Sayed Ghoneim, PhD in Political Science, Chairman IGSDA.
China considers the Middle Eastern countries complaints against the U.S. and European intervention in their countries’ internal affairs using human rights, democracy, freedom, etc., as cards of pressure and a double standard is contrary to democracy and the international norms; bearing in mind that China is also raising complaints against the attempts of the external interventions in its internal affairs by the U.S., Europe and Japan sometimes, using same values as cards of pressure on China. In the same context, China considers this U.S. external intervention beside the competition in the Middle East are the main reasons of the instability in its countries.
This consideration obviously would support the Chinese existence and involvement (replacing the U.S. or at least sharing its hegemony), but through economic and cultural approach; this type of approach is soft and seems fruitful; however, time is the the true judge of the expected social and economic consequences in the Middle East and other regions on the long term.
Two expressions are mainly used by China; (Development) which is very desired by all societies, then (Community With Shared Future For Mankind) which is seems to me as a part of China’s new world order title.
I think that China sees that the U.S. 1) doesn’t respect the values and the privacies of other countries; 2) is not fair, conducts double standard policies; 3) doesn’t know the language of dialogue and multilogue but only knows the language of sanctions and pressures; 4) it is considered the main reason of instability; 5) and it’s the main obstacles to development in the Middle East and other regions all over the world. These concepts are also spread in the Middle East countries.
This take me to the five axes of China’s initiative in the Middle East declared by China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Wang Yi during his exclusive interview with Al Arabiya on 26 March 2021: 1) advocating mutual respect; 2) upholding equity and justice; 3) achieving non-proliferation, encouraging the U.S. to left its heavy sanctions on Iran; 4) jointly fostering collective security; 5) and accelerating development cooperation.
I believe that both last two previous paragraphs are almost common in all points.
I remember when I was invited to join the Middle East Security Conference held in Beijing on 27 and 28 November 2019, the conference was divided into five sessions, each of them was about an axis of the five axes of China’s initiative towards the Middle East.
The first session was titled “The importance of justice and fairness to achieve sustainable security in the Middle East”. I was requested to present my view on the most important challenges facing security and stability in the Middle East in relation to justice and fairness. Actually I was ready with a stereotypical speech, which included the seriousness of external intervention and hegemony by countries towards another on a side, and the countries that ruled with bad governance on another side. But, something urged me to change my speech immediately; it was the speeches before me of some former senior officials (Former Prime Ministers and Ministers) from Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Mauritania; all of them mainly concentrated on showing the demonization of the West and the angelism and the fairness of China. They seemed to me that they had not learned from history, as if they just joined the conference to enjoy travelling and the Chinese food.
I ignored my short speech that I prepared in English language, and gave another one, directly from my head in Arabic, its link is below.
In fact, China needs to be part of the solution but not part of the problem, and China knows that very well, It should not commit the same mistake it complains, which is “competition” in a flamed region. It should avoid being a competitor in a theatre of conflicts; as competiotion is considered one of the main reasons of instability in the Middle East.
Transcript of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s Exclusive Interview with Al Arabia on 26/03/2021:
Transcript in English language and the original speech in Arabic language (video) of Sayed Ghoneim during the Middle East Security Conference held in Beijing on 27 and 28 November 2019 : https://igsda.org/?p=2514
