Mr. Yang’s views on China’s international position are a response to the international community’s question whether China should shoulder more responsibility in international affairs and whether the fact that China is now the second largest economic entity in the world means that it should no longer be considered a developing country. Why does China claim in public that it is still a developing country and how does China really view its position in the world? Below are excerpts from China’s media reports and experts’ studies on the topic.]
The Implications of China’s International Position
[Editor’s note: On March 7, 2011, at the press conference of the 4th Session of 11th National People’s Congress in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said that, in its international position, China is still a developing country. Yang expressed the opinion that China can only play its role within its abilities because, based on the United Nation’s standard, China has 150 million people living in poverty. [1]