On May 24, Professor Brantly Womack Gave an Academic Report Titled “China and the Return of an Asian Center” at the Academy of Marxism

On the afternoon of May 24, Professor Brantly Womack, Professor of Politics and Foreign Affairs at the University of Virginia, USA, was invited to the Academy of Marxism to give an academic report titled “China and the Return of an Asian Center.” Jin Minqing, Vice President of the Academy of Marxism, chaired the meeting. All personnel of the Academy of Marxism attended.

5月24日下午，美国弗吉尼亚大学政治与外交学教授布兰德利•沃麦克（Brantly Womack）教授应邀来马研院做主题为“中国和亚洲中心再回归”的学术报告。马克思主义研究院副院长金民卿研究院主持会议。马研院全体人员参会。

Second from the right is Professor Brantly Womack.

右二为布兰德利•沃麦克（Brantly Womack）教授

Professor Womack reviewed the historical evolution of China’s position in Asia from ancient times to the present, analyzed the origins of China as an Asian center, future development trends, and the impact of changes in China’s Asian position on Asia and the world. The report’s content primarily revolved around the following issues:

沃麦克教授对自古至今中国在亚洲地位演变历史进行了梳理，分析了中国作为亚洲中心的渊源、未来发展趋势以及中国在亚洲地位变化给亚洲和世界带来的影响。报告内容主要围绕以下问题展开：

I. Why did China previously hold an important position in Asia, enabling it to exist as a center?

一、为什么中国以前在亚洲有重要的地位，可以作为中心而存在？

Womack argued that three factors explain why China, after repeated cycles of strength and weakness, returns to being Asia’s center: (1) Geographical presence. China is geographically central in Asia; no Asian country can compare with China. (2) Demographic factors. China’s relatively large population scale makes it Asia’s demographic center, with larger production and markets, determining China’s central position in Asia. (3) The perspective of productive forces. China serves both as a market and as a source of resources, which determines its role as Asia’s center. These three factors are the objective factors that historically made China Asia’s center, and these objective factors still exist today, displaying new characteristics. Geographically, China uses the Belt and Road Initiative as a concrete means of connecting Asia and the world; demographically, China’s population not only constitutes one-fifth of the world’s labor market in scale but also has become a major product market that the world cannot ignore; in terms of productive forces, China has mastered advanced technology and its international influence has greatly increased.

沃麦克认为，有三个因素能够解释中国在力量强弱反复交替后会重新回到亚洲中心的原因，分别是：（1）地缘存在。中国在亚洲处于地缘中心，亚洲没有一个国家可以与中国相比。（2）人口因素。中国比较大的人口规模，促使其成为亚种人口中心，生产和市场较大，决定中国处于亚洲中心位置。（3）生产力角度。中国既作为市场，也作为资源来源，这就决定了中国成为亚洲的中心。这三个因素是历史上中国成为亚洲中心的客观因素，而当前这些客观因素依然存在，且表现出新的特点。地缘方面，中国以“一带一路”作为连接亚洲和世界的具体方式；而中国的人口不仅是规模具有世界的五分之一的劳动力市场，而且成为世界不可忽视的主要产品市场；在生产力方面，中国掌握了先进的科技，并且在国际上的影响力有了很大提高。

II. What is the relationship between a China-centered Asia and other countries of the world?

二、以中国为中心的亚洲同世界其他国家的关系如何？

Womack’s analysis pointed out that, unlike historical Western colonizers, who treated Asian countries as suppliers of raw materials, China exhibits great inclusiveness. China’s ancient relationship with the outside world is called “thin connection,” [1]1 “Thin connection” (薄联接) is a term Womack uses to describe a low-intensity, stability-oriented relationship, as opposed to the more intensive “thick connection” (厚联接) mentioned later. established on the basis of minimizing unexpected situations. European and American countries, by contrast, used their advanced power to transform Asia into a subordinate part of the world system; this connection is called a “favorable” connection, based on connectivity for maximizing interests. In this world system, Asia became the periphery of the world system, and as part of Asia, China also found itself on Asia’s periphery. China’s relationship with other Asian countries is not about China incorporating them, but about shared governance and common development. Asia’s openness to China has also been continuous.

沃麦克分析指出，与历史上西方殖民者不同，他们把亚洲国家作为原料的提供者，而中国有着极大的包容性。中国古代与外界的关系称为薄联接，其建立的基础是尽量减少意外情况的出现。欧美国家则是利用自己的先进力量来把亚洲转化为世界体系的附属部分，这种联接被称为“有利”的连接，其基于利益最大化的互联互通。在这种世界体系中，亚洲成为世界体系的边缘，作为亚洲的一部分，中国也处于了亚洲的边缘。而中国对亚洲其他国家的关系，并不是中国要把其他国家包括进去，而是共享共治，共同发展。亚洲对于中国的开放也是持续的。

Against the backdrop of globalization, China’s return to being Asia’s center is based on a mutually beneficial “inclusive” and “thick connection,” [2]2 “Thick connection” (厚联接) refers to a deep, multi-layered relationship built on mutual investment, infrastructure, and shared development, in contrast to the exploitative “favorable” connection of Western powers. pursuing not only China’s unilateral development but the common development of other countries in Asia and even the world. This “thick connection” is specifically manifested in three ways: First, China’s internal connectivity, based on the development of China’s infrastructure. Second, China has achieved connectivity with neighboring countries through investment and projects initiated by that investment. For example, the Belt and Road Initiative and the operation of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank help China achieve friendly connectivity with neighboring countries. Third, Asia as a whole achieves a higher degree of connectivity with other regions of the world. Therefore, the repositioning of Asia’s center is not a division of global political economy. In fact, by developing connectivity within Asia, connectivity between Asia and other parts of the world can also be improved.

在全球化的背景下，中国重新回归亚洲中心，其基础是一种互利互惠的“包容性”、“厚连接”，其追求的不仅是中国单方面发展，而是亚洲乃至世界范围内的其他国家的共同发展。这种“厚连接”具体来说：一是中国内部得到互联互通，其基础是中国基础设施的设发展。二是中国同周边国家通过投资及投资引发的项目实现了互联互通。例如，一带一路的倡议，亚投行的运作，这都有助于中国同周边国家实现友好的互联互通。三是亚洲作为整体同世界其他地区实现更高程度的互联互通。因此，亚洲中心的重新定位不是对全球政治经济的分割。事实上，通过发展亚洲地区的互联互通，亚洲同世界其他地区的互联互通也可以得到完善。

III. What does China’s return to being Asia’s center mean for Asia?

三、中国重新回归亚洲中心，对亚洲意味着什么？

Womack regards this as a transformation. Asian countries are cautious about the processes of de-localization and de-regionalization; they fear that in contact with more advanced technology within the world system, the uniqueness of their own culture and economy may be lost. In the process of China’s return to being Asia’s center, other Asian countries, in their connectivity with China, expect their relationship with China to be predictable, governed by rules, rather than changing according to shifts in China’s policies. Organizations like ASEAN, the SCO, and the WTO can play a useful role in mitigating asymmetric relationships. [3]3 ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations; SCO: Shanghai Cooperation Organization; WTO: World Trade Organization. These are multilateral organizations that help manage relations between states of unequal power. China’s repositioning as Asia’s center is a particularly difficult topic for Japan, because Japan has long held a mindset of seeing itself as Asia’s leader, with goals that go beyond being an ordinary Asian country.

沃麦克将其视为一种转变。亚洲各国对去地方化和去区域化的过程保持谨慎，他们担心在世界体系内跟更为先进的技术接触过程中，自己文化和经济的独特性可能会失去。在中国重新回归亚洲中心的过程中，其他亚洲国家在同中国的互联互通中期望同中国的关系是可预见的，有规则可遵循的，而非根据中国政策的改变而改变的关系。类似东盟组织、上合组织、WTO等可以在缓和不对称关系中起到了很好的作用。中国处于亚洲中心再定位对于日本来说，是一个尤为艰难的话题。因为日本一直持有将自身视为亚洲的领导者心态，其目标不仅是做一个普通的亚洲国家。

IV. The importance of establishing an interconnected world system without a superpower

四、建立一个没有超级大国的互联互通的世界体系的重要性

Womack’s analysis pointed out that world trade is currently undergoing structural changes, and China’s return to being Asia’s center poses a challenge to the original international order. This is mainly manifested in two ways: First, the gap between developed and developing countries in areas such as healthcare, education, and living conditions is continuously narrowing. This is a positive aspect, especially for developed countries, which need to reexamine and reposition their original sense of superiority. Second, the ability of Western countries, European and American countries, to control standard-setting is increasingly weakening, mainly because other countries have more choices. Establishing an interconnected world system without a superpower requires that matters involving public goods and public interests be shouldered jointly by all countries in the world. The establishment of an interconnected system will bring more dispersed risks and opportunities worldwide. Additionally, this will produce a balance and tension between China’s power based on population and the West’s power based on wealth. There is an asymmetric development between China and the United States, and they maintain a competitive relationship.

沃麦克分析指出，当前世界贸易正经历着结构性的变化，中国重新返回亚洲中心，对原有国际格局形成挑战。主要有两个表现：一是发达国家与发展国家在医疗、教育、生活条件等方面的差距在不断缩小。这是一个积极的方面，尤其对于发达国家来说，需要重新审视定位原来持有的优越性心理。二是西方国家、欧美国家能够把持的标准的制定越来越弱。主要是因为其他国家有更多的选择权了。建立一个没有超级大国的互联互通的世界体系，要求涉及公共产品、公共利益的事情，需要世界各国共担责任。互联互通体系的建立，会在世界范围内带来更为分散的风险和机会。除此之外，还会产生中国基于人口而拥有的实力同西方基于财富而拥有的实力之间的平衡和紧张关系。中国和美国之间存在不对称的发展，二者之间保持着竞争关系。

Finally, Professor Womack also exchanged views with researchers from the Academy of Marxism on issues such as the future direction of Sino-Japanese relations and Russia’s role in Asia’s future development.

最后，沃麦克教授还就未来中日关系发展走向以及俄罗斯在未来亚洲发展中的作用等问题，同马研院科研人员进行了交流。

(Contributed by Pan Xihua)

（潘西华供稿）