( Lei Kezhong, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Kingdom of Lesotho)

On April 21, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed for the first time the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the Opening Ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022. The initiative is another global public good offered by China following the Initiative of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, the Belt & Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative. GSI reflects the shared security needs of the international community and provides an important and refined plan for global security governance.

 Here I would like to share with our Basotho friends some basic information about the Global Security Initiative.

I. What is the Global Security Initiative?

The world today is far from being peaceful and tranquil. Mankind is facing various traditional and non-traditional security threats and witnessing increasing deficits in peace, security, trust and governance. GSI answers the question posed by our times, which is "what kind of security concept the world needs and how countries can achieve common security". It contributes China’s wisdom to the efforts of mankind in tackling peace deficit and offers China’s solution to addressing international security challenges.

The GSI is a complete system with rich meaning. It is an important application of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy to the field of international security. The GSI is underpinned by “six commitments”, namely, 1) stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to maintain world peace and security; 2) stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold non-interference in internal affairs, and respect the independent choices of development paths and social systems made by people in different countries; 3) stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, reject the Cold War mentality, oppose unilateralism, and say no to group politics and bloc confrontation; 4) stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, uphold the principle of indivisible security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the pursuit of one’s own security at the cost of others’ security; 5) stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises, reject double standards, and oppose the wanton use of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction; 6) stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains, and work together on regional disputes and global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and biosecurity.

The GSI stresses that humanity are living in an indivisible security community. It not only sets out the core concept, fundamental principles and long-term goals to achieve global security, but also provide feasible approach to solve practical security problems and promote global security governance.

II. What’s the Practical Significance and Value of the Global Security Initiative?

The GSI responds to the urgent need of the international community to maintain world peace and prevent conflicts and wars. Human history has proven time and again that without peace, development is water without a source; without security, prosperity is a tree without roots. The GSI is an effort to promote the construction of a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture on the basis of adhering to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. It offers a new approach to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts and realize durable stability and security in the world.

The GSI conforms to the common pursuit of all countries to uphold multilateralism and maintain international solidarity. The world today is at risk of division as never before. Cold War mentality, hegemonism, power politics and group confrontation would endanger world peace and exacerbate security challenges in the 21st century. The GSI calls on all countries in the world to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, abandon the outdated concepts of zero-sum game and camp confrontation, and advocate a win-win mindset to deal with complex and intertwined security challenges. It has provided new ideas for further improving global security governance.

The GSI meets the shared aspiration of all peoples for working together to overcome difficulties and create a better post-pandemic world. At present, global economic recovery remains sluggish. All countries around the world are like passengers aboard on a big ship with a shared destiny and must pull together to navigate the storm and sail towards a bright future. The GSI and the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping last year echo and complement each other. It represents a coordinated approach to maintain traditional and non-traditional security, provides new support for countries to promote social and economic development and people's livelihood and seeks the greatest common interest for the international community.

III. How to implement the Global Security Initiative?

As a responsible major country, China has made active contributions to upholding global peace and security. China not only proposed the GSI, but is also taking concrete actions in its implementation. China is willing to work with the international community to deliver the GSI in the following aspects:

First, we should firmly uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, and jointly practice genuine multilateralism. We must unswervingly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, maintain the international order based on international law, and adhere to the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all mankind. We must reject "small circles", oppose undermining the international order under the pretext of so-called "rules", and oppose dragging the world into a "new cold war". 

Second, we should adhere to the direction of promoting peace talks and jointly seek political solutions to hotspot issues. It is necessary to strengthen strategic communication between countries, enhance mutual trust in security, manage and control differences, and eliminate the root causes of crises. We should actively explore cooperation between countries, expand the convergence of security interests, and build an international and regional security pattern that takes into account the demands and accommodates the interests of all parties.

Third, we should coordinate responses to security threats in traditional and non-traditional fields, and jointly improve the global security governance system. It is necessary to further strengthen international solidarity to fight the Covid-19, improve global governance in public health, and ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in developing countries. We should work together to counter terrorism, establish a fair, cooperative and win-win international nuclear security system, improve governance rules in new areas such as the deep sea, polar regions, outer space, and the Internet. We should follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance so as to prevent and resolve security dilemmas.

Forth, we should balance development and security and jointly promote the robust recovery of the world economy. We need to commit to building an open world economy, strengthen policy coordination, keep global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth, resolutely oppose decoupling and supply disruption, and make globalization more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial for all. We need to actively implement global development initiatives, accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promote sustainable security through sustainable development.

The world can count on China as a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, and defender of the international order. The GSI is open to the world and welcomes the participation of all countries. China stands ready to work together with Lesotho and other countries to follow through the GSI proposed by President Xi Jinping, tackle the security risks and challenges facing mankind, open up a broad road to lasting peace and universal security, and foster a strong synergy to build a community with a shared future for mankind.