By He Yin, People’s Daily
China on Feb. 21 officially released the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper that expounds the core ideas and principles of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and identifies the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation.
It is an important step in following through on the GSI proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, demonstrating the country’s sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and firm resolve to defend global security.
Today, the world, the times and history are changing in ways like never before. Regional security hotspots keep flaring up and local conflicts and turbulence occur frequently. The international community has to answer the question of this era — what security concepts does the world need and how can countries achieve common security.
Bearing in mind the well-being of the entire humanity, Xi proposed the GSI in April 2022, which calls on countries to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape in the spirit of solidarity, and address the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset.
The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world.
It embodies the core tenets in the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and has been appreciated and supported by over 80 countries and regional organizations.
Former President of Slovenia Danilo Türk said that the GSI “offers a strong conceptual framework for global security dialogue and cooperation.”
The GSI contributes China’s wisdom and solutions to addressing international security challenges. It is rooted in the fine traditional Chinese culture that values peace above everything else, and is inspired by China’s independent foreign policy of peace and its practices.
The core concepts and principles of the initiative, namely “six commitments,” are interlinked and mutually reinforcing, and are an organic whole of dialectical unity.
Among them, the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security provides conceptual guidance; respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries is the basic premise; abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter is a primary benchmark; taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously is an important principle; peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation is a must choice; maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains is an inherent requirement.
Surakiart Sathirathai, former deputy prime minister of Thailand said the GSI reflects China’s vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and has significantly improved the global security governance system. The GSI is conducive to promoting world peace, stability and international cooperation and development, he added.
The concept paper indicates that China not only is a promoter of global peace and tranquility, but also acts on it.
The concept paper, which is highly action-oriented, firmly upholds the UN’s central role in security governance, tirelessly promotes coordination and sound interactions among major countries, actively facilitates peaceful settlement of hotspot issues through dialogue, effectively tackles traditional and non-traditional security challenges, and continuously strengthens the system and capacity for global security governance.
It lays out 20 priorities of cooperation in response to the most prominent and pressing international security concerns at present, from international and regional hotspot issues to traditional and non-traditional security threats.
China is ready to conduct bilateral and multilateral security cooperation with all countries and international and regional organizations under the framework of the GSI, and actively promote coordination of security concepts and convergence of interests.
China always holds high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, demonstrating its sense of responsibility as a major country with both macro thinking’s of top-level design as well as methods and pathways for addressing practical issues.
Security is a right of all countries. It is not a prerogative of some, still less should it be decided by any individual country.
China stands firmly against any form of hegemonism and power politics, against the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, and against any foreign interference in China’s internal affairs. It will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests, and international fairness and justice.
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people are making strides in confidence and unity toward the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. The country will constantly provide new opportunities for the rest of the world with its own development and make greater contributions to world peace and development.
The GSI intends to serve the interests of all and protect tranquility for all. Its advances need the unity and cooperation of the international community.
China stands ready to work with all countries and peoples who love peace and aspire to happiness to address all kinds of traditional and non-traditional security challenges and protect the peace and tranquility of the earth, so as to jointly build a better future that enjoys lasting peace and universal security.
