Source: CGTN Published: 2022-05-08

China has called for its recently proposed Global Security Initiative to replace the prevailing yet outdated Cold War mentality that has led to the insecurity facing Europe and the world because of the Ukraine crisis. Cao Bing reports from Beijing on an online forum of think tanks from 20 countries.

In his remarks to the forum, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng on Friday said the world faced huge challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. He cited the Global Security Initiative proposed last month by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Boao Forum as a solution.

LE YUCHENG Chinese Vice Foreign Minister "The idea is to take the new vision on security as the guiding principle, mutual respect as the fundamental requirement, indivisible security as the important principle, and building a security community as the long-term goal, to foster a new type of security that replaces confrontation, alliance and a zero-sum approach with dialogue, partnership and win-win results."

CAO BING Beijing "China's Vice Foreign Minister also said the conflict in Ukraine has exposed serious problems in global security, particularly in Europe. He said Western countries should abandon their cold War mentality, as a way of avoiding such security clashes."

LE YUCHENG Chinese Vice Foreign Minister "They might be holding in their hands smart phones of the globalized age, but their minds are still operating with last century's system of Cold War mentality. It's no surprise that Europe's security system is experiencing a 'downtime.' In my opinion, the way to prevent security 'downtime' is to update the operating system, replacing the Cold War mentality with the Global Security Initiative put forth by President Xi Jinping. We should avoid arm wrestling or fighting with each other, and work hand in hand to tide over the trying times. If everyone goes for 'an eye for an eye' approach, the world will be a dark place."

British journalist and international affairs commentator Martin Jacques stressed the importance of persistent dialogue to overcome the old ways of thinking that have led to instability.

MARTIN JACQUES British Journalist "Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind is not just a nice idea, it is the urgent, overarching imperative of our time. It will require patience, persistence, dialogue, compromise, the prioritization of the long term over the short term. It will require new thinking and great imagination. The old way and the old order is in retreat. The instability of our time is a product of the growing crisis of the old order. A new kind of world awaits."

The Chinese vice foreign minister said it was high time for all nations to recognize that achieving this shared future is only possible on a path of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. CB, CGTN, BJ.

Key Words： China MFA Le Yucheng Martin