BEIJING: China has issued a landmark document to explain in detail its proposed Global Security Initiative, a move diplomats and experts say will help the world better understand China’s approach to building world peace through coordinated efforts between countries.
“The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper” was released on Tuesday at a Lanting Forum event hosted by the Foreign Ministry in Beijing.
The initiative was proposed by President Xi Jinping in April last year. Currently, over 80 countries and regional organisations have endorsed or supported the initiative, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.
The paper elaborated on Beijing’s holistic thinking on the initiative’s background, core beliefs and principles and priorities for cooperation as well as platforms and mechanisms to serve such collaboration.
The paper called on nations to stay committed to the vision of “common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security” and “take the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously”.
Among detailed areas for greater coordinated work are preventing a nuclear war and “promoting political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues”.
China also vowed to hold high-level conferences on the initiative to strengthen policy communication and promote intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation.
Foreign Minister Qin Gang said while addressing the forum that “security should not be monopolised by certain countries”, as it is a legitimate right of all countries.
China has always been committed to promoting peace and dialogue, Qin said, adding that the paper demonstrates China’s sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and defending global security.He said outside attempts to suppress and coerce China have been stepped up, posing a serious threat to its sovereignty and security.
“China is a major country and its development will not be achieved without a secure international circumstance. Likewise, the world will not enjoy security without China’s security,” he said.
Siyabonga Cwele, South Africa’s ambassador to China, said what impressed him most in the paper was that China, as a big country, was still committed to not becoming hegemonic or bullying others.
“We hope all developed countries can follow that path of not using their economic or military strength to coerce others, but working with others for common prosperity for all,” he said. — China Daily/ANN
