The April of the world is the most beautiful, and from the 20th to the 22th day of this month, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2022 was held on schedule. On April 21, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony, and first proposed the Global Security Initiative from the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity. The initiative is forward-looking, and contains deep thoughts and rich connotation, providing the international community, challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic and the regional hotspot issues, with China’s approach which brings together wisdom and builds consensus, demonstrating the strategic thinking and historical responsibility of the Chinese leader.
A shared future: a vision going global from Asia
The Global Security Initiative emphasized the importance of the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable Asian security. At the the Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in May 2014, President Xi Jinping first formally proposed the vision of Asian security. In January 2017, President Xi delivered the keynote speech Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind at the United Nations Office at Geneva, proposing that all countries should pursue common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, which shall be made an integral part in building a community of shared future for mankind. The Global Security Initiative, raised by President Xi at the BFA Annual Conference 2022, is China’s systemic and sound idea on global security governance, which can serve as important guideline and is of immediate significance.
“Countries around the world are like passengers aboard the same ship who share the same destiny. For the ship to navigate the storm and sail toward a bright future, all passengers must pull together. The thought of throwing anyone overboard is simply not acceptable.” In his keynote speech, President Xi’s use of similes such as “ship” and “storm” helped the international community understand more vividly the concept of a community of shared future, and injected impetus and confidence into the world towards a shared destiny and cooperation in fighting against difficulties. It is believed that the Global Security Initiative, guided by this concept of a community of shared future for mankind, will build the consensus on global security governance, enhance mutual trust between members of the international community and contribute to the world peace and development.
Resolving problems: strengthening governance to handle multiple crisis
Currently complicated and sensitive security challenges are deeply affecting the global development in two main aspects: on one hand, traditional security issues remain standing out, as hotspot issues including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, Iran nuclear issue, the Middle East issue and the Afghan issue are drawing global attention one after another, while the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict is causing further concern from the international community; on the other hand, threats brought by non-traditional security challenges keep growing, such as climate change, cybersecurity and biosecurity, while as an emerging infectious disease, the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the global development landscape. By April 20, 2022 Beijing time, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 505 million, and the number of COVID-19 deaths has surpassed 6.2 million.
These security challenges are threatening the environment for global development all the time, and it is imperative to build a more systemic global security governance architecture. Against this backdrop, China timely proposed the Global Security Initiative to contribute to global governance with China’s approach and provide an important guide in thought and to action for handling the priorities and resolving the problems of global security governance.
Addressing both the symptoms and root causes: promoting the lasting world peace and development
As a Chinese saying goes, for a tree to grow tall, a strong and solid root is required; for a river to reach far, an unimpeded source is necessary. Development is the foundation of security, and security the precondition for development. For most developing countries, development means the greatest security and the master key to regional security issues. For the global security governance, both development and security should be ensured, namely the fruits of development shall strengthen the foundation for national security, while a favourable and secure environment shall be built for economic and social development. The Global Security Initiative champions the “commitment to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, upholding non-interference in internal affairs, and respecting the independent choices of development paths and social systems made by people in different countries”, which is not only the inheritance and development of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, but more importantly a scientific approach proposed by China from the vision of building a community of shared future for mankind with lasting development and security, and based on the development of domestic and international security situation. It will certainly enlighten the bewildered international community.
As a Chinese poem reads, “Past a fallen ship, one thousand sail onward; for a sick tree, ten thousand thrive by spring.” To meet the severe challenges facing humanity, all countries must work together to resolve the difficulties and embrace a bright future. As President Xi pointed out in his keynote speech, humanity is a community with a shared future where all people rise and fall together, and that all countries need to follow the trend of the times featuring peace, development and win-win cooperation, move in the direction of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and rise to challenges and build a bright future through cooperation.