Xi’s global security initiative: A policy analysis
WORLD is passing through a difficult phase because of numerous socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic emerging conflicting realities in the region and around the globe.
It seems that two different forces of convergence and divergence are battling out for total political dominance and economic superiority.
Thus most recently Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a Global Security Initiative (GSI) in the Boao Forum for Asia to achieve peace, harmony and stability in the region and beyond.
It is indeed a first giant step towards world’s peace and tranquillity. In this connection, rise to notorious unilateralism of the West, leading by the US and its allies have further divided the world into two distinctive poles.
Eastern expansion of the NATO has become hot topic in all the capitals of the Asia and Indo-Pacific regions.
The world is now witnessing perverse attempts to wage a new Cold War, rampant hegemonism and power politics, a rising tide of division and confrontation, the fragmentation of the world into different blocs and camps, and a fierce information war and battle for public opinion between the West and East.
In this context, Russia, China and many ASEAN countries showed their displeasure about the expected presence of the NATO in their backyards.
Moreover calculated move of the NATO towards East also poses threats to Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.
In this regard, many regional security experts fear that Taiwan would be the next point of tussle and conflict of interest between China and US in the days to come.
It seems that flames of Russia-Ukraine conflict is slowly but surely approaching Indo-Pacific region.
So Xi’s Global Security Initiative aims to create an Asian Security Framework (ASF) to replace “confrontation, alliance and a zero-sum approach with meaningful dialogue, sustained partnership and befitting propositions”.
Critical analysis of the Xi’s GSI reveals that it carries vision of integrated security system in which mutual respect should be taken as the fundamental requirement.
Furthermore, indivisible security should be treated as the important principle, and building a security community as the long-term goal to form a new type of security.
Interestingly, the Xi’s GSI showcases the spirit of the UN Charter, offers a fundamental solution to eliminating “the peace deficit” and contributes Chinese perspectives to meeting international security challenges.
The US and the EU have indulged in false, fake and fictional propaganda against Russia and China.
China’s firm stance against unilateral imposition of socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic sanctions against Russia has now unfortunately put it in the line of fire.
Both imperialistic forces have been suspecting on the sincere efforts of China to put an end to ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Thus both have been trying to malign China. Moreover, the western media has once again started propaganda against the Xi’s GSI and termed it anti-Asian security architecture, especially the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) and AUKUS (a trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK and the US) under the Indo-Pacific Strategic Framework.
At an online dialogue of global think tanks called ‘Seeking Peace and Promoting Development’ last week, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng vehemently denied claims that China was aware of Russia’s plan to attack Ukraine when President Vladimir Putin met President Xi during the Winter Olympics in February, when both sides vowed to establish a “no limits” bilateral ties.
In beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war many Western capitals called China an ideal mediator between Russia and Ukraine.
Such optimists cite the supposed pragmatism of the modern Chinese Communist Party.
According to Xi, the initiative is meant to “uphold the principle of indivisible security, build balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the building of national security on the basis of insecurity in other countries.
” Xi also emphasized the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, as well as their right to choose their own development paths and social systems.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin the Xi GSI is meant to combat growing threats of unilateralism, hegemony and power politics, eliminate deficits in peace, security, trust and governance.
Even Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated strategic significance of the Xi’s GSI which will highlight Chinese wisdom to make up for the human peace deficit and provide Chinese solution to cope with international security challenge.
” Wang added that “China will never claim hegemony, seek expansion or spheres of influence, nor engage in an arms race.
” It promotes integrated efforts to form an alternative security framework to protect and defend genuine vested interests of the Asian countries.
It is hoped that Xi’s GSI will gain significant support in some parts of the world, especially the Middle East, Africa, and other regions around the globe.
Unfortunately, most of the Western countries and their mass media outlets have been turning a blind eye to China’s positive role in and contribution to international security.
They have made groundless allegations, distorted China’s position and tried to make China take the blame for their own actions.
In the ongoing Ukraine crisis, for instance, all sorts of misinformation and disinformation have been thrown around to smear China.
Some western countries accuse China of standing on the wrong side of history for not joining the US and other Western countries in condemning and sanctioning Russia, and they even threaten to impose secondary sanctions on China.
Reality check is that China has never been on the wrong side of history in the past 5000 years.
China never follows in others’ footsteps or jumps on bandwagons. Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, China has been committed to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the principle of indivisible security.
China has committed itself to international law and universally recognized norms of international relations and rejected the attempt to replace international rules with “house rules”.
It has been rigorously working for the global solidarity and cooperation, and rejected the attempt to revive bloc politics and ideological confrontation.
Thus Chinese President’s Global Security Initiative is the paradigm shift in the Asian Security Framework which is indeed a right step in right direction because it promotes harmony not hegemony.
—The writer is Director, the Centre for South Asia & International Studies Islamabad & regional expert, China, CPEC & BRI.
