From October 25th to 26th, the 2021 Beijing Fragrant Hills Forum Expert Video Conference was held in Beijing. The conference invited more than 50 well-known experts and scholars from more than 20 countries and international organizations to participate in the theme of "adhering to win-win cooperation and promoting global security governance", jointly analyzing the world trend and exploring countermeasures.
Delegates attending the meeting believed that at present, the century-old changes and the century epidemic situation are intertwined and superimposed, and the international security situation has undergone profound and complex changes. All countries should enhance strategic mutual trust, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, improve their ability to cope with global security challenges, and continuously improve the global security governance system.
Global security challenges are growing
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many existing contradictions in the international community and exposed many problems in global security governance. "New challenge" became a hot keyword among the participants.
"The potential of multilateralism and the international system is being challenged." Doug Bao, distinguished scholar of the Asia Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the United States, pointed out that although mankind is facing common challenges such as the new crown pneumonia epidemic, global warming and economic development, the current response efforts are still fragmented, and there is still a trend of "unilateralism or group politics".
In the view of Choi Cheng-kwok, director of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore, there are some worrying signs in the international strategic environment, including the growth of radicalism caused by social media, intensified competition among major powers, insufficient effective dialogue, and inconsistent behavior that undermines trust.
Wu Wenkang, former director of the Institute of International Relations at the National Defense Strategic Research Institute of the Ministry of National Defense, said that in the next few years, the world will continue to face "complex and rapid changes" in the security situation. First, the epidemic is not only a public health crisis, but also leads to economic recession, public debt crisis, unemployment and other problems, which in turn will have a significant impact on the security environment in the region and even the world; second, the intensification of great power competition may further exacerbate the fragmentation of the political and security architecture; and finally, the rise of new non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, transnational crime, and cyber attacks poses new challenges to world peace and stability.
Prashans Paramevalon, a senior columnist for Diplomat magazine, believes that the current epidemic is still raging around the world, and every country has domestic problems, which poses many security challenges. For example: populism, anxiety about the economy and the pandemic, skepticism about norms, rules and multilateralism.
Fan Jishe, a researcher at the Institute of International Strategic Studies of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, believes that the current global strategic stability is facing challenges. First, U.S. leaders are keen to talk about the return of great power competition, narrowing the space for cooperation and coordination among major nuclear powers; second, in the area of nuclear arms control, the efforts of major countries in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament are weakening; third, the major powers are challenging the existing nuclear order, and the UNITED-Britain-Australia Trilateral Security Mechanism (AUKUS) is a heavy blow to the existing nuclear order.
The two concepts of security are fiercely contested
Where should global security governance go? What are the characteristics of true multilateralism? Once again, the international community has come to a crossroads, facing a fierce clash of two philosophies.
Moon Jeong-in, chairman of the Sejong Institute in South Korea, pointed out that there are two competing security paradigms in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States wants to maintain or even expand an alliance-based collective defense system, such as NATO, the U.S.-Japan-India-Australia Quad, and AUKUS. China has always proposed the establishment of multilateral security cooperation under the framework of the United Nations and put forward a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept. The former is exclusive, assuming common enemies and threats, while the latter is inclusive, assuming that the security community of any country is not excluded.
Schwantung, director of the Swedish Institute for Security and Development Policy, pointed out that the international system, especially the "Indo-Pacific region", is facing increasingly serious differentiation and division, and the development is worrying. "In the current world, which is eager to ease the crisis and tensions of the epidemic, the battle between multilateralism and unilateralism is very fierce."
"To build a stable, cooperative, and healthy major-country relationship, we must first answer and solve basic questions." Cao Yanzhong, a researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences of the People's Liberation Army of Chinese, pointed out that in terms of fundamental position, whether to pursue social Darwinism and even racism, or to uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind; in terms of thinking and concept, whether to adhere to zero-sum games or to adhere to win-win cooperation; in the choice of paths, whether to adhere to multilateralism or unilateralism; in the pursuit of rules, whether to respect the international law system based on the Charter of the United Nations, or to replace the basic norms of international relations with one's own private law; and in terms of core interests, Whether to respect the core interests and important concerns of the other side, or to engage in confrontation, interference, or even tripping and stabbing on these issues.
SarenShan, a senior fellow at the India Policy Research Centre, pointed out that in the "Indo-Pacific region", it is necessary to design a regional architecture to provide mutual security guarantees. "The most important thing is that the International Convention on the Law of the Sea must be strictly observed, and the United States must ratify it."
Zhao Xiaozhuo, deputy director of the Secretariat of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, pointed out that true multilateralism has three core characteristics: recognizing the diversity of the world, discussing everyone's affairs, mutual respect, tolerance and mutual learning, and win-win cooperation. False multilateralism also has three characteristics: exclusion of other countries outside the alliance, the use of military means to resolve disputes, and emphasis on "decoupling", "competition", "containment" and "containment".
The mechanism of international mutual trust should be rebuilt
Japan International University Vice President Seri Yamaguchi pointed out that zero-sum games are a lose-lose game. "Danger and hope coexist. We want to avoid dangers as much as possible, find common ground and explore opportunities for future global development. The major countries have a responsibility to promote sustained growth and to build a peaceful and secure regional environment".
Andrei Koltunov, director of the Russian Council on International Affairs, said that it is necessary to control unnecessary risks, establish a common crisis management mechanism, further control armaments, and reduce the cost of major power competition; jointly solve security problems, such as avoiding nuclear proliferation, combating terrorism, responding to climate change, fighting the epidemic, expanding vaccination, etc.; to promote sustainable development, establish a united, cooperative and stable international security system in a multilateral manner, and achieve global peace and stability.
Rui Xiaojian, a distinguished researcher at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the United States, pointed out that the prerequisite for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia is to respect the core interests of all countries, slow down the increase in military spending, and avoid the division of the region into hostile or ideological groups. The major Powers have a special responsibility to consider not only their own interests but also those of other States in dealing with relations between States. The United States needs to take a more inclusive approach to the "Indo-Pacific" region and make it clear that it is willing to work with China and others to promote peace and prosperity.
Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden, said: "We need to be more restrained in behavior, more open in dialogue and further willing to discuss." Only in this way can we overcome the dilemma we face. ”
Mohammad Ganjidust, senior fellow at the Iranian Institute of Politics and International Studies, noted that security, especially in the region, is a collective security. Military intervention will not bring security, but will only exacerbate existing problems. "Our determination is to adopt an inclusive approach to regional security issues and to work together to combat terrorism."
Fang Tai Akun, director of the South African Institute of Security Studies, pointed out that it is necessary to learn from the anti-epidemic experience of other countries, carry out more cooperation in vaccine research and development, and work together to cope with the challenges brought by the epidemic, while reflecting on the epidemic. "Africa's economies have been hit hard by the pandemic, and technological imbalances and new challenges in education have highlighted, prompting us to focus on sustainable development and improve development resilience."
Hwang Jae-ho, professor of the Department of International Studies at the University of Foreign Chinese Affairs of Korea, pointed out that China emphasizes globalization, openness and multilateralism through the AIIB and the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as a community with a shared future for mankind and a new type of international relations. "The international community should contribute to the stability of the international order by practicing altruism and coordinating the building of confidence and conviction." The stability of the international order requires the international community to rebuild the mechanism of mutual trust." (Reporter Li Jiabao)
Original title: More than 50 internationally renowned experts and scholars attended the Beijing Xiangshan Forum Expert Video Conference Global Security Governance Urgently Needs Unity and Cooperation (Global Hotspot)
Source: Overseas Network