No Peace and Development without Security and Stability

Meng Xiangqing

?

No Peace and Development without Security and Stability

Meng Xiangqing

CPAPD Council Member and Professor of Institute of National Security, PLA National Defense University

Safety is the source of life and foundation of development. Ancient Chinese people said that there is no peace in a state while there is chaos under haven; there is no harmonious home while the state is in chaos. To promote peace and development, we must first maintain security and stability; without security and stability, there is no peace and development to speak about. Security concerns well-being of the peoples of the world and the future and destiny of mankind.

I. New challenges facing the international security situation call for new security governance

Nowadays, the world is in a period of great development, transformation and adjustment, and human society is experiencing unprecedented changes unseen in a century. Peace and development are still the themes of the times, but the world is facing more prominent instability and uncertainty. At present, the world economy is under-motivated, the polarization between the rich and the poor is getting wider, regional hotspots rise one after another, non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, cyber security, major epidemics, climate change and others continue to spread, the humankind is facing many common challenges. Especially since 2015, a series of major events that have occurred in the international community have seriously impacted international security. These events include: the largest influx of refugees into Europe in 2015, resulting in dramatic changes in the political ecology of Europe; Britain's withdrawal from the European Union by referendum in June 2016, causing serious setbacks to European integration; Trump's election as President of the United States in 2016 and a series of domestic and foreign policies that he has adopted have shocked and shaken the world, seriously challenging the political, economic and security orders of the world today. In recent years, we have seen that world politics have evolved from "integration" to differentiation and division; populism and nationalism converge and rise simultaneously; authoritarianism and powerful politics are returning; geopolitical competition is intensifying; and the negative impacts of technological innovations have caught mankind off guard.

All these show that the traditional global security governance system finds it difficult to adapt to development of the situation, and can not effectively respond to the above security challenges facing mankind, even seems quite helpless. In a word, the interactive, transnational and diversified features of security issues are becoming increasingly prominent. Global security governance is important and urgent, so a new global security governance system needs to be explored and structured.

II. Constructing a community with a shared future for humankind with universal security is the right choice to solve global security problems

Currently, there are two categories of global security governance systems in the international community. One conception is based on unilateralism, cold war thinking and zero-sum game – a governance system adopts the means of military alliance, geostrategic competition and intervention into internal affairs of a state to respond to traditional security and non-traditional security. The other is based on the principle of multilateralism, comprehensive security and win-win cooperation and is to solve global security issues through partnership, dialogue for consultation and common development. The two systems reflect two choices and two paths, which have completely different effects and consequences on the development of human society. China's President Xi Jinping advocates that all countries should adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, foster a sense of a community with a shared future for humankind and jointly build a new type of international relations of win-win cooperation. These important concepts point out the direction for exploring a new global security governance system, provide a realistic and feasible path for maintaining world peace and security, are solutions for enhancing world peace and security in an all-round way, and are replicable and spreadable international security strategies. In fact, this claim can be called "a community with a shared future for humankind with universal security".

The construction of a community with a shared future for humankind with universal security could include the following five aspects:

First, in terms of concept, we should adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. Security of all countries are interrelated and interactive, the security interests are integrated so there is no absolute safe haven for any country and we must abandon the narrow mindset of self-respect, self-interest and neighbor-they-bagger as well as regard cooperation as the only choice. Only by establishing a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, firmly pursuing the win-win, multi-win and all-win concept, seeking security and stability through cooperation, and promoting peace and development through security, can we find a mutually beneficial and win-win road to security and achieve lasting security and universal security.

Second, in terms of principles, we need to adhere to the principle of fairness and justice, as well as rules and regulations. In dealing with national security relations and applying international law and rules, we should not adopt double standards, let alone applying the standards if favorable or abandoning them if unfavorable. To uphold the spirit of the rule of law and achieve fairness and justice, we must uphold and safeguard the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant rules and regulations, conscientiously fulfill international responsibilities and obligations, constantly improve the relevant international rules, and ensure the fairness and rationality of the international order and the fairness and justice of human society. Various states should also earnestly safeguard the authority and effectiveness of a series of existing arms control and non-proliferation systems, including the Disarmament and Limitation Treaty, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Third, in terms of mechanism, we should uphold multilateralism and improve the multi-level global security governance mechanism. We should stabilize the framework of relations between major powers, maintain strategic stability, strengthen communication and cooperation, take the initiative to control differences and achieve common security. We should support the United Nations to play a central role and strengthen regional security cooperation.

Fourth, in terms of action, we should vigorously stimulate the driving force for reform and innovation. In the face of complex security situation and endless security challenges, it is inevitably required to reform and improve the global security governance system. Governments, international organizations, specialized agencies and all sectors of society should do their part and together form a synergy of security governance and continuously improve the integrity and coordination of global security governance. Only by adopting advanced concepts, scientific attitudes, professional methods and fine standards, and striving to promote the systematization, scientization, intellectualization and legalization of social governance, can we continuously improve the effectiveness of governance and effectively respond to various security challenges.

Fifthly, in terms of goal, we are to build a world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity, and to create a security architecture characterized by fairness, justice, common construction and shared benefits.

In short, security and stability are the most basic and universal expectations of mankind, and the dream of universal security will not be realized automatically. A series of new changes in the international situation show that the current international security is at a new crossroads. Global security governance is facing both unprecedented opportunities and unprecedented challenges, whose arduous, complex and long-term characteristics are very prominent. Thus various countries need to work together to make long-term efforts. Facing the increasingly complex security problems in today's world, we can neither just deal with the symptoms such as headaches etc., nor stay away from it or take care of it alone. Only by working together in the same boat and dealing with both the symptoms and the root causes, can we jointly build a community with a shared future for humankind with universal security and enable mankind security to have a bright future.

(Edited excerpt of the paper to the observant event in Nanjing 2018)