Initiative gains fresh backing as risks grow

As global security risks intensify, diplomats and experts have said that the Global Security Initiative is becoming increasingly relevant, seeing it as a Chinese proposal for promoting dialogue, multilateralism and practical cooperation in an increasingly unstable world.

Tuesday marks the fourth anniversary of the Global Security Initiative. The initiative was proposed by President Xi Jinping at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in 2022. The initiative advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and calls for respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

According to the report on the global security situation in 2025 released on Monday by the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, global security is under increasing pressure, with interstate conflicts reaching a post-World War II high, the arms race intensifying, and nontraditional threats ranging from humanitarian crises to terrorism and transnational crime becoming more acute.

Wang Lixin, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Security Cooperation, said that the initiative promotes a new approach to security, based on dialogue rather than confrontation, partnerships rather than alliances, and win-win cooperation rather than zero-sum rivalry, offering a path toward addressing global security dilemmas.

Wang said the initiative is about principles and implementation, noting that China has promoted peace talks on flashpoints, including in the Middle East and Ukraine, while also expanding security cooperation and capacity building with developing countries.

She added that China will collaborate with nations in the Global South to bolster peace and security forces, oppose hegemony and power politics, and foster stability amid the turbulent world.

Martin Charles, Dominica's ambassador to China, said that China has been "bringing stability" to the world, describing it as "a unifying force".

Charles said that China has played "a critical role in bringing about global peace" through its efforts on arms control, climate change and conflict resolution, and has always sought to bring different parties together to resolve conflicts and issues.

He said that the initiative is more relevant than ever and expressed Dominica's firm support, saying,"We believe that this is the direction that we should go, because humanity needs to be at peace in this world."

Since its inception, the initiative has won the support of more than 130 countries and regions as well as international organizations.

Carlos Raul Vasquez Corrales, Peru's ambassador to China, said that international law remains essential in preventing the further erosion of the international system, but warned that its inconsistent application has exacerbated fragmentation and made building consensus more difficult.

He called for stronger multilateralism, with dialogue and negotiated solutions taking precedence over confrontation.

He also said the Global South is emerging as a more important force for peace, development and a more balanced international order, adding that strategies such as China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) highlight the importance of a stable international environment for development.

Wang Fan, former president of China Foreign Affairs University, said that one of the deeper challenges in global security governance is the clash between competing security concepts, with the Global South's vision of shared security at odds with the Western approach shaped by power politics.

He said that China's proposals are not meant to overturn the existing international order, but rather to enhance it by establishing more inclusive rules and mechanisms. He cited the International Organization for Mediation as an example, explaining that the body adds mediation to existing legal channels, offering a broader range of options for resolving international disputes.

Yang Mingjie, former president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that China's major global initiatives are aligned with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. He called for upholding the authority of the UN in international security affairs, warning that unilateralism and reliance on power politics will only deepen global instability.

Yang added that geopolitical conflicts are also increasing the risk of fragmentation in the world economy, underscoring the need to better balance development and security, and advance a more inclusive form of economic globalization.