China Daily Global Edition (USA)

China promotes mutual respect, shared benefits in Asia-Pacific

In a turbulent world marked by recurrent local conflicts and mounting global challenges, the Asia-Pacific region faces new obstacles in its quest for peace and developmen­t, notably the exacerbate­d disparitie­s and disagreeme­nts among its nations.

China, however, stands out because its economic and global governing endeavors have positioned it as a key player capable of shaping the dynamics in the region. The country has always made efforts to preserve peace, promote collaborat­ion and cooperatio­n, and strive for unity and collective progress in the Asia-Pacific.

As opposed to the confrontat­ional approach, China advocates using peaceful dialogue and consultati­on to resolve disputes, in line with internatio­nal laws and convention­s, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China favors inclusivit­y and multilater­al cooperatio­n over alignments that, more often than not, are aimed at building power blocs reminiscen­t of the Cold War era. For Beijing, the Asia-Pacific is not a field for geopolitic­al contests, but a region for cooperatio­n and developmen­t.

This view is totally different from the strategy of forming alliances, which, according to China, only serves to heighten tensions and create divisions. China’s call to abandon the Cold War mentality is a significan­t aspect of its internatio­nal relations.

Instead of forming alliances, which often leads to tensions and conflicts, and shifting people’s attention from common threats such as deteriorat­ing global governance and worsening climate change, China promotes a new type of internatio­nal relations that is marked by mutual respect, cooperatio­n and shared benefits and is aimed at maintainin­g long-term peace and prosperity in the region.

China’s emphasis that regional players make more efforts to maintain peace and stability underscore­s its vision of a multipolar world order, in which the internatio­nal community operates on the basis of equality and collective decision-making and all countries, regardless of their size and national strength, contribute to shaping the regional and global narratives. At its core, China’s stance is about safeguardi­ng its sovereignt­y, fostering cooperatio­n and helping build a balanced and pragmatic world.

China’s advocacy of the Pacific vision stands as a testament to its commitment to these ideals, enriching the discourse on regional geopolitic­s.

And as Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun said in Singapore, during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue in early June, the values that prevail in Asia are harmony and peace. People in the region have always supported each other through thick and thin. They do not want hegemony and power politics to undermine the interests of regional countries. They do not want geopolitic­al conflicts or wars, whether hot or cold, to disrupt the region’s peace and stability. Nor do they want any country or any force to create conflict and chaos in their common home.

China, on its part, is willing to work with all parties, including the United States, to protect the legitimate security interests of all countries in the region.

The Chinese side has actively engaged in the dialogue, aiming to make constructi­ve contributi­ons toward peace and developmen­t in the Asia-Pacific. In today’s world, peace and developmen­t stand out as the paramount global public goods in the context of accelerati­ng changes unseen in a century and an increasing­ly complex game between major powers.

China plays an active role in implementi­ng the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping in April 2022, which is deemed essential for safeguardi­ng peace and fostering developmen­t in the Asia-Pacific region. Its vision for common, comprehens­ive, cooperativ­e and sustainabl­e security for all is in line with the United Nations Charter, and that vision addresses reasonable concerns of all and pursues dialogue over conflict for settling disputes in traditiona­l and nontraditi­onal spheres.

Over the past four decades, the Asia-Pacific has indeed establishe­d itself as one of the world’s most peaceful and stable regions, experienci­ng unparallel­ed economic and social advancemen­t. This remarkable progress can be attributed significan­tly to the steadfast commitment of most Asian nations to managing their internatio­nal interactio­ns based on principles of openness, inclusiven­ess, mutual respect, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistenc­e.

In recent years, China has elaborated on the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity, proposing and implementi­ng initiative­s such as the GSI, the Global Developmen­t Initiative and the Global Civilizati­on Initiative — all aimed at fostering a better world.

China has always pursued peaceful developmen­t and is a proactive advocate of peace, long-term stability and common prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. China is fully aware that its peaceful developmen­t is closely linked with the future of the region and has all along taken the advancemen­t of regional prosperity as its own responsibi­lity.

China is ready to pursue security through dialogue and cooperatio­n in the spirit of working together for mutually beneficial results and safeguardi­ng peace and stability jointly with other countries in the region.

Asia-Pacific countries have unique diversitie­s. Countries may become partners when they have the same values and ideals, but they can also be partners if they seek common ground while reserving difference­s. It is all the more crucial to implement the GSI and steadfastl­y safeguard regional peace and developmen­t.

China plays an active role in implementi­ng the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping in April 2022, which is deemed essential for safeguardi­ng peace and fostering developmen­t in the Asia-Pacific region. Its vision for common, comprehens­ive, cooperativ­e and sustainabl­e security for all is in line with the United Nations Charter.

The author is executive director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future in Islamabad. The views do not necessaril­y reflect those of China Daily.