By He Yin, People’s Daily
On April 21, 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), with the aim of addressing the root causes of international conflicts, improving global security governance, and encouraging the international community to work together to bring greater stability and certainty to a turbulent world.
Today, as the international landscape grows more complex and regional conflicts continue to erupt, the practical significance and contemporary relevance of the GSI have become even more evident.
In recent years, structural and deep-seated challenges in the global security domain have continued to accumulate, leading to heightened tensions worldwide. The recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East is a stark illustration of these severe security dilemmas.
According to the Report on the Global Security Situation (2025) recently issued by the China Institute of International Studies, the global peace deficit is widening, accompanied by a marked escalation in international conflicts and regional turmoil.
In a world marked by overlapping crises and uncertainties, the GSI provides clear direction and a cooperative framework for addressing security challenges and safeguarding global stability.
The GSI responds to the pressing need of the international community to maintain peace and prevent conflict. It advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, upholds the principle of indivisible security, and promotes the building of a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture. Together, these principles offer conceptual guidance for achieving long-term global peace and stability.
Recently, Xi put forward a four-point proposal on promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, underscoring China’s consistent commitment to promoting peace, stopping conflict, and resolving differences through dialogue.
In recent years, China has taken the lead in implementing the GSI and has actively facilitated peace efforts worldwide. In the Middle East, China helped facilitate the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as the signing of the Beijing Declaration by Palestinian factions; it has also issued, together with Pakistan, five proposals on restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region.
In response to the Ukraine crisis, China has promoted the establishment of the Group of Friends for Peace to create conditions for a political settlement. China has also worked to support peace efforts between Thailand and Cambodia, and has continued to play a constructive role on issues related to Afghanistan and Myanmar.
These practical efforts demonstrate that dialogue and negotiation are effective, and indeed the only viable pathways to resolving disputes and maintaining peace.
The GSI aligns with the shared aspiration of countries worldwide to uphold multilateralism and strengthen unity and cooperation. Rooted in true multilateralism, the initiative advocates win-win cooperation in addressing security challenges and provides a clear roadmap for improving global security governance. Its core concepts have been widely recognized by leaders of United Nations agencies and incorporated into documents of relevant multilateral mechanisms.
From actively participating in UN peacekeeping operations to promoting the establishment of multilateral cooperation frameworks; from advancing synergy between the GSI and cooperation under frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, to strengthening regional security cooperation with countries along the Mekong, in Central Asia, and in Africa — China has consistently upheld the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practiced true multilateralism, and helped build broad consensus and strong collective efforts to address the global security deficit.
The GSI also reflects the shared aspiration of people around the world to overcome challenges together and build a better future. It emphasizes the indivisibility of security and development, advocating sustainable development as a pathway to sustainable security. In doing so, it aligns with the prevailing global trend toward peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, while injecting fresh momentum into efforts to improve livelihoods and promote development.
China regards development as the master key to solving security issues, actively supports the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promotes universally beneficial, inclusive economic globalization. Through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China has empowered global development and helped other developing countries improve people’s well-being.
At the same time, China coordinates efforts to safeguard both traditional and non-traditional security. It has advanced international cooperation in areas such as climate change, industrial and supply chains, resource and energy security, and food security, while also launching initiatives such as the Global Initiative on Data Security and the Global AI Governance Initiative to jointly address emerging security challenges.
No matter how the world changes, China will always stand firmly committed to building peace. It will continue to work with the international community to fully and effectively implement the GSI, translate the shared vision of common security into concrete actions, and pursue a new path to security that features dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. In doing so, China will continue to contribute to peace, stability, and justice in this turbulent world.
