Amid rising global tensions and growing fears of a wider conflict, China continues to advocate for multilateralism and dialogue. Drawing on field research in nearly 100 countries, Wang Wen, dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China, argues that China has consistently avoided military conflict while promoting diplomatic solutions. He adds that the expansion of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is not about confrontation, but about providing smaller nations with greater flexibility, offering them space to engage internationally without being forced to take sides.