Approaches to Building a New Type of Major Power Relationship between China and the US

2013年以来,美国官方开始逐渐接受中美构建新型大国关系的提法。因此,尽快提出符合中国利益、又具有较强操作性的新型大国关系具体实践路径就成为中国学术界面临的重要任务。2013年6月习近平主席在中美首脑会晤中提出的中美构建新型大国关系的三个内涵,可以作为构建中美新型大国关系的三条路径的起点。"不对抗、不冲突"是低层目标,在这一层面中美新型大国关系已有相当基础,提升关系的路径是维护和加强中美现存的战略性相互依存关系;"相互尊重"是中层目标,即中美两国彼此尊重对方的重大关切和核心利益,实现路径是寻求双方都可接受的中间点,逐步推进,增加信心,但不奢求建立高水平信任;"合作共赢"是高层目标,应设定在中美合作为世界提供公共产品上,实现路径可以是两国共同维护、改革和建设国际制度。综合来看,中美构建新型大国关系,核心是"冷静管理双边、建设国际制度"。中美构建新型大国关系,从近中期看,需要依靠现实主义对中美双边关系的清醒认识、现实心态与精心管控;从中长期看,则需要两国超越现实主义国际关系理论的束缚。

The concept of 'new type of major power relationship' proposed by then-Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping was officially accepted by the US in 2013.Therefore,to put forward an implementable 'China solution' has become an urgent task for Chinese policy study circles.Chinese President Xi Jinping went further in his informal summit with President Obama this June by raising three points of content of the new relationship.This article argues that those three points could become starting points to construct this new relationship. 'No confrontation and no conflict' is the low level goal.China and the U.S.have already laid a solid foundation in this regard.The approach to improve at this level emphasizes the importance of maintaining and strengthening the existing strategic interdependence between the two countries.At the medium level,the goal is 'mutual respect' for the core interests and major concerns of each side.The key of the approach at this level is incrementalism.The two countries need to find mutually acceptable middle points in bilateral problems and gradually build up confidence rather than 'strategic trust'. 'Cooperation and win-win relationship' is thehigh level goal.The two countries could focus on maintaining,reforming and building international institutions.In sum,the approaches to a 'new type of major power relationship' can be summarized as 'managing bilateral relationship and contributing to the international institutions' together.China and the US should be realistic as those realists would do,with sober brain,realistic expectation and careful management;meanwhile,the two countries need to go beyond realism's pessimistic deterministic view of the history if they really mean to build a new type of major power relationship.