(Initially published in http://www.romania-report.ro/ - Mar 17, 2005)
Bucharest, March 17 – Yesterday issue of China Daily published a feature article, signed by Huang Qing, to provide a fresh Far-East view over Romania's foreign policy targets. The article reads as it follows.
I met politicians, military personnel, journalists and members of the general public. Whenever discussions touched on politics, geopolitics soon surfaced.
Claudiu Saftoiu, a presidential adviser, said Romania needs to define clearly its position in the world in order to be a first-rate nation. Between Euro-Atlantic and Eurasia, the European Union and Russia, Central Europe and the Balkan Peninsular, the Danube and the Black Sea, "Romania is strategically placed," he said.
The "Washington-London-Bucharest Axis" is a concept advocated by the president, and one which Saftoiu believes will bring a positive future for the country.
Globally speaking, the concept does not seem to have caught the public's attention. But Romanians are interested. I have noticed in the Romanian media there are other axes being discussed: the Washington-London-Bucharest-Moscow axis, and the Brussels-Washington-Beijing-Moscow axis.
Advocates of these different concepts, no matter what else they agree or disagree on, do agree that it was a long and difficult road to go from an isolated Romania in the last years of Ceausescu's rule to the current Romania that is a NATO member and a future member of European Union.
President Basescu, as representative a full member state, took part in last month's NATO Summit and Romania is continuing its quest for EU membership. Bucharest completed negotiations with Brussels last December but the country has far-reaching reforms to accomplish before the scheduled January 2007 entry date.
EU membership is a hot topic that is inspiring the Romanian people. They are already collect the benefits from future membership since many of them have moved to work in EU member countries. They get temporary jobs and send cash home. However, people also worry about possible price hikes, such as soaring property prices. Citizens, such as tour guide Cristian Balanciuc, for example, are not sure whether their life will be affected. But he said, "I am not complaining."
I asked Saftoiu whether the concept of a Washington-London-Bucharest axis will cause friction with the EU since Romania is waiting to enter the union and it is a critical time for Romania-EU relations. He answered by saying Romania wants to join the EU and will eventually be a part of it.
Gabriela Bogdan, editor-in-chief of the English-language daily newspaper Nine O'Clock, while hailing the axis a "new dynamic" in Romanian diplomacy, writes, "It is known that Romania's strength is to have gained Washington's sympathy even at the risk of upsetting the European Union, which has promptly blamed Bucharest for 'its subservience in acting as America's doormat,' to quote a European high official."
The idea of an axis has made journalists curious and opened the door for speculation and arguments. It is also interesting to read about other axes such as the Brussels-Washington-Beijing-Moscow axis, which interests me in particular because of China's involvement.
China has moved onto the world stage and its diverse relations with other countries, regions and organizations have more often than not generated exaggeration in the Western press. Even with good intentions, they sometimes give rise to fears and worries.
As a developing country, China has had a very good relationship with Romania for decades, and my short personal experience can attest to that.
With regard to Sino-Romania relations, the new centre-right administration, which took office at the end of last year, follows its former administration's China policy. President Basescu went to the Chinese Embassy to celebrate China's Spring Festival on Chinese New Year's Day in February with embassy staff. This is more than a goodwill gesture, for the benefit of China's CCTV news programme which beamed pictures of the president into Chinese homes.
With China's growing economy, Romania wants to join hands with the nation in areas such as tourism and the IT industry. Its top tourism boss, Carmen Moraru, said Romania wants to promote tourism in China and attract more Chinese visitors. Its minister of communications and information technology, Zsolt Nagy, plans to visit China in April. He said he had talked to his Hungarian counterpart and they would like to see China join the two countries and set up companies in the region.
The choice of axis is for Romanians to determine. Each axis with which people perceive their position is one they desire and one they believe will safeguard their interests. In today's world, each and every nation must look at its place on the map, and the way it looks at the map determines the outcome.
I have to respect Romanians for their choice. However I am sure traditional good relations between Romania and China and the driving force of economic development will continue to pull the two sides closer despite the political rhetoric.
By Huang Qing, China Daily
No comments:
Post a Comment