Pakistan’s leading role in facilitating peace talks in the Middle East, with China cooperating with Islamabad behind the scenes, has elevated the global south to the forefront as the credible broker of peace and facilitator of stability in the world.
China’s President Xi Jinping’s participation has lent his voice to efforts to bring an end to the ongoing war between Israel, US against Iran.
The Chinese leader submitted four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, calling for peace and working for stability among the warring sides.
He also urged them to commit to peaceful coexistence and to demonstrate a respect for international law.
Strait of Hormuz blockade deepens global impact
The war has had a ripple effect on the world, which has worsened especially after the recent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an artery for international oil shipments to the rest of the world, but also a source of conflict between the global south and north.
Although the strait was opened after Iran let selected oil tankers pass through it, many countries are still reeling from high fuel prices caused by the blockade.
The on-off peace talks mediated by Pakistan are set to resume amid tension between the two camps.
China-Pakistan five-point peace plan takes shape
China has played a key role, along with Pakistan, to initiate a peace plan, a five-point initiative designed to bring lasting peace in the Middle East.
The plan is an outcome of a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Beijing on 31 March.
The plan highlighted the importance of finding solutions that are underpinned by the UN Charter and for them to pursue true multilateralism.
Xi outlines four-point framework for stability
Xi’s four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East is seen as the global south’s ongoing move to bring about a solution to world conflict.
The Chinese president proposed that the Gulf states must commit to peaceful co-existence as close neighbours that cannot move away from one another.
The states must work to improve their ties to build a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture in the Middle East and the Gulf region. Second, stay committed to the principle of national sovereignty, which must not be violated.
Third, Xi appealed to affected parties to commit to respecting international law and to safeguard the authority of the international rule of law, which must not be selectively applied.
They must firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core. His fourth point was an appeal to the Middle East states to stay committed to a balanced approach to development and security.
He said China stood ready to work with them to nurture a fertile ground for regional development and security.
Global South’s diplomatic influence grows
Xi’s proposals are designed to lend further impetus to the process and are seen as underlying principles for a lasting peace.
Observers believe that, more than a tactical move, the Beijing-Islamabad peace move elevates the global south’s standing as a credible broker of peace.
By pressing for dialogue instead of confrontation, China and Pakistan are enacting the very principles they champion globally and that the global south regards as its defining creed.
