Table Of ContentModern China and International Economic Law
Editor-in-Chief: An Chen
Lingliang Zeng
Contemporary
International
Law and China’s
Peaceful
Development
Modern China and International Economic Law
Editor-in-Chief
AnChen,PearlBayGardenCommunity,XiamenCity,China
SeriesEditors
HuaqunZeng,SchoolofLaw,XiamenUniversity,Xiamen,China
LingliangZeng,SchoolofLaw,WuhanUniversity,Wuhan,China
PizhaoChe,SchoolofLaw,TsinghuaUniversity,Beijing,China
YuejiaoZhang,SchoolofLaw,ShantouUniversity,Shantou,China
This book series offers an essential forum for Chinese economic law scholars, as
wellas international scholars interested inChina’s practice inthe context of inter-
national economic law. It is thus the aim of this book series to publish essential
monographs/compilations in the field of international economic law that focus on
China,oronuniquelyChinesecharacteristics.Thisbookseriesaboveallfocuseson
research that closely relates current practices with past history, and future policies
withcurrentcircumstances,pursuingaphilosophyofunderstandinglegalpractices
bycombiningthepastandpresent.Accordingly,topscholarsinChinaandbeyond
itsborderswillbeinvitedtocontributetothisprojectfromtheirrespectiveareasof
focus,whichcancoverbroadtopicsrelatedtointernationallawinthecurrentcontext
of China’s peaceful rise, such as China’s economic policy with various countries,
itsparticipationintheWTOlegalsystemandbilateralinvestmenttreatypractices,
etc.;aswellasmorespecifictopicssuchasChina’sdomesticlegislationregarding
foreignbusiness,itsunique“onecountry,twosystems”policyanditsimplications
onexternaleconomicinteractionsbetweendifferent“systems”withinChina.
Moreinformationaboutthisseriesathttp://www.springer.com/series/13773
Lingliang Zeng
Contemporary International
Law and China’s Peaceful
Development
LingliangZeng
SchoolofLawResearchInstitute
ofInternationalLaw
WuhanUniversity
Wuhan,Hubei,China
ISSN2364-8317 ISSN2364-8325 (electronic)
ModernChinaandInternationalEconomicLaw
ISBN978-981-15-8655-2 ISBN978-981-15-8657-6 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8657-6
©SpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.2021
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Series Editor’s Preface: A Wisdom Was Passed,
While His Academic Big Fruits Are Still Alive
The work presented before readers is the English version which gathered the
quintessenceofChineseposthumousworksofLingliangZeng,theyoungest“Senior
Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences,” Wuhan University. At my invita-
tion, he led the pack in writing this work, which is the first monograph in mono-
graphicseriesoftheModernChinaandInternationalEconomicLaw.TheChinese
nameoftheworkis“当代国际法和中国的和平发展”,withtheEnglishnamebeing
ContemporaryInternationalLawandChina’sPeacefulDevelopment.
AsfarbackasIcanremember,IgottoknowProf.LingliangZengearlier:Inthe
autumnof2000,attheannualconferenceofthe“ChineseSocietyofInternational
Economic Law,” I was “questioned” by a Ph.D. who had graduated from Wuhan
University and was then teaching at Sun Yat-sen University. The Ph.D. believed
thattheconnotationanddenotationofinternationaleconomiclawthatIhadalways
insisted on1 seemed to “infringe” the “field” of private international law that he
specialized in. Upholding the principle of academic democracy, I made a patient
answertothe“question.”Then,Prof.LingliangZeng,whowasthedeanoftheLaw
1Refertomybookonthemarginality,comprehensivenessandindependenceofthedisciplineof
internationaleconomiclaw.ThebasiccontentsofthispaperareoriginallycontainedintheIntro-
ductiontoInternationalEconomicLaw(1991Edition)co-writtenandeditedbytheauthor.Ithas
beenrevisedandamendedtwicesuccessively.Itwaspublishedinthe1995editionofChineseYear-
bookofInternationalLaw(1996editionofChinaTranslationandPublishingCorporation,about
18,000words)andVolume1ofJournalofInternationalEconomicLaw(1998editionofLawPress
China,about44,000words).Sincethen,ithasbeenrevisedandeditedformanytimesandhas
beenincludedinInternationalEconomicLaw(edition1–8,1994–2020,PekingUniversityPress),
BasicTheoryofInternationalEconomicLaw(edition1–5,1994–2020,HigherEducationPress),
andProblemsofInternationalEconomicLaw(atwo-volumeedition,edition1and2,2002–2007,
HigherEducationPress);Chen’sPapersonInternationalEconomicLaw,JurisprudenceofInter-
nationalEconomicLaw(singleauthoredEnglishmonograph,atwo-volumeedition,2005edition,
PekingUniversityPress),AnChenonInternationalEconomicLaw(singleauthoredmonograph,
fivevolumes2008edition,FuDanUniversityPress);ThevoicefromChina:AnChenoninterna-
tionaleconomiclaw,Englishmonograph,SpringerPress2013-2014edition,TheDiscoursewith
ChineseCharacteristics,AnChenonInternationalEconomicLaw(singleauthoredmonograph,
fourvolumes,2018edition,PekingUniversityPress).
v
vi SeriesEditor’sPreface:AWisdomWasPassed,WhileHisAcademic…
SchoolofWuhanUniversityatthattimeandwasinvitedtoattendtheconference,
stoodupandagreedwithmyacademicviews.Hespokeeloquentlyandrefutedthe
“doubts,”raisedbythatPh.D.whohadgraduatedfromthesameWuhanUniversity.
Withthat,we,theparticipants,hadaheateddiscussionanddebateontheconnotation
anddenotationofinternationaleconomiclawattheconference,whichbenefitedall
ofusalot.
IwassodeeplyimpressedbyProf.LingliangZengforhischaracterandacademic
literacy of abandoning parochial disciplinary prejudice (“门户之见” 和 “领地观
念”),hiscourageandhisabilityto“speakoutforjustice”(“仗义执言”)thatIadmired
himverymuch.Sincethen,withthepassageoftime,Igottoknowmoreandmore
abouthispersonality,quality,character,andacademicliteracyandIfeltthathewas
indeedoutstandingamongtheyoungtalentsofhisgeneration.
Moreimportantly,Ihavefoundthathisvaluesandacademicpursuitsarebasically
thesameandfairlyconsistentwithmine.
Forexample,bothofusbelievethatsincetheendoftheWorldWarIIin1945,
theprincipalcontradictionintheeconomicandpoliticalfieldsofthemodernworld
hasalwaysbeentheNorth-Southcontradiction,thatis,thecontradictionbetweena
smallnumberofpowerfuldevelopedcountriesandamajorityofdevelopingcoun-
tries; Whatever point of views Chinese scholars of international law, international
economiclawandprivateinternationallawmayhold,theyshouldembarkandstart
fromtheobjectivefactoftheabove-mentionedprincipalcontradictionintheworld
economicandpoliticalfields,thatis,theNorth–Southcontradiction.Basedonthe
realityofChina’snationalconditionsandtheglobalsituation,scholarsshoulddemon-
strateandelaborateallkindsofcurrentlegalprinciplesandnormsfromtheperspec-
tiveofsafeguardingthelegitimaterightsandinterestsofbillionsofpeopleinChina
andmanydevelopingcountries,practicethestruggleforestablishingthenewinter-
national economic order and reforming the old international economic order, and
unswervinglypersistinthestruggleagainstinternationalhegemonyandpowerpoli-
tics.And,wecertainlyoughttobeopentovarioustheoreticalpropositions,writings
and insights of authoritative scholars from western developed countries. We need
to learn with an open mind and absorb the fresh knowledge and innovative ideas
put forward by them, so as to avoid being out of touch with reality like a frog in
a well-bottom (井底之蛙), or being a fly on the wheel. On the other hand, from
the perspective and standard of safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of
billions of people in China and many developing countries, we should think inde-
pendentlyandidentifythosetheories,separatethechafffromthewheat,discardthe
falseandretainthetrue,rejectthedrossandassimilatetheessence,soastoavoid
belittling ourselves, worshiping blindly, learning without thinking and swallowing
thedross,thatis,theideologicaltoxinofadvocatingcolonialism,hegemonismand
powerpolitics,whichfinallycausespoisoning.
Foranotherexample,bothofusbelievethatinthefaceofthelong-termmonopoly
ofinternationallawforumsbyscholarsfrompowerfulwesterndevelopedcountries,
the publication of distorted facts, and the slander of China, Chinese international
SeriesEditor’sPreface:AWisdomWasPassed,WhileHisAcademic… vii
lawscholarsshouldmake“titfortat”responses.Basedonobjectivefacts,Chinese
scholarsshouldstrivetorefutethemintheory,clearthefog,andwritemonographs
in foreign languages, so that we can carry forward Chinese academic to foreign
countries and enhance the influence of discourse with Chinese characteristics in
internationallawforumsbyusingthepopularlanguagesinthewesternworld.
Sincethevaluesandacademicpursuitsofbothofusarebasicallythesameand
highlyconsistent,formorethanadecade,ouracademicdiscussionsandexchanges,
as the China’s Book of Songs《( 诗经》) said, “a bird sings to call forth a mate’s
response”(“嘤其鸣矣,求其友声”),oftenseemlike“thesamevoiceinductingeach
other.”(“同声相应,同气相投”).
In2012,Iappliedtoundertakethe“TranslationProjectoftheChineseHumani-
tiesandSocialSciencesAcademicBoutique.”Iselected24ofmyacademicpapers
published over the years, rewrote, integrated and translated them into an English
monograph entitled “The Voice from China: An Chen on International Economic
Law.” According to the review and comment of experts, this English monograph
“isofgreatsignificanceforoverseasreaderstofullyunderstandtherepresentative
academicviewsandmainstreamideasofChinesescholarsofinternationaleconomic
law.ThismonographwithChinesestyleandChinesemanner(具有中国风格和中
国气派)hasitsowncontentstructureandnovel views.Itinterpretstheinnovative
academic ideas and pursuits which are different from those of scholars in western
developed countries and is committed to initially establishing a theoretical system
of international economic law with Chinese characteristics under the guidance of
Marxism, and has forged a theoretical weapon of jurisprudence for the disadvan-
tagedgroupsintheinternationalcommunitytostriveforfairrightsandinterests.”
Therefore,myapplicationforundertakingtheaboveprojectwasapproved.
In the following year, I completed the task of rewriting, integration, and trans-
lating.Thewholemanuscriptwashandedovertotheworld-famousGermanSpringer
PublishingCompany(Springer)andwaspublishedin2013–2014,thusbringingthe
bookintothemainstreaminternationalpublishinganddistributionchannel.Taking
advantage of the 2014 annual conference of the Chinese Society of International
Economic Law held at Wuhan University, the English monograph was launched.
Atthis“newbooklaunch,”Prof.LingliangZengfromWuhanUniversityandProf.
PizhaoChefromTsinghuaUniversityreviewedandintroducedthemonograph.
Mr. Channing Chai and Ms. Lydia Wang, two editors of Springer in Germany,
whowereinvitedtoattendtheconference,metthescholarsoftheChineseSociety
of International Economic Law at the conference. The atmosphere of democratic
discussionsattheconferencewaslivelyandwarmwhereplentyoftalentsgathered
andexpressedtheirownideas.ThetwoeditorsofSpringergotdeepimpressionat
site.Inaddition,theacademiceffectsandeconomicbenefitsofthemonographwere
quitegoodafteritwasreleasedtotheworld.Inviewofthis,thetwoeditorstookthe
initiativetoinvitemetosignanewcontractwithSpringer,thatis,acontractforthe
publicationofthemonographicseriesofModernChinaandInternationalEconomic
Law.ThecontractcameintoeffectonJanuary30,2015.
viii SeriesEditor’sPreface:AWisdomWasPassed,WhileHisAcademic…
Naturally,IimmediatelyinvitedProf.LingliangZenginleadingthepacktowrite
thefirstmonograph intheModern China and International Economic Law series.
Out of the sense of common mission to promote Chinese academic culture to the
outsideworld,hereadilyandwillinglyacceptedthisheavyburden.
In early 2015, in spite of his busy schedule, Prof. Lingliang Zeng took the
time to complete the Chinese collection of “Contemporary International Law and
China’sPeacefulDevelopment,”withabout500,000Chinesecharacters,andbegan
theEnglishtranslationofthework.BothSpringerandIwereeagerlylookingforward
tothesuccessfulbirthofthefirstworkofmonographicseriesandmeetingreaders
allovertheworld.
However, it is regrettable and deplorable that Prof. Lingliang Zeng suffered a
relapseofoldbraindiseaseduetotoomuchacademicwork2 anddiedsuddenlyin
July2016!ThisisindeedagreatlossforChineseandinternationalacademiccircles!
As Fu Du (杜甫), an outstanding Chinese poet in the Tang Dynasty, once said in
mourning for Liang Zhuge (诸葛亮),3 “Died before victory was won, how could
heroesnotwettheirsleeveswithtearontear!”(“出师未捷身先死,长使英雄泪满
襟”!).
Fortunately,afterfouryearsofcollectiveefforts,Dr.ZhangJiaoandothers,who
werecultivatedandeducatedbyProf.LingliangZeng,finallyrealizedProf.Lingliang
Zeng’sunfulfilledwishinJuneandJuly2020.TheydeliveredtheEnglishtranslation
ofContemporaryInternationalLawandChina’sPeacefulDevelopmenttoSpringer
inGermanyforeditingandprocessing,anditwillbepublishedsoon.
In my opinion, the above process embodies three important aspects: First, the
ChineseversionofthelegacyofProf.LingliangZeng,whowroteagreatdealofworks
duringhislifetime,isthelastcomprehensivefruitofhisself-selectedcollection,but
hediedtooyoungtotranslateitintoEnglishhimself.Second,althoughthewiseman
haspassedaway,hispersonalcharmandacademicstylestillliveonintheworldand
continuetoinfluencehisstudentssomuchthattheyarewillingtodosomevoluntary
worktorepaytheirsupervisor.Third,inparticular,thestudentsheadedbyDr.Jiao
Zhang took the initiative to translate Prof. Lingliang Zeng’s Chinese essence with
500,000 characters into English, and finally realized his unfulfilled wish through
collectivehardwork,whichhighlightedtheirChinesevirtueof“showinggratitude
andrepayingkindness”(知恩图报).
2Forexample,duringhislifetime,heheldvariousacademicpositionsinChina:anexpertinthe
National Social Science Discipline Planning Evaluation Group; Vice-chairman of the Steering
CommitteeofLegalEducation,MinistryofEducation;amemberofInternationalLawAdvisory
CommitteeoftheMinistryofForeignAffairs,memberoftheIndicativeListofPanelsofWTO
DisputeSettlementBody,PresidentofEuropeanLegalStudiesAssociationofChineseEuropean
StudiesAssociation,VicePresidentofChineseSocietyofInternationalLaw,VicePresidentofWTO
LawStudiesAssociationofChinaLawSociety,VicePresidentofChineseSocietyofInternational
EconomicLaw,theManagingDirectorofLegalEducationAssociation,ChinaLawSociety,etc.It
canbesaidthat“ablepersondoesmorework”!
3Translator’snote:LiangZhuge(181–234)wasoneofthegreateststrategistsofpost-HanChina.
Zhugeisanuncommontwo-charactercompoundfamilyname.
SeriesEditor’sPreface:AWisdomWasPassed,WhileHisAcademic… ix
I am deeply convinced that this monograph in English will make the latest
contribution to promoting Chinese academic culture and enhancing the influence
ofdiscoursewithChinesecharacteristicsininternationallawforums.
ProfessorLingliangZengwouldbeverytouchedandfeelgratifiedifheknewit
intheheaven.Hewouldturngriefintojoyandbreaktearsintosmile!
ByAnChenfromXiamenUniversity,anover90-year-oldprofessorandtireless
campaigner,onJune21,2020,theSummerSolsticeintheyearofMouse
