Sun Sep 15 01:52:50 UTC 2024: ## Global South Emerges as Key Player in World Peace and Security: Experts at Beijing Xiangshan Forum
**BEIJING** – The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, held this week, highlighted the growing influence of the Global South in international security. Experts and officials from over 100 countries emphasized the region’s crucial role in promoting peace and development, while also acknowledging the challenges they face.
The forum’s theme, “Promoting Peace for a Shared Future,” resonated with attendees, who discussed the need for collective responsibility in the global security system. Kamal Gunaratne, Defense Secretary of Sri Lanka, pointed out the increasingly interconnected nature of global challenges and the vital role the Global South plays in addressing them.
The rise of the Global South, with its diverse initiatives for political and economic cooperation, was recognized as a driving force for stability and prosperity. Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Seiha underlined the region’s growing importance in the current global landscape.
However, the Global South also faces unique challenges. Jia Qingguo, a professor at Peking University, highlighted the pressure placed on many Global South countries by the US’s emphasis on absolute security and its strategy of pressuring nations to take sides.
Despite these challenges, the Global South is actively safeguarding its common interests through strengthened cooperation, becoming more prominent in the global security system, Jia noted.
The recent inclusion of the African Union into the G20 and the expansion of BRICS to include six new members from the Global South demonstrate the increasing recognition and power of the region.
Participants also discussed the role of the Global South in humanitarian crises, emphasizing their strong engagement with organizations like the Red Cross.
China, a prominent member of the Global South, has been actively promoting its Global Security Initiative (GSI) as a framework for balanced, effective, and sustainable security. The GSI aims to eliminate the root causes of international conflicts and improve global security governance.
Experts like Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, Chairman of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain, praised China’s GSI as a valuable tool for achieving universal security and common security.
China’s efforts to strengthen security cooperation within the Global South through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative were also lauded. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, a professor at Pakistan’s Quaid-i-Azam University, highlighted the benefits of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in promoting stability and prosperity.
The forum’s host, China, was praised for its open and inclusive approach to dialogue and communication. While acknowledging that the forum may not directly resolve international conflicts, David Chen, an affiliated researcher of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, emphasized the importance of the platform in fostering understanding and communication.
The 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum served as a platform for diverse perspectives and a testament to the growing role of the Global South in shaping the future of global peace and security.
First Piper 