Force brings no peace

Editor's note: Xin Ping is a Beijing-based international affairs commentator. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The ongoing tensions in the Middle East have heightened international concerns over the worsening Israel-Iran conflict, its spillover effects and the grim prospect of civilians suffering. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement through his spokesperson, stressing that "any additional military interventions could have enormous consequences, not only for those involved but for the whole region and for international peace and security at large."

The situation has undergone significant changes, once again validating the astute observation that "the world is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation."

Warfare cannot bring peace.

Just days ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasizing that promoting a ceasefire and ending hostilities in the Middle East is an urgent priority; ensuring the safety of civilians is of paramount importance; opening dialogue and negotiation is the fundamental way forward; and international efforts to promote peace are indispensable.

These four proposals address both immediate and long-term needs. They have clearly articulated China’s position and demonstrated China's sense of responsibility and commitment to humanity's progress and world harmony. They have pointed the direction and offered viable solutions to ease tensions in the Middle East.

In recent days, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held multiple phone calls with his foreign counterparts and explained to them China's position, concerns and proposed actions.

There is no time to lose in promoting a ceasefire and ending hostilities in the Middle East. Force has never been the right way to resolve disputes. As the conflict has sharply escalated due to the intervention of the United States, promoting ceasefire and ending hostilities is now an urgent priority. Force will only exacerbate the vicious cycle of hatred and violence. If the spillover intensifies, it will plunge the Middle East into an uncharted abyss of prolonged instability.

The red line of protecting civilians must never be crossed. The tragic lessons of the 2003 Iraq War remain fresh in our memories: Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians lost their lives. In Gaza, the continuing military offensive since October 2023 has claimed over 50,000 civilian lives, causing a massive humanitarian disaster. In the current round of Israel-Iran conflict, relentless bombardment has caused severe damage to residential buildings, hospitals, schools and infrastructure, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. The scenes of devastation challenge the conscience of humanity.

At all times, the red line of protecting civilians in military conflicts must never be crossed, and the indiscriminate use of force is unacceptable. Parties to the conflict should strictly abide by international law and resolutely avoid harming innocent civilians.

Dialogue and peace talks are the fundamental solutions. As a state party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the United States has, for the first time, launched a military strike against the nuclear facilities of a non-nuclear-weapon state signatory that is under the safeguards and supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency. This will have far-reaching, destructive impacts on international and regional peace and security, as well as on mechanisms for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

The more complex the conflict and the more urgent the challenge, the more imperative it is to keep to the right direction of political dialogue and peaceful negotiation. All countries hope to prevent a return to the law of the jungle. Major countries should behave in a manner befitting their status. Relevant stakeholders, especially those with significant influence on Middle East affairs, should take the lead in observing international law and the basic norms governing international relations, reject the law of the jungle and double standards and take concrete actions to end the war and chaos, rather than resort to "maximum pressure" or follow the principle of "might makes right."

Security can only be firmly grounded and truly enduring when it is anchored in morality and sound principles. The international community should promote peace talks. The ongoing tensions pose a serious threat to global security and development, with their impact most keenly felt by regional countries. Recently, 21 Arab and Islamic countries issued a joint statement by their foreign ministers. The League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have successively held emergency meetings of foreign ministers, calling for efforts to deescalate the situation and maintain lasting peace in the region.

These peace initiatives and collective actions of the Arab and Islamic world should be fully valued and strongly supported. The international community should strengthen coordination, make joint efforts, fully leverage international mechanisms, make good use of various means provided by the UN Charter, take practical and effective actions, build mutual trust, resolve disputes and enhance security through dialogue, thus playing its due role in maintaining regional and world peace and security.

The history and reality of the Middle East demonstrate that war brings nothing but endless disasters, and force cannot bring peace. Only a just cause finds great support. 

It is believed among all peace-loving countries that the voices of justice should be heard, legitimate rights and interests need to be protected, and the light of peace will once again shine on the war-torn lands of the Middle East.

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