Global Security Initiative: People-Centered Security Initiative-I

Chinese President Xi Jinping introduced the idea of ​​a Global Security Initiative (GSI) during his speech at the Boao Forum. The idea is unique and addresses the future and sustainable security needs of the world. It not only speaks of equality and a sense of unity, but also presents viable options for addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges. There is therefore reason to accept it, as the world has entered an era of greater uncertainty and a complex security environment due to traditional and non-traditional security threats (climate change, technology, pandemic, degradation of environment, etc.).

The four pillars of the GSI, 1) common, 2) comprehensive, 3) cooperative and 4) sustainable security, have all the elements and instruments that can help the world combat old and new security challenges and ensure lasting peace .

These pillars of the GSI represent the desires of weak and less developed countries. The existing security model is based on alliances, cold war mentality and hegemonic aspirations. Hegemonic aspirations led to compromises on the security needs of many weak countries and gave rise to the slogan of my country's security first or the Monroe Doctrine of the United States. This slogan is irritating to international order, security and peace.

Powerful countries use it to justify wars. It also encouraged strong countries to seize resources from weak states in the name of free economics, human rights and democracy. On the other hand, the Cold War mentality sows the seeds of conflict across the world. Western countries are determined to maintain their power by all means. It has transformed the world into a hotbed of multiple conflicts.

The existing security model has led the world towards a sharp division between countries. It paved the way for alliances with and against each other, such as that of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and many others. It is unfortunate that these organizations have become a source of constant uncertainty in the name of security. The self-assumed responsibility for peace, greatness and justice has sparked many conflicts across the world. The world watched as Western countries bombed Libya in the name of their responsibility to protect and turn a prosperous country into ruins. People who had access to quality education, health care, housing and food are now suffering.

NATO's hegemonic and right-thinking behavior has plunged Eurasia into conflict. Ukraine has been used to play strategic games.

In this context, the world, particularly the countries of the South, was looking for a new system capable of ensuring their security and paving the way for lasting security. Analysis of the four pillars of China's GSI idea shows that it can answer the questions of weak countries and ensure lasting peace.

The first pillar of the GSI considers security as a common responsibility and right of all countries, without any discrimination in terms of development status and military power. It also discourages alliance mentality and encourages everyone to work together. This further reinforces the idea that all are equal and that no one’s safety is more important than that of others.

The second pillar of the GSI is very interesting; it not only talks about the world's current security needs, but also focuses on future needs. This is the first time that a globally significant security initiative has given equal weight to traditional and non-traditional security challenges. China realizes that without meeting the basic needs of the people, peace can never be achieved. Therefore, China considers food security, poverty alleviation, energy security, health and clean water to be equally important.

Additionally, climate change, technology, artificial intelligence and pandemics must also be given due attention to ensure a safe and prosperous planet for future generations. Thus, China proposed that traditional and non-traditional security must go hand in hand to ensure lasting peace. China believes that the world needs to work more in these areas rather than investing in weapons of mass destruction.

The third pillar of the GSI cooperative approach and methodology for designing peace and security instruments is extremely important. It was designed to overcome the challenges of exclusivity and segregation between countries. As we know, the current system is deeply divided and exclusionary. Strong countries make decisions and ask the rest of the world to follow them. They can also impose sanctions and deprive weak countries of economic opportunities and connectivity. The United Nations Security Council, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other institutions are used to achieve their goals. The UN Security Council is the most exclusive platform that empowers five countries to decide the fate of the rest of the world.

Moreover, most of the time, weak countries are not consulted or powerful states do not share any information with them before making decisions. This goes against human dignity and respect for nations. It is hoped that GSI will help solve this problem and bring equality to all countries.

The fourth pillar of the GSI is sustainable security. The idea is to not only talk about the symptoms, but also take appropriate steps to tackle the real problems. The pillar of sustainable security gives equal importance to the social and development needs of the people. He emphasizes that peace cannot be ensured without guaranteeing the rule of law and social and economic development. It is an established fact that areas experiencing food insecurity and poverty contribute to conflict and threaten global security. The world cannot teach morality or the rule of law to a starving man. He first needs food to live; we can then speak of morality, rules of law and ethics. This corresponds exactly to Maslow's pyramid. The world must focus more on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Development Initiative goals, and take practical steps to create a just world.

China believes that any initiative or program has no value without actions. Therefore, since the launch of GSI, China has been striving to realize the vision of GSI. It has taken many measures, which show that China takes world peace and sustainable development seriously. She launched the campaign to secure world peace by adhering to the principles of dialogue and development and placing common interests at the heart of all her actions. It has adopted the tools of a global and coordinated philosophy to ensure transparency and a win-win outcome.

China has launched a campaign to make development accessible to all, a fundamental condition for building a peaceful society. President Xi underlined the importance of this, saying: “Development holds the main key to solving problems. To achieve this goal, China has accelerated its efforts to share prosperity by creating opportunities for economic development. China is accelerating the process of fully opening its markets to provide economic opportunities to help less developed countries.