Frictions will arise between China and other countries from time to time. The overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea are an example. China should resolve these disputes peacefully， in accordance with international law， including UNCLOS. It should do so through diplomacy and compromise rather than force or the threat of force， while giving weight to the core interests and rights of other countries. Then over time it will build its reputation as a responsible and benevolent power that need not be feared. Instead China will be respected as a power that can be relied on to support a stable and peaceful region. In the long term， this will allow China to continue to benefit from a conducive and friendly international environment， and enhance its influence and standing in the world.
The rest of the world too has to adjust to a larger role for China. Countries have to accept that China will continue to grow and strengthen， and that it is neither possible nor wise for them to prevent this from happening. China will have its own legitimate interests and aspirations，including to develop indigenously advanced technologies like infocomms and artificial intelligence. As a major stakeholder in the international system， China should be encouraged to play commensurate and constructive roles in supranational institutions like the IMF， World Bank， and WTO. If China cannot do so， it will create its own alternatives.
The US， being the preeminent power， has the most difficult adjustment to make. But however difficult the task， it is well worth the US forging a new understanding that will integrate China’s aspirations within the current system of rules and norms. New international rules need to be made in many areas， including trade and intellectual property， cybersecurity and social media. China will expect a say in this process， because it sees the present rules as having been created in the past without its participation. This is a reasonable expectation.
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