Tag: GSI

China’s Global Security Initiative is an Alarm for Sanity in an Insane World

Posted on by Admin

By Moshi Israel

To some, referring to our world as ‘insane’ might come off as a bit too harsh but I beg to differ. If one employs a sharp lens to examine the current global order, it is more than likely that one will reach a similar conclusion. This does not ignore the advantages and progress of the current global system.

The insanity in the current global order lies in the continuous weakening of our global institutions due to the unilateral gangsterism of powerful countries. This problem is almost ironically complimented by the other side of the coin of state unilateralism, which is the increased uncontrollable power of non-state actors such as Multi-National Corporations or Big business interests. Additionally, the climate crisis and the recent Covid-19 pandemic have also proven to be a challenge to and a strain on the established global order.

The consequences of a system that tolerates unilateralism and unchecked pursuit of profits by Big Business is a world of war, imperialism, injustice, and inequality. Under such a world, the global south must abandon all hope of catching up with the rest of the developed world. Such a system encourages politics of intimidation, blackmail, and gun-point relations. It is a jungle rules system where only the strong survive. This kind of catastrophic arrangement has unfortunately worked for many countries in the West especially the United States which has enjoyed unchecked power for several decades. It is said that absolute power corrupts absolutely and every hegemon tends to be corrupted by its own power.

It is, therefore, with this background that one must appreciate the Global Security Initiative (GSI) put forward by President Xi Jinping. China given its history rooted in Confucianism which advocates for a harmonious existence with oneself and everyone else perhaps better understands the significance of a better global system based on the principles of peace and corporation for common prosperity for all.

The GSI puts forward six common sense commitments that should govern international relations and perhaps as I said bring sanity to an insane world. The first commitment pertains to the issue of security which should be common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable. It is a call to focus on long-term solutions that seek to eliminate the breeding grounds for problems. These solutions should be based on morality, justice, and the right ideas.

Secondly, a commitment should be made to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. This is a fundamental ideal of the United Nations Charter and it links with the empowerment and respect of the UN as an institution.  If countries respect and recognize each other’s inherent right to self-govern and exist as equal partners on the global stage, then it is my view that half of the world’s problems could be addressed.

The next commitment that China advocates is that of abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN charter. This complements the previous commitment and also goes deeper into other rules concerning international relations in areas of commerce. The purpose of the UN charter was to create an ideal world based on the liberal ideologies of equality and justice leading to the ultimate goal of collective security and peace.

The fourth commitment entails taking into account the legitimate security concerns of other countries. It seeks to redress the problems caused by unilateralism or long-arm jurisdiction to interfere with the security of other countries. There cannot be world peace if some states are aggrieved and feel targeted. This is to many scholars the root cause of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Therefore, taking into account other countries’ concerns can literally avert war and promote negotiation through dialogue and diplomacy which is the major concern of commitment five. It involves the peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue and consultation. This is what China championed in the Iran-Saudi peace plan and it is what the United States failed to do when it comes to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The sixth commitment demands that countries remain committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains. Threats to security come in various forms ranging from Terrorism to climate change, cybersecurity, and biosecurity. The security frameworks of today must take into account the transnational nature of threats and solutions and also appreciate their diversity. Therefore, cooperation, consultation, and mutual benefit should drive international relations if there is any hope to achieve long-lasting security.

In short, the GSI calls for global reform and transformation based on multilateralism for the good of all. We might never achieve true equality and we might never eliminate all the world’s challenges. However, China’s GSI calls on global leaders to try and create an ideal and safe world that is inclusive of all. It is an alarm for some semblance of sanity. GSI provides a common-sense framework that sets the world up for success measured by economic, social, cultural, and sustainable development, peaceful coexistence, and a better world for all.

Moshi Israel is a research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

China’s Global Security Initiative is Timely to the Global Security Questions

Posted on by Alan Collins Mpewo

Historically, societies have been composed of both brave and timid people who have worn ideologies which if placed on an extensive social platter, the hardened principles of each individual clash. Conflict! It’s an inevitable reality that unfortunately, every society since time immemorial, has had to endure. Along the way, the said societies have always birthed ways of countering that ill. The modalities there in have both formal and high-handed. Formal through negotiations, mediation, arbitration, and reconciliation, and without much emphasis, the high hand-handiness being retaliation with reasonable, and sometimes unjustifiable force. That notwithstanding, there have been bullies in each community that has dominated this world, which informed the human race in cultivating the noble concept of security. I termed it “noble,” because while it has been misused by forces of tyranny, it has greater measure and has greater testimony of success behind it.

China’s President, Xi Jinping recently issued a Global Security Initiative (GSI) in which he called upon countries globally to harness the concept in a struggle to find better ways of solving the global insecurity epidemic. China for a couple of decades has fronted mutual respect on its international relations realm. Political correctness therefore in a concept of mutual respect becomes an abyss of destruction for already established foundations of peace and safety, since it merely undermines all efforts with the subtle aspirations of the other actors. The first core principle as highlighted in the initiative is commitment to the vision of common and sustainable security. While it’s true that the various world actors have all forms of weapons (disclosed and unknown), restraint should be the frontrunner as compared to immediate aggression. There has been an undervalue of the effects of war by numerous countries who disregard the decades that linger to go to waste while the affected people seek to rebuild that which has been destroyed, and sadly, perhaps not to be reshaped.

The accompanying principle is the respect of border territories (the inevitable lines that separate the territories that engulf us) is the harnessing of state sovereignty. The message that’s being hooted is that however strong a state is, the young and weaker nations must be granted equal respect. It goes without saying, that the foregoing principle has been the most disrespected in this century to a point that some perpetual invaders take pride in such despicable modus of operation. Staying committed to international charters like the UN Charter is the way to go altogether. This invites yet another recommendation from the same Initiative, keeping committed to the security concerns of all countries across the globe. This is informed by the fact that countries in all corners in the world deserve an equal peaceful organization which can only be guaranteed by each country being another’s keeper.

The initiative equally recognizes and is alive to the fact that sometimes peace fails and there isn’t much to it except conflict. The initiative therefore proposes that there should be a streamlined form of conflict resolution that’s established to enable all countries engaged in the conflict have an equal voice in the resolution engagements. The initiative also takes a stretch to have other countries that form part of the United Nations to take part in the reconciliation. This may be as regards creation of balance of power through consultations to make sure that all circumstances involved are ably understood and put into contemplation by the arbitrators in choosing the most appropriate methods to cause peace reigning once again.

While all has been said and done, the main priorities of this proposed form of cooperation should be propelled by jointly raising a voice against any war globally that would risk the use of nuclear warfare in a pursuit of winning war by any involved countries. History has showed that such a war is a lost war, and with the growing trends in the number of holders of nuclear weapons. Secondly, is the need to form a more robust coalition of joint forces to preserve peace broadly across the globe. This is aimed at increasing capacity for the already existent serving forces globally. This will also be through asserting that the forces shouldn’t be biased in their operations in order to serve the proper purpose for which they are formed.

GSI also makes it clear that for peace to prevail globally, we must avoid unilateralism, block formation, power politics and confrontation and that taking into consideration each other’s legitimate security concerns are key when it comes to sustainable global security.

It goes without saying that some parts of the world like Africa have for many decades been sidelined in the resolution deliberations on the UN high table, and that’s as unfair as it will always be. The initiative has raised this as a ground for possible consideration given that the continent has a unifying body, the African Union, which shows the possibilities is a single binding position on any security contentious matter, should they arise, from the bloc. The initiative isn’t blind to the Middle East question either. There have been many years of raging war, and it is probably time to take a stand on everlasting peace than the biased and ill brewed motives. By and large, the initiative contemplates and gives robust reasons for the need of cooperation in as far as global secure is concerned. It’s in sincere hope therefore, that such an amazing initiative doesn’t go to waste, as a consequence of dissent from countries expected to adopt the same.

Alan Collins Mpewo is a Lawyer and Senior Research Fellow, Development Watch Centre.

 

China’s Global Security Initiative is Good for Global Security

Posted on by Allawi Ssemanda

Explaining that “Security is a major issue bearing on the world’s future and survival of humanity,” China’s foreign minister H.E. Qin Gang told global leaders during the Opening Ceremony of the Lanting Forum on the Global Security Initiative that; “the world today is not a tranquil place: changes unseen in a century are fast evolving, major-country competition is intensifying, geopolitical conflicts are escalating, the global security governance system is woefully lagging behind, and traditional and non-traditional security threats keep flaring up.”  Qin stressed that the challenges the world is facing today are serious that “all countries are confronted by multiple risks and challenges rarely seen in history, and human society faces multiple security dilemmas like never before.”

To address these challenges, Qin explained China’s proposal dubbed Global Security Initiative (GSI) which seeks to address global security challenges. GSI which has as of now received support from over 80 countries and regional organisation was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Boao Forum for Asia’s annual conference in April 2022. Qin contends that GSI “upholds the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, pursues the long-term objective of building a security community, and advocates a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum.”

In the released concept paper explaining the GSI, Foreign Minister Qin points out China’s proposed 20 priorities of cooperation, all highly action-oriented, Beijing believes will help in addressing security challenges the world is facing stressing that “the GSI embodies the core tenets in the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

If critically analysed, China’s proposal is the most ideal and practical one the world can get to address global security challenges and concerns. For example, GSI emphasises that; all countries uphold UN’s central role in ensuring global security governance by supporting the body’s efforts in prevention of wars and conflicts; calls for coordination among all major powers where all countries respect each other instead of bullying, Hegemonic and domineering practices.

Thirdly, GSI calls for peaceful settlement of issues through dialogue and consultations as a best approach in addressing hotspot issues. One can argue that other than dialogue, the other options are result into confrontation which comes with heavy costs and avoidable sufferings. In GSI, China also proposed strengthening of systems and capacity for global security governance where international organisations and non-governmental organisations would participate in in efforts meant to address global security and concerns.

Remarking that “Security is a right for all countries. It is not a prerogative of some, still less should it be decided by any individual country,” Foreign Minister Qin argued in this context explained GSI’s major aim will be “serving the interests of all and protect tranquility for all,” while calling for unity and cooperation of the international community in addressing global challenges through win-win cooperation is a sure path to development to ensure a safe world with aim of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Also, looking at the five principles Qin advocated for to implement the GSI, there is no doubt that the proposal offers the world a greater opportunity to achieve sustainable peace. For example, Foreign Minister Qin stressed importance of mutual respect among all countries where regardless of size, strength and wealth all countries are treated equally as the UN Charter notes and also ensuring “interests of all countries and legitimate security concerns of all parties should be respected.”

Secondly, observing that openness and inclusion are key in addressing global challenges, Qin stressed that GSI will remain open for all countries willing to join adding that it will work to ensure that all efforts for global peace and development will be supported.

The other principle advocated for in implementation of GSI is Bilateral and multilateral security cooperation. Qin argues that if pursued among countries around the world and in line with the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits such cooperation will contribute to a peaceful world and will enhance peaceful resolution of any hotspot issue should it arise since this will ensure that matters that concern to all are addressed by all.

The other principle proposed by Foreign Minister Qin in ensuring successful implementation of GSI is mutual benefit and win-win for all parties. As President Xi observed during the 2022 Boao Forum when he announced GSI proposal; “win-win cooperation is a sure path to development.” As an ancient Chinese philosopher once observed; “Stability brings a country prosperity while instability leads a country to poverty… Security is the precondition for development.” Therefore, as Qin noted, “principle of indivisible security should be followed in all ways. One’s own security and the common security of all should be advanced side by side by pursuing win-win cooperation that contributes to each other’s progress, and opposing zero-sum game that benefits oneself at the cost of others, to expand the converging interests among all.”

With all the above, and of course without fronting power politics while advancing global cooperation, multilateralism and respect for all sovereign countries, and listening to legitimate security concerns of all, GSI offers the world a rare opportunity of attaining sustainable peace and tranquillity which are both key to sustainable development.

China’s Foreign Ministry coming up with a concept paper on GSI at this time when the world is faced with unprecedented challenges such as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and its effects as well as other non-traditional security challenges is timely and should be backed by all peace-loving countries and leaders. This is based on the fact that peace is a perquisite for development. This means, despite living in different countries and regions, as people, we are living in an indivisible security community. Therefore, to have peace and harmony which are key for development, anything that can antagonise security must be avoided. Such may include divisionism based on selfish interests over others’ concerns. Differences like Cold War mentality, unilateralism, power politics, block formation and confrontation endanger peace and can easily wreck the global peace framework and exacerbate security challenges in the 21st century.

The author is a senior research fellow Development Watch Centre; and author of Why Africa Deserves a Permanent Seat at UNSC