TheGlobalSecurityInitiativeproposedbyPresidentXiJinpingdemonstratesChina"ssenseofresponsibilitytosafeguardglobalsecuritybyeliminatingtherootcausesofinternationalconflicts,improveglobalsecuritygovernance,encouragejointinternationaleffortstobringmorestabilityandcertaintytoavolatileandchangingera,andpromotedurablepeaceanddevelopmentintheworld.

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Xi"sproposalatatimewhenmanypartsoftheworldarewitnessingconflicts,confrontationsanddisputesshowshisseriousapproachtoeliminatingtherootcausesofglobalandregionalconflicts,andpromotingpeaceanddevelopmentaroundtheworld.

TheGSIwelcomesandlooksforwardtotheparticipationofallpartiestojointlyenrichitssubstanceandactivelyexplorenewformsandareasofcooperationforthebenefitofall.Therefore,therealizationofthisinitiative,oratleasttherealizationofalargepartofit,willcontributetoreducingwarsandconflicts,andhelpcreateaclimateofconfidenceininternationalactionamongallparties.

China"sproposaltoestablishcooperationwithallpartiesbyconductingbilateralandmultilateralsecurityoperationswithallcountriesandregionalandinternationalorganizationswithintheframeworkoftheGSIisaverypositivemove.

Chinahasthecapabilitytoperformthisrole,asitistheworld"ssecond-largesteconomy,biggesttradingpartnerofmorethan120countries,hasgrowninnationalstrengthandisoneofthefivepermanentmembersoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil.Italsohasgoodrelationsandeconomicandstrategicpartnershipswithmanycountries(bigandsmall)andorganizationsinAsia,Africa,theMiddleEastandLatinAmerica—allofwhichmakeitcapableofexpandingitsglobalpresenceandhelpingsafeguardglobalsecurity.

China"splanistohelpimplementtheinitiativebyusingitsdiplomaticcardstofirstplayamoreactivepoliticalroleintheMiddleEast.Accordingly,onMarch10,2023,BeijingsucceededinbringingaboutarapprochementbetweenSaudiArabiaandIran.ThetwoMiddleEastcountrieshaveagreedtoresumediplomaticrelations,reopentheirembassieswithintwomonths,activateimportantbilateralagreementsthathadbeenputonholdforsevenyears,andvowedtorespectthesovereigntyofandneverinterfereintheinternalaffairsofothercountries.

TherapprochementcomesafteryearsofhostilitythatthreatenedthesecurityandstabilityintheMiddleEast,andcontributedtofuelingconflictsinmanypartsoftheregion,especiallyinYemen,Syria,LebanonandPalestine.

China"seffortstobrokerpeacebetweenSaudiArabiaandIranreflectthecountry"swillingnesstoexpandbilateralandmultilateralsecuritycooperationwithallcountries,andregionalandinternationalorganizationswithintheframeworkoftheGSI.

Butthiswillnotbeenoughtoachieveallthegoalsoftheinitiative.Sotherestoftheconcernedparties,frommajorcountriestointernationalandregionalorganizationsandblocssuchastheUN,theEuropeanUnion,theAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations,theLeagueofArabStates,theAfricanUnion,theShanghaiCooperationOrganizationandtheCommunityofLatinAmericanandCaribbeanStates,shouldattachgreaterimportancetoChina"scooperation-basedsecurityinitiative,astheyfacebothtraditionalandnontraditionalsecuritychallenges,whichcanbeovercomeonlywithjointglobalaction.

TheGSIcanhelpsafeguardsecurityandrestorelastingpeacenotonlyintheMiddleEastbutalsoinotherhotspotregions.Assuch,theinitiativeisforglobalpublicgood,andintheinterestofallparties.Butwemustnotforgetthattheinitiativeclasheswithaninternationalrealityofcontradictoryinterestsanddifferentpoliticalvisions,especiallyamongthemajorstates.

Despiteallthis,theenthusiasmandoptimismChinahasgeneratedbyplayingapioneeringroleinmediatingpeacebetweenSaudiArabiaandIranandindicatingitmaytrytodothesameinotherpartsoftheMiddleEastshouldraisehopesthattheregionmayseejoint,cooperativeandsustainablesecurity.So,isthereachance?

TheauthorisaprofessorattheDepartmentofInternationalAffairs,QatarUniversity.

Theviewsdon"tnecessarilyreflectthoseofChinaDaily.