Global security initiative: China’s architecture and its role in redefining security and resolving conflicts in Middle East
Author(s): Asif Nawaz and Sabika Owais
Abstract: This research paper attempts to understand the path of China's evolving role as a West Asian mediator within the context of its Global Security Initiative (GSI), emphasizing China's strategic shift from being an economic to a geopolitical actor in the region. This paper analyzes China’s diplomatic endeavours to challenge traditional hegemony of U.S. in West Asia, specifically in terms of conflict resolution and regional stability. It’s an alternative to the interventionist policies traditionally ran by the United States. The China’s GSI is built upon principles of comprehensive security, non-interference and multilateral cooperation. The paper examines China's role as a mediator in two significant regional conflicts: the Saudi-Iranian rivalry and the Palestinian-Israeli issue. China successfully facilitated a détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran, marking a notable diplomatic achievement. Additionally, prior to the Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent hostage crisis on October 7, 2023, China was actively engaged in efforts to break the deadlock in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, aiming to foster a thaw in the longstanding impasse. China seeks to position itself as a fair and impartial actor, presenting a new theoretical framework for security and cooperation somewhere beyond the confines of Western imperialist hegemony. Overall, this work examines ways in which China's mediation along with its non-interventionist philosophy makes for a feasible alternative to the states of West Asia for their own sovereignty and regional stability subject to US interventionism.
Asif Nawaz, Sabika Owais. Global security initiative: China’s architecture and its role in redefining security and resolving conflicts in Middle East. Int J Political Sci Governance 2024;6(2):380-384. DOI: 10.33545/26646021.2024.v6.i2e.453
