On March 6, 2023, Zhou Kan, Charge d'Affaires ad Interim and Minister of the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, published an article entitled “Global Security Initiative: China’s Solution to Achieving Common Security” on Indonesia's largest Indonesian language newspaper KOMPAS and its online version. The full text is as follows:
Global Security Initiative: China’s Solution to Achieving Common Security
ZHOU Kan, Charge d'Affaires ad Interim of the Embassy of China in Indonesia
The issue of security bears on the well-being of people of all countries, the lofty cause of world peace and development, and the future of humanity.
—The Global Security Initiative (GSI) Concept Paper
The world today is far from tranquil. Peace and development, the theme of our times, is facing severe challenges. Changes unseen in a century are evolving at a faster pace. The global security situation is becoming more complex and volatile. On the one hand, regional security hotspots keep flaring up, with traditional and non-traditional security threats entwined. Unilateralism, hegemonism and power politics are on the rise. The international community is more vulnerable to intentionally-created division and confrontation. On the other, the deficit in global security governance is growing, intermingled with deficits in global peace and development. Countries are struggling to balance peace and development.
Humanity face unprecedented challenges. The world is at a historical crossroads. At such a crucial moment, President Xi Jinping, with his outstanding wisdom and profound thinking, as the leader of a responsible major country, proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), a Chinese solution to the global security deficit. The 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. The GSI embodies the core tenets in the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, and has been warmly received and widely acclaimed by the international community upon its introduction.
As the initiator of GSI, China is also an active force in safeguarding world peace and tranquility. On the GSI’s first Anniversary, China officially released The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper, which further expounds the core concepts and principles of the GSI, identifies the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation. The Concept Paper provides a more systemic approach and practical measures to resolve global security issues. It once again demonstrates China’s firm belief and determination in safeguarding world peace.
The Concept Paper further clarifies the core concepts and principles of the GSI: 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; and maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains is an inherent requirement. These six commitments are interlinked and mutually reinforcing, and are an organic whole of dialectical unity, which will be an correct and effective guidance for reforming the global security governance system, resolving the security dilemma faced by humanity, and advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The Concept Paper lays out 20 priorities and 5 platforms and mechanisms of cooperation, all highly action-oriented: we need to uphold the UN’s central role in security governance and jointly practice true multilateralism; we need to promote coordination and sound interactions among major countries, seek common ground while reserving differences, and manage disputes; we need to stick to the overall direction of promoting peace talk, facilitate peaceful settlement of hotspot issues through dialogue; we need to take a coordinated approach to addressing traditional and non-traditional security threats, jointly improve the global security governance system and capacity building; we need to strike a balance between development and security, enhance sustainable security through sustainable development.
The Concept Paper specifically stated that we need to support and improve the ASEAN-centered regional security cooperation mechanism and architecture, and adhere to the ASEAN way of consensus-building and accommodating each other’s comfort level to further strengthen security dialogue and cooperation among regional countries. At present, the Asia-Pacific region, East Asia in particular, has become the most dynamic and promising hub for development. The overall peace and stability in the region has not come easily and must not be undermined. Therefore, bearing in mind the well-being and long-term interests of countries and peoples in the region, China firmly opposes certain countries' attempt to divide the region and create confrontation through the so-called Indo-Pacific strategy, and the attempt to piece together an Asia-Pacific version of NATO through military alliances.
Asia-Pacific is the place of China and other regional countries call home. The memories of hegemonic conflicts and confrontation are still fresh in people's minds. There is a growing call for harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation. As an important member of the Asia-Pacific, China will continue to deliver benefits to the region, support ASEAN centrality in regional architecture, and take real actions to defend the lasting peace and prosperity of the region.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang pointed out 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. 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. As comprehensive strategic partners and major countries in the Asia-Pacific, China and Indonesia shoulder the important mission of safeguarding regional peace and security. It is natural for both countries to continue to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation. As Indonesia assumes the ASEAN rotating chairmanship this year, China is ready to support Indonesia in fulfilling its duty on regional development, cooperation, security and other issues to meet the expectations of all parties.
China will work with Indonesia, ASEAN as a whole and other countries in the region, in line with the principles and concepts of the GSI, to properly respond to various risks and challenges and make greater contributions to regional and global security and development.
