WANG Fan on China’s Approach to Addressing International Hotspot Issues
Concepts, Principles and Practices
Welcome to the first edition of our weekly newsletter! ChinAffairs+ is a weekly newsletter that shares Chinese academic articles focused on topics such as China’s foreign policy, China-U.S. relations, China-European relations, and more. This newsletter was co-founded by me and my research assistant, ZHANG Xueyu. I am SUN Chenghao, a fellow with the Center for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University, and currently a visiting scholar at the Paul Tsai China Center of Yale Law School in the United States.
Through carefully selected Chinese academic articles, we aim to provide you with key insights into the issues that China's academic and strategic communities are focused on. We will highlight why each article matters and the most important takeaways. Questions or criticisms may be addressed to sunchenghao@tsinghua.edu.cn
BTW, the Center for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University has just released the Interim Findings on Artificial Intelligence Terms. If you're interested, you can click the link here to download the report in English here: https://ciss.tsinghua.edu.cn/info/eyjdt/7404
Chinese version of the report here: https://ciss.tsinghua.edu.cn/info/yjbg/7405
Summary
This paper published in Foreign Affairs Review （《外交评论》） (Volume 1, 2024) by WANG Fan（王帆）explores China's evolving approach to addressing international hotspot issues through the lens of its Global Security Initiative (GSI) and diplomacy characterized by Chinese principles. As China increases its involvement in global governance, particularly in regions such as the Middle East, it has adopted a proactive, multi-dimensional strategy. This strategy is grounded in traditional Chinese philosophies of self-restraint, altruism, equilibrium, and harmony, which emphasize non-coercion, mutual respect, and the pursuit of common interests.
The paper analyzes China's conceptual framework, highlighting its emphasis on impartiality, systematic solutions, and peaceful negotiation as key principles in resolving regional conflicts. By integrating security with development, China seeks to promote lasting peace and stability through pragmatic, step-by-step solutions that address both symptoms and root causes of conflicts.
The paper also details China's practical diplomatic efforts, including the facilitation of the Saudi-Iran rapprochement and non-traditional security cooperation in Afghanistan and Syria. These efforts exemplify China's commitment to harmonizing differences and fostering global cooperation through dialogue, rather than confrontation.
Why It Matters
In recent years, there have been new changes in China's diplomatic practices. Its involvement and visibility in regional hotspot issues have gradually increased, reflecting a shift in global power dynamics and offers an alternative model for conflict resolution. As China's influence grows, it pursues a more proactive, major-country diplomacy（大国外交） than ever before. By focusing on peaceful dialogue, mutual respect, and integrating security with development, China presents a holistic strategy that addresses not just the symptoms of conflicts but their root causes.
During this process, China's use of traditional philosophies like Confucianism and Taoism in its diplomatic efforts introduces a new dimension to global governance. These principles emphasize harmony, balance, and mutual benefit, offering a fresh perspective on how nations can interact on the international stage. As the world grapples with complex and interconnected challenges, China’s diplomatic ideas, as outlined in the GSI and other diplomatic efforts, could play a crucial role in fostering a more peaceful and cooperative global order.
Different from western diplomatic ideas and strategies, China emphasize comprehensive security rather than accountability toward special countries, flexible relationships rather than dichotomy between enemy and ally, coordination between powers rather than the balance. With an insight toward China's diplomatic ideas, one can better understand China's foreign policies. Given the China's increasing influence in addressing regional hotspot issues, its concepts, principles, and practices still need to be thoroughly examined and analyzed by both Chinese and foreign scholars.
Key Points
1. Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics
China’s approach is deeply rooted in its traditional philosophy, emphasizing non-coercion, mutual respect, and promoting the greater good, which acting as the suppliments of traditional western diplomatic strategies.
Self-Restraint and Altruism（律己利他）: Drawn from Confucian and Taoist teachings, these principles guide China’s interactions, focusing on self-improvement and benefiting others as a means to mutual success. Instead of distinguishing self from others, Chinese philosophy emphasis the coordination between self and others, leading China to advocate comprehensive security and non-excluded multilateral cooperation. In addition, the idea of helping others achieve success, known as 成人之美 in Chinese is a significant aspect of the ideological foundation for China's solutions to hotspot issues.
Equilibrium and Harmony（中和）: This concept reflects China's aim to balance complex international relations through impartiality and avoiding extremes, favoring a middle way to achieve common prosperity. Equilibrium and harmony transcend "duality contradiction", emphasising the coordination between opposite parties with principles and flexibility, making China prefers multi-negotiations rather than mandatory actions.
Seek common ground while reserving differences（求同存异）: Initiated at the Bandung Conference of 1955, this idea contains China's philosophy of containing diversities and the co-existence of differences. Instead of the assimilation of a weaker civilization by a stronger civilization, China tends to respect the subjectivity of different civilizations, emphasizing mutual learning and exchange between nations, as well as the independent development.
2. China's Principles and Proactive Role
The principles China follows in addressing hotspot issues are rational guidelines and strategies derived from long-term diplomatic practice. These principles can generally be categorized into three aspects: impartiality, systematic approach, and peacefulness.
Impartiality and Constructive Engagement（公正）: China maintains a neutral stance in conflicts, advocating for non-interference while promoting peaceful dialogue and development. Meanwhile, China also appreciates the continuity and robustness in foreign policies and international commitments, which can enhance multi-trust in a long term.
Systematic and Holistic Approach（标本兼治）: China tackles both symptoms and root causes of conflicts, integrating security with development to ensure long-term stability. Addtionally, China advocates gradual resolution of contradictions during the process of construction and development rather than sanctions and deterrence by other nations.
Harmonizing Differences（和合）: Rooted in China's diplomatic practice, China adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as the guide for resolving international conflicts, emphasizing the role of political negotiation, dialogue, and consultation in eliminating grievances.
3. Practical Applications of China’s Strategy
Promoting Fundamental Resolution through Stopgap Solutions: China disagrees with the mandatory intervene of addressing Middle East issues, such as economic sanctions, appreciating gradual resolutions through dialogues between parties in contradictions. China takes a pragmatic approach to hotspot issues, offering phased and temporary solutions based on complex situations. Saudi-Iran Rapprochement is a significant diplomatic success where China facilitated the resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, signaling a shift in the Middle East peace process.
Addressing Traditional Security Issues through non-traditional Security Cooperation: China has a broad foundation for cooperation with countries in hotspot regions in non-traditional security fields. China promotes dialogue and builds mutual trust, thereby advancing the resolution of difficult traditional security issues in these countries through non-traditional security collaboration. China’s involvement in Afghanistan and Syria highlights its strategy of addressing traditional security issues through non-traditional means, such as humanitarian aid and economic development.
Integrating Dispute Resolution with Regional Development: China’s philosophy that "development holds the key to solving all problems" is evident in its initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Global Development Initiative (GDI), which aim to promote regional peace through economic progress.
Building Regional Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanisms: China’s efforts to integrate regional security mechanisms and promote dialogue over confrontation are positioned as sustainable pathways to global peace and stability. China advocates a political settlement in the Middle East that will ensure sustained regional security through a security cooperation mechanism.
About the Author
Wang Fan 王帆: The article is authored by Dr. Wang Fan, President and Deputy Secretary of CPC Committee of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) and Chancellor of China Diplomatic Academy (CDA). He is Professor and Ph.D. Supervisor of CFAU. With a strong background in international relations, Wang Fan is well-regarded for his expertise in Chinese foreign policy and global governance. His work often explores the intersection of traditional Chinese philosophy and modern diplomatic strategies, making him a key voice in understanding China’s approach to international issues.
About the Publication
Foreign Affairs Review：The Chinese version of this article was published in Foreign Affairs Review（《外交评论》）, launched by the CFAU affiliated with Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984 and covers topics such as international relations, Chinese diplomacy, diplomatic studies, international economics and law, and academic trends. The journal is a bimonthly publication and serves as a platform for scholarly articles related to international affairs, aimed at academic institutions, foreign affairs departments, libraries, and research institutions.
China International Studies: The English version of this article was published in China International Studies, which launched in May 1959 by the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) affiliated with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is one of China's earliest academic journals focused on international affairs. Its creation was supported by key Chinese political figures, including Zhang Wentian（张闻天）, who advocated for a platform to publish research on global issues. The journal's title was personally inscribed by Vice Premier Chen Yi（陈毅）, reflecting the high-level attention it received. After initial publication, China International Studies faced interruptions due to economic difficulties but was revived in 1981 as a quarterly and later as a bimonthly journal in 2000. With China's growing global influence, China International Studies was introduced in 2005 to offer international readers insights into China’s foreign policy. A comprehensive redesign in 2011 further elevated the journal's quality and expanded its influence worldwide.