Chinese peacekeepers deliver donated medicine to a community in southern Lebanon on May 9 (XINHUA)
On April 21, President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia 2022 Annual Conference. In the meantime, he tackled the great questions of our time, namely: What concept of security does the world need? How can countries achieve common security?
The GSI, by putting into practice the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind in the field of security, is China’s latest contribution to the international community to help bridge the peace gap. It is another global public good provided by China that is open to global participation and benefits everyone.
According to the GSI, the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security should be the guiding principle of maintaining global peace, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be a prerequisite. fundamental. In addition, respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations is the fundamental requirement, taking seriously the legitimate security concerns of all countries is an important principle, the peaceful resolution of disputes and disputes through dialogue and consultation is the only way, and both traditional respect and non-traditional security is integral to that.
The Ukraine crisis, the pandemic, spiraling inflation in many parts of the world and a looming global recession have all sounded the alarm of a deficit in international governance and are placing the heaviest strain on the international system since the end of World War II. . The world is once again faced with the danger of division and confrontation. The GSI was proposed to meet the pressing needs and shared aspirations of the international community to maintain world peace, uphold multilateralism and international solidarity, and build a better world beyond the pandemic.
It is high time not only to end the conflict in Ukraine, but also to provide humanity with a new philosophy and architecture to safeguard global peace and security.
Beyond Western Theory
Based on the vision of common, global, cooperative and sustainable security, the GSI seeks to promote the establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. It offers a new approach to eliminating the root causes of international conflicts and achieving lasting stability and security in the world.
The GSI opposes all “gang rules” established by a few without the authorization of the UN and in contradiction to the spirit of the UN Charter. It also calls on all countries to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, rejects the outdated mentality of zero-sum game and block confrontation, advocates a win-win mindset to address complex security challenges and intertwined, and defends the spirit of solidarity. and multilateralism to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape. It will demonstrate the great potential of the new type of security that values dialogue, partnership and win-win cooperation instead of confrontation, factionalism and a zero-sum approach.
Some major powers, motivated by a selfish interest in maintaining their hegemony, deliberately undermine the international rule of law, stir up antagonism, remain zealous for decoupling, and glorify hegemony and intimidation. It revives the Cold War mentality and stirs confrontation between blocs, builds “exclusive yards with high walls” or “parallel systems”, and sets up small circles or exclusive blocs that jeopardize global security. and hamper global development.
The world is facing a slow economic recovery, rising inflation and multiple financial, trade, energy, food, industrial and supply chain crises. Despite this, some countries sit idly by as their arms dealers, bankers and oil tycoons make their fortunes from war, while leaving small countries hurt, imposing unilateral sanctions on supposed rivals and exerting a long-arm jurisdiction. They extend the concept of national security to impede the advancement of other countries, worsening the standard of living of people everywhere, especially those in developing countries.
President Xi observed that countries around the world are like passengers on the same ship who share the same destiny. All passengers must stick together so that the ship can weather the storms and sail to a brighter future.
The scourge of the last century’s two world wars, which caused untold human suffering, should remind us that we all live in a shared world with a shared future. It is out of the question for a country or a block of countries to have absolute security while ignoring the security of other countries. In the face of complex international security threats, no country can remain untouched or become an isolated island. The world would never be at peace without respect, trust, mutual accommodation and cooperation.
Integral unit
The GSI echoes and reinforces the Global Development Initiative (GDI) proposed by President Xi in 2021, which emphasizes development as the main key to solving all problems, calls on the international community to strengthen cooperation in development and to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. for Sustainable Development. The GDI was warmly welcomed by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, and attracted the active participation of all UN Member States. More than 100 countries have expressed their support for the GDI, and more than 50 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI set up by China on the UN platform.
Peace and security are crucial for development and prosperity. Both the GDI and the GSI conform to the trend of peacetime, development and win-win cooperation, and represent a coordinated approach to safeguarding traditional and non-traditional security, with the aim of seeking converging interests. the largest of all countries.
With the GDI and GSI, China emphasizes the holistic approach to finding a balance between security and progress, and to enhancing sustainable security through sustainable development. To promote peace and security, there is therefore an urgent need for greater emphasis on development to actively improve people’s living standards, narrow the wealth gap, bridge the development gap, remain committed to building a open world, maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, resolutely oppose decoupling and supply disruptions, and promote balanced, coordinated and inclusive global development.
China’s practices
China loves peace and opposes war. The country is not only the initiator of the GSI, but also a campaigner for its implementation.
China remains a committed builder of world peace. As a great power, China has the best record in global peace and security, as it has never provoked war, invaded an inch of another country’s territory, or engaged in proxy wars, nor joined or formed military blocs. China is the only country in the world that commits to following a path of peaceful development in its Constitution.
As a persistent guardian of the international order, China has joined almost all intergovernmental organizations and more than 400 multilateral treaties. The country is the second largest contributor to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping assessments, and has sent more than 50,000 peacekeepers to UN-led missions. China actively mediates hot-button issues, consistently advocates a balanced solution to address the legitimate concerns of all parties through peace talks and political settlements, and plays a constructive role in easing regional tensions and international.
China has taken the lead in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, contributing more than 70% to global poverty reduction and ranking first in terms of contribution to global economic growth for 15 consecutive years. He set up the $100 million China-UN Peace and Development Fund, which has supported 95 projects benefiting more than 100 countries and regions, and provided more than 2.1 billion doses of vaccines against COVID-19 to the international community to fill the vaccination gap. .
China stands ready to work with other peace-loving countries to carry out the GSI and forge strong synergy to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
The author is an opinion contributor to Beijing Review and an expert in international studies.
Source: Beijing Review
(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
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