The outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict has prompted the international community to
reflect upon security issues plaguing today’s world.
“The root cause of the Ukraine crisis is the regional security tensions in Europe that have built
up over the years. A fundamental solution is to accommodate the legitimate security
concerns of all relevant parties,” pointed out Chinese President Xi Jinping when meeting via
video link with President Charles Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von
der Leyen of the European Commission on the evening of April 1.
By advocating the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security,
China has played a constructive role in easing the tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
In today’s world where economic globalization is enjoying intensive development, all
countries share weal and woe and a common future, and no country in the world can enjoy
absolute security.
Under such new circumstances, the implications of security go far beyond the security based
on confrontation and balance of power during the Cold War, but show more
interconnectedness and diversity.
A new security situation in the world calls for a new vision of security. “We need to keep pace
with the changing circumstances and evolving times. One cannot live in the 21st century with
the outdated thinking from the age of Cold War and zero-sum game. We believe that it is
necessary to advocate common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security in
Asia,” Xi said at the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building
Measures in Asia in 2014.
Since then, the Chinese leader has continuously expounded on and developed this security
outlook to facilitate the adoption of a new security vision in line with the trend of the times by
the international community, which fully demonstrates China’s sincere desire to strengthen
global security governance.
The vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security is based on
profound insights into the experience and lessons learned by human society in dealing with
security issues and focused on the goal of long-term peace, stability and security of the world.
It has injected new and rich connotations into global security governance.
Common security means respecting and ensuring the security of each and every country
involved. Security is a two-way and interconnected issue, Xi said at the opening ceremony of
the 86th Interpol General Assembly in 2017. It is inadvisable for a country to care only about
its own security in total disregard of the security of others and seek the so-called absolute
security of itself at the expense of the security of others, such practice would end up hurting
oneself.
Comprehensive security means upholding security in both traditional and non-traditional
fields. As traditional security threats and non-traditional ones are intertwined, only by
introducing a multi-pronged and comprehensive policy can countries effectively deal with
various security challenges.
Cooperative security means promoting the security of both individual countries and the region
as a whole through dialogue and cooperation. As a Kazakh proverb goes, “One who tries to
blow out other’s oil lamp will get his beard on fire”, which is a vivid reflection of the current
reality. Countries must abandon the zero-sum game mentality and promote peace and security
through cooperation.
Sustainable security means that the countries involved need to focus on both development and
security to realize durable security. Only by paying attention to development deficit behind
security deficit can countries consolidate the foundations for security and address both
symptoms and root causes of security issues.
The Ukrainian crisis has made the world realize that in this day and age, global and regional
security frameworks should no longer be built with Cold War mentality.
To promote a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and the resumption of peace, China has
continuously promoted peace talks, stressed that a fundamental solution to the crisis is to
accommodate the legitimate security concerns of all relevant parties, and supported the
establishment of a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism.
China’s constructive stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict demonstrates its sense of
responsibility as a major country in practicing the vision of common, comprehensive,
cooperative and sustainable security and persisting in world peace construction.
However, the NATO led by the U.S. has sought its own security at the expense of the security
of other countries and regions and pursued regional security by expanding a military bloc
with Cold War mentality, posing the biggest threat to international security.
The Ukraine crisis has revealed to the world that real security requires joint construction and
sharing, rather than forming a small circle to keep others out by exaggerating security threats.
At present, the world is neither tranquil nor stable. The prevailing trend of peace and
development is facing serious challenges. Therefore, upholding and practicing a correct
security vision becomes a matter of great urgency.
China will stick to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable
security, and join hands with other countries to strengthen global security governance, address
various security challenges, and make unremitting efforts to build a world of lasting peace
and universal security.
