China Focus: Global South plays larger role in world peace, security

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Global South, including China, is playing an increasingly pivotal role in world peace and security, according to officials, strategists and scholars from around the world who participated in the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum this week.

At a time when the world faces increasingly interconnected challenges, the theme of this year's forum, "Promoting Peace for a Shared Future," is a "powerful reminder of our collective responsibility" in the world security system, which includes the responsibility of the Global South, said Kamal Gunaratne, defense secretary of Sri Lanka, at the forum.

In recent years, the collective rise of the Global South countries has gained remarkable momentum, playing a pivotal and constructive role in advancing human progress and serving as a key force for global peace and development. This year's Beijing Xiangshan Forum was attended by more than 1,800 guests from over 100 countries and international organizations, including many from the Global South countries.

"Asia, Africa and Latin America have all put forward important initiatives to strengthen political and economic cooperation, promote stability, and foster prosperity. The Global South is now more important than ever," said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Seiha.

The Global South also faces many common challenges. The United States emphasizes absolute security and employs strategies that pressure other countries to take sides, placing many Global South countries under strain, said Jia Qingguo, a professor with the School of International Studies at Peking University.

"The Global South nations are increasingly safeguarding their common interests through strengthened cooperation, becoming more prominent in the global security system and playing an increasingly important role," said Jia.

In 2023, the Group of 20 (G20) members agreed to accept the African Union (AU) as a new member in an effort to give a greater voice and more representation to developing countries. Six countries, namely Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were invited to become new BRICS members, an expansion marking a historical milestone in strengthening both the momentum of BRICS cooperation and the solidarity of the Global South.

"There are too many armed conflicts in the world today. When it comes to humanitarian issues, the Global South is strongly engaged with the Red Cross and playing a more and more important role," said Andrew Carswell, a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

In the face of the expectations of people around the world for security and stability, China, a member of the Global South, has been practicing the Global Security Initiative (GSI), continuously consolidating consensus among all parties, promoting the elimination of the root causes of international conflicts and improving global security governance.

"The GSI proposed by China helps the Global South build a balanced, effective and sustainable security framework, thereby achieving universal security and common security," said Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, chairman of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain. He has lived in China for a long time and believes that China is a crucial force in promoting world peace and security.

"China has been continuously playing a significant role in various fields, including security within the Global South," said Joseph Kahama, secretary general of the Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association. Over the years, Kahama has frequently traveled between China and Africa annually, witnessing how China and Africa achieved win-win cooperation and tackled challenges together.

At the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last week, 10 partnership actions for modernization to deepen China-Africa cooperation, including one on promoting common security, were announced. Kahama noted that the actions demonstrate China's commitment to contributing to the common security of the Global South.

"Connectivity and communication are crucial for enhancing stability and security. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China exemplifies this, especially through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which has brought significant benefits to Pakistan and underscores China's important role in the Global South," said Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, a professor of politics and international relations at Pakistan's Quaid-i-Azam University.

"If the three key initiatives proposed by China, namely the Global Development Initiative, the GSI and the Global Civilization Initiative, can be well implemented, I believe the world will become more harmonious and orderly, with fewer conflicts and more win-win cooperation," Jaspal added.

"Hosting the Beijing Xiangshan Forum demonstrates China's open and inclusive attitude. Although some international conflicts may not directly be resolved at the forum, China provides a platform for dialogue and communication, allowing different countries to understand each other's positions. This, in itself, is a significant contribution to global peace and security," said David Chen, an affiliated researcher of the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis. ■