Make peace to make progress
China used to hit the headlines in the international media due to its economic boom both at the domestic as well as at international fronts. Its leadership had no appetite for conflict or political debates where it was not directly involved. Consider Afghanistan: the rugged neighbouring country has been a hotspot for decades for Pakistan, India, Iran, Soviet Union, Arab region, US and Nato.
Those who have an eye on the affairs of the Asian continent are keenly watching the situation though. China has been least bothered about the happenings across the world and its leadership has always been focusing on domestic affairs.
Whenever there was conflict, China remained a reluctant spectator and avoided taking sides strictly adhering to its policy of non-interference. Whether it was the Cold War or the Palestinian conflict, China kept its focus more on its domestic affairs while watching homegrown insurgencies inspired by the militancy in the neighbourhood – especially in Afghanistan. In the past, Beijing also never made an effort to lend a hand for peace in other countries.
However, under the vision of President Xi Jinping, China has changed this policy. Cautiously but surely, now it is poised to adopt an assertive foreign policy: taking initiatives to help settle conflicts in friendly countries across the globe, especially in the region.
Africa was the first region where Beijing put its foot down to help resolve longstanding conflicts without taking sides. Since Beijing had no favourites, these initiatives helped bring peace in Tanzania, Darfur and Sudan.
China also encouraged the warring factions by assuring them it would invest heavily in their countries if they allowed peace and reconciliation. Moreover, Chinese bid to ease tensions between North and South Korea also endured positive results and diplomacy helped avert war between the neighbours.
The president changed gears in 2014, rolling over the country’s decades-old policy into an assertive quest for peace through efforts of conflict resolution and sharing of development. This strategy carries the vision of President Xi for peace and normalisation across the world including chronic issues of the Middle East and Afghanistan.
With resources drying up in the west, the US and its allies have shifted their focus on the untapped rich resources of Asia. The west is also playing up conflicts between Asian states as conflicts may encourage US role in Asia.
Analysts say that despite the failure of the US and allied forces in Afghanistan, the west would soon shift its focus on Asia, though the immediate attention for them is the Middle East.
It seems that President Xi is aware of the fact that the US and its allies are concerned about China’s rise as an economic giant. Policymakers in Beijing also understand that Washington is quietly pitting India against China in Asia. Moreover, the immediate neighbours of Beijing may also be encouraged to take strong positions.
In a preemptive move, China last year took the most crucial role of peacemaking – to settle the mess left behind by the allied forces in Afghanistan. Not only did Beijing decide to engage the Afghan Taliban but Chinese leaders also quietly held meetings with Taliban leaders to help normalise the troubled region.
Africa was the first region where Beijing put its foot down to help resolve longstanding conflicts without taking sides. Since Beijing had no favourites, these initiatives helped bring peace in Tanzania, Darfur and Sudan
Ukraine is the more recent example where Beijing has offered to play its role to ease tensions between Russia and the west. Only last week, on January 21, 2015, Chinese help was offered during a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Davos, Switzerland. Premier Li said that Beijing stands for a “political settlement” of the Ukraine crisis and it will continue to play an “active and constructive role” in peace efforts.
The move reflected that Beijing now wanted an immediate end to anarchy in Ukraine, as it encouraged all parties of the conflict, the Ukraine government, the rebels, and the Russian government, by initiating a fresh dialogue to settle the matter.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the only Pakistani expert who has deep insight into Chinese policies, says Beijing is transforming itself from a regional player to a global power.
“China is going through a historic transition from a regional to a global power, and it is accordingly endeavouring to leverage its role in the emerging international order as an equal stakeholder to the US, seeking to regain its rightful role in the comity of nations,” he said.
Mushahid Hussain, who is also chairman of Pakistan-China Institute, the only prominent Pakistani think-tank on China, believes that the new leadership of China, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, is both “confident and assertive”, reflecting the new global ground realities with China as the world’s second-biggest economy after the US, with the likelihood of becoming number one within the next decade.
“China is promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. For the first time, Beijing has proposed a plan for peace in the Middle East and China has clear policies on the situation in Syria and on relations with Russia. With the US, too, China is cooperating on such areas as cyber security and climate change while being seen also as a competitor for leadership in Asia,” he added.
Since war and conflicts are enemies of economic stability and development, there is a method behind the Beijing’s assertive policy to work for peace and normalization in the South Asia, South East Asia and even in the Middle East.
There is Chinese proverb that if you have to pursue development, you would have to ensure peace and stability which is precondition for economic development.
The rapid surge of China on the economic horizon is an ultimate source of concern and worries for western powers, led by the US. Policymakers in Beijing also understand that the Washington may pit India as a major contender against China in Asia.
The recent trip of Indian premier Narendra Modi to Washington is a clear indication to the fact that the US want more trade with India, leaving nominal chances for Beijing to have its trade share in the Indian market.
Trade with India is, however, is a bumpy road for the US because of Indian conflicts with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. China’s edge over India is its friendly relations with its neighbours
President Obama is also arriving in New Delhi, ignoring the old friend – Pakistan – just to please the Indian audience. He is likely to announce another attractive package for Modi’s India.
Last week, the IMF also predicted that India was emerging as the fastest growing large economy of the world and it would overtake China by 2016.
Trade with India is, however, is a bumpy road for the US because of Indian conflicts with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. China’s edge over India is its friendly relations with its neighbours. Will the US broker peace between Pakistan and India is a million dollar question.
Besides India, some other challenges against Chinese rise can be Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Vietnam. Any conflict of China with its neighbours may result into an intense security competition with considerable potential for war. So the Chinese leadership has preempted this possibility by offering help in resolving conflicts and offering development in its neighbouring countries. President Xi is working to sort out issues with these countries.
President Xi has also reached out to the Japanese leadership to settle the long-standing dispute on Senkaku Island. In October last year, Japan agreed on a meeting between President Xi and Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe. Though the meeting could not make a breakthrough, at least it helped start melting the ice between the archrivals.
In a bid to ease tensions Vietnam over the disputed oil rig in the South China Sea, President Xi held a meeting with the visiting Vietnamese Special envoy Le Hong Anh in August last year.
“A neighbouring nation cannot be moved, and it is in the common interest of both countries to be friendly to each other,” Xi was quoted after the crucial meeting.
China has already played a key role in resolving the Afghan war and its leaders have held quiet meetings with the Afghan Taliban and Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani to help the peace process. Beijing has also pledged Afghanistan to help rebuild the war-ravaged Afghanistan, committing itself to sending ‘hundreds of thousands of investors’ into Afghanistan to rebuild the war-ravaged state if peace talks are successful.
The Chinese offers for mediation also hint at its quest for peaceful resolution of conflicts through efforts by regional players, outplaying the interference by outsiders, keeping in view the concerns of Russia, which blames US and its western allies for ‘destabilising’ the region.
Now Beijing and Islamabad are trying to help bring peace in the conflict-hit country as a peaceful Afghanistan can also guarantee peace in Pakistan and China. This joint effort may also be termed as a pursuit for peace in the entire Asia region.