Xiangshan Forum offers platform for Global South to address security concerns

At the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, which kicked off on Thursday, voices from the Global South on security issues have been amplified, with over 60 percent of the representatives hailing from developing countries. 

According to an official news release, for the first time, the Global South was included in the agenda of the forum's plenary session, and multiple scholars from Asia, Africa and China were invited to discuss related topics for the first time.

Global South voices should be strengthened

Jia Qingguo, a professor from the School of International Studies at Peking University, said at a panel discussion that countries in the Global South share many commonalities. For example, they're all developing countries, have shared development interests, and hold a common belief in protecting their respective sovereignty. 

Global South countries are eager to play a larger role on the international stage as they feel that their voices have not been adequately heard, he added.

Jia stressed that as the strength of Global South countries grows, it's important to address their concerns, which will contribute to a more balanced world order. However, rising global protectionism has posed obstacles to South-South cooperation, Jia added. He explained that if the U.S. economically decouples from China, it will not only destabilize global supply chains but also raise development costs for Global South countries and increase the risk of a global economic recession.

The professor also emphasized the significance of South-South cooperation and said that China can play a constructive role in this process by advancing initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which fosters infrastructure co-building and stimulates socioeconomic development.

Joseph Kahama, general secretary of the Tanzania and China Friendship Promotion Association, praised China's leading role in boosting South-South cooperation as well as China's neutral stance in current regional conflicts and efforts in mediation. 

He said that China has always been at the forefront of advancing relations with Africa and has established strong ties with other Global South countries. He highlighted that since the 1960s, China has launched aid projects in Africa, and in recent years, through platforms like the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), BRICS cooperation mechanisms and the BRI, China has further deepened its cooperation with Global South countries in Africa and beyond.

China-proposed GSI conducive for world peace

With the theme of "Promoting Peace for a Shared Future," this year's forum also featured discussions on the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which was proposed by China in April 2022, vividly illustrating China's vision of global security.

In the GSI concept paper published in 2023, China reaffirmed its commitments to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, and peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, among other pledges.

Jayanath Siri Kumara Colombage, former commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, said that the GSI encompasses comprehensive security, collaborating and common security, and sustainable security, and at the same time respecting the UN system. "Therefore, I look at the Global Security Initiative launched by China, and it is a very positive way of bringing peace to the world."

"I see it as a really constructive initiative," Intizar Khadim, former director general of peace at the office of the National Security Council of Afghanistan, said, adding that throughout history, China has consistently played a constructive role, favoring non-intervention. He said he saw China's peacekeeping missions in many regions, including Afghanistan, as highly effective and constructive.

He Lei, former vice president of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, said that the GSI is a comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept that is significant for boosting global security. He added that the first step to implementing the GSI is to make people understand it, and then use this theory and concept to guide countries worldwide to walk the path of comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security together.

(With input from Xinhua)