Xiangshan Forum's prescription for world peace

China Plus Published: 2019-10-23 22:59:57
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Note: The following article is taken from the Chinese-language "Commentaries on International Affairs."

Launched in 2006, the Xiangshan Forum has become a premier regional multilateral platform to discuss Asia-Pacific security and defense issues. This year's forum drew more than 600 military personnel and political representatives, including 23 defense ministers. A total of 76 delegations from various countries and international organizations attended the forum, which makes the event the largest of its kind since it was launched. It reflects the urgent need all countries have to maintain peace and stability.

The 9th Xiangshan Forum was held from October 20 to 22, 2019 in Beijing. [Photo: IC]

The 9th Xiangshan Forum was held from October 20 to 22, 2019 in Beijing. [Photo: IC]

In his congratulatory letter presented at the opening of the forum, President Xi Jinping said China used dialogue to facilitate cooperation, and peace and development are sustained through cooperation. He stressed that “when facing complex security threats, nations should unite and uphold global order with the United Nations as its core.” This is very important, especially at a time when some countries are challenging the established international rules as they believe those rules no longer suit their own interests, despite the fact that these rules have shaped the world and are a powerful guarantee for the stability and development of international society. China’s stance won recognition from the multilateral organization. United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, said at the Xiangshan Forum that China has played a very critical and a very important role in UN peacekeeping operations and helped to promote the stability of the international community.

As humanity progresses through the 21st century, outdated Cold War thinking and zero-sum games should be replaced by equality, mutual trust, cooperation and mutual benefit. Countries should forge partnerships of dialogue instead of confrontation and of friendship rather than alliances. In his letter, President Xi stressed that nations should continue to optimize security partnerships, a suggestion that may help countries resolve differences and contradictions through dialogue, thus injecting positive momentum into safeguarding world peace.

What’s worth mentioning is U.S. officials’ view on decoupling with China. At the Xiangshang Forum, they stated that instead of decoupling, the United States needs to deepen cooperation with China in some fields. The statement is very positive, as stable cooperation between the world’s two major military powers will be conducive to world peace and forging a win-win security partnership.

President Xi also noted the importance of creating security mechanisms that are suitable for the region's development and situation as security threats in Asia-Pacific are diverse, multi-faceted, intertwined and extremely complex. It’s increasingly important to manage the risks and contain any crises. That’s why China has been sparing no effort in building a security framework that’s compatible with regional integration and accepted by all the countries involved. Efforts have been made in such areas as promoting consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and establishing a multilateral security dialogue cooperation mechanism. The Xiangshan Forum itself is another good example China has set in establishing an open, equal and constructive dialogue platform for building a security framework that is more in line with the actual situation in the region.

Looking back at the past seven decades, a key factor that has led to both China and the Asia-Pacific region achieving fast development is a peaceful and stable environment. As China is committed to a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and a defensive national defense policy, the country will remain a major force in defending global order and promoting world peace and stability.

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LU Xiankun Professor LU Xiankun is Managing Director of LEDECO Geneva and Associate Partner of IDEAS Centre Geneva. He is Emeritus Professor of China Institute for WTO Studies of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) and Wuhan University (WHU) of China and visiting professor or senior research fellow of some other universities and think tanks in China and Europe. He also sits in management of some international business associations and companies, including as Senior Vice President of Shenzhen UEB Technology LTD., a leading e-commerce company of China. Previously, Mr. LU was senior official of Chinese Ministry of Commerce and senior diplomat posted in Europe, including in Geneva as Counsellor and Head of Division of the Permanent Mission of China to the WTO and in Brussels as Commercial Secretary of the Permanent Mission of China to the EU. Benjamin Cavender Benjamin Cavender is a Shanghai based consultant with more than 11 years of experience helping companies understand consumer behavior and develop go to market strategies for China. He is a frequent speaker on economic and consumer trends in China and is often featured on CNBC, Bloomberg, and Channel News Asia. Sara Hsu Sara Hsu is an associate professor from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She is a regular commentator on Chinese economy. Xu Qinduo Xu Qinduo is CRI's former chief correspondent to Washington DC, the United States. He works as the producer, host and commentator for TODAY, a flagship talk show on current affairs. Mr. Xu contributes regularly to English-language newspapers including Shenzhen Daily and Global Times as well as Chinese-language radio and TV services. Lin Shaowen A radio person, Mr. Lin Shaowen is strongly interested in international relations and Chinese politics. As China is quite often misunderstood in the rest of the world, he feels the need to better present the true picture of the country, the policies and meanings. So he talks a lot and is often seen debating. Then friends find a critical Lin Shaowen criticizing and criticized. George N. Tzogopoulos Dr George N. Tzogopoulos is an expert in media and politics/international relations as well as Chinese affairs. He is Senior Research Fellow at the Centre International de Européenne (CIFE) and Visiting Lecturer at the European Institute affiliated with it and is teaching international relations at the Department of Law of the Democritus University of Thrace. George is the author of two books: US Foreign Policy in the European Media: Framing the Rise and Fall of Neoconservatism (IB TAURIS) and The Greek Crisis in the Media: Stereotyping in the International Press (Ashgate) as well as the founder of chinaandgreece.com, an institutional partner of CRI Greek. David Morris David Morris is the Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Commissioner in China, a former Australian diplomat and senior political adviser. Harvey Dzodin After a distinguished career in the US government and American media Dr. Harvey Dzodin is now a Beijing-based freelance columnist for several media outlets. While living in Beijing, he has published over 200 columns with an emphasis on arts, culture and the Belt & Road initiative. He is also a sought-after speaker and advisor in China and abroad. He currently serves as Nonresident Research Fellow of the think tank Center for China and Globalization and Senior Advisor of Tsinghua University National Image Research Center specializing in city branding. Dr. Dzodin was a political appointee of President Jimmy Carter and served as lawyer to a presidential commission. Upon the nomination of the White House and the US State Department he served at the United Nations Office in Vienna, Austria. He was Director and Vice President of the ABC Television in New York for more than two decades.