China’s Projection Of Peacemaker And Peace-Broker Image – OpEd
China is trying to project its image as a peacemaker and peace-broker. This effort is demonstrated through a number of initiatives especially in the Middle East. The latest and notable achievement among various initiatives for peace is China’s success in uniting 14 Palestinian factions. It includes long-term rivals Fatah and Hamas and twelve more Palestinian groups. It was hailed as historic, significant, and unprecedented development that brought the Palestinian issue to the forefront of international politics. The primary reason behind this effort was to forge unity in the Palestinian struggle against Israel and second, to put an end to internal disputes among Palestinian factions.
Moreover, it is essential to point out that China has played a key diplomatic role on other occasions as well. China stunned the world by helping to mend diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Tehran. A breakthrough widely regarded as a significant diplomatic victory for China. This achievement not only underscored Beijing’s growing leverage and influence on the diplomatic and economic fronts but also contributed positively to regional stability. This diplomatic success was widely reported and praised in the media. In addition to receiving positive feedback, China’s initiative generated debate whether China’s diplomatic approach may be used as a substitute in the Middle East vis-à-vis the US military-centric approach. These developments not only demonstrate China’s growing influence in the Middle East, but also call into question the traditional dominance of the US policies there. It also indicates a shift in regional dynamics and highlights the growing appeal and effectiveness of China’s diplomatic model.
The ongoing-war in Gaza has been the main factor driving Palestinian groups to put aside their differences. This urgency led to the signing of the “Beijing Declaration.” It was signed in Beijing on July 23, 2024 by a high-profile group of people including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Fatah leader Mahmoud al-Aloul, and prominent Hamas figure Mousa Abu Marzouk. The Beijing Declaration is a comprehensive agreement on unity and it has four key elements. First, “Establishment of an interim National Unity Government”, this provision calls for the creation of a temporary governing body to manage Palestinian matters while a more long-term solution is being put into place. With the goal of promoting harmony and stability between the opposing groups, the temporary administration will have jurisdiction over both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Second, “Formation of Unified Palestinian Leadership”, the agreement states that a cohesive Palestinian leadership structure must be created. In light of impending elections, the goal of this unified leadership is to steer the political process and strategic orientation of the Palestinian territories. Third, “Free Election of a New Palestinian National Council”, as stipulated in the declaration a new Palestinian National Council must be elected. This body will speak for the Palestinian people and be essential in determining the direction of governance and policy in the future. Fourth, “a general declaration of unity among Palestinian factions” against Israeli attacks is included in the agreement as a response to the ongoing military actions by Israel. It places a strong emphasis on maintaining unity in the fight for Palestinian rights and sovereignty.
Despite the significant attention and expectation surrounding the Beijing Declaration, it is facing several challenges. The West-led by the US and Israel has refused to recognize any government that includes Hamas. Without support from the US and its allies, the Beijing accord on Palestine might not be implemented successfully. Moreover, despite multiple attempts at reconciliation over the last 20 years, Hamas and Fatah have failed to produce lasting unity. These repeated setbacks underscore how challenging it is to achieve true reconciliation. These significant hurdles make the Beijing Declaration’s future questionable. Along with that, the agreement’s ambitious objectives face significant challenges in term of implementation, external pressures, and the requirement for strong Palestinian backing.
Although there are many challenges and uncertainties surrounding the Beijing Declaration, China has benefited much from its role in this agreement. It has successfully contested the Western powers’ long standing hegemony in the Middle East and become a key actor in the region’s diplomacy. With this initiative China will be better able to promote a multi-polar world where its growing power and influence may change the course of future peace talks between Israel, Palestine, and other regional actors. In addition to that, China has capitalized on the US mistakes to promote itself as an alternative peace mediator and contrasting its approach with Washington’s engagement in regional disputes. This is part of a larger soft-power strategy meant to counter criticism from the West and portray China as an agent of peace. Many analysts have pointed out that China’s active diplomacy is consistent with its attempt to portray itself as a responsible and peaceful major power in a volatile world. China has designed its approach to support its rise without inciting geo-political pushback, especially in the Global South, where it may anticipate a more ‘sympathetic’ audience for its message of a new kind of major power diplomacy.
In addition to the Middle East, China is attempting to play a peacemaking role in other global conflicts like Ukraine. To date, China has positioned itself as a neutral mediator. It aims to advance a peace process based on dialogue and mutual respect for territorial integrity through initiatives like the six-point consensus jointly proposed with Brazil. Moreover, despite calls to pressure Putin to end war in Ukraine, China maintains that it cannot dictate a full member of the UN Security Council and termed these demands as unrealistic. Rather, China has concentrated on garnering support for its peace proposal particularly in the global South. The goal is to present this consensus as a framework for future negotiations before the UN General Assembly. It is important to highlight that China, in order to maintain its position as a neutral mediator, skipped the peace conference in Switzerland which was supported by Ukraine. China’s decision to abstain underscores the need for all relevant parties – including Russia to be involved in peace initiatives. However, there are significant challenges in the way of advancing peace negotiations. Russia, under Putin, insists that Ukraine must give up its bid to join NATO and accept Russian sovereignty over four annexed regions. On the other hand, Ukraine demands a full withdrawal of Russian forces from its territory including the regions it has annexed as a requirement for beginning any talks. Nonetheless, indications suggest that dialogue between Russia and Ukraine is possible. The evolution of this conflict will hinge on two main factors: 1) China’s diplomatic role and 2) the results of the US elections. In the short term, we will have to wait and see how things evolve.
Nevertheless, one thing is quite clear that China is becoming a key venue for countries looking for peaceful solutions to their problems such as conflict and instability. In a nutshell, expectations for China to address and resolve complex regional issues are rising. Moreover, if we look at China’s diplomatic efforts worldwide, it is trying to establish itself as a key player in settling regional and international disputes. It is actively looking for diplomatic solutions to its own regional problems in addition to participating in the resolution of global conflicts like the war in Gaza and Ukraine. It is engaged in efforts to resolve disputes in the South China Sea (SCS) with the Philippines and at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India. China’s approach extends beyond mediating others conflicts and shows a strong belief in and preference for its own diplomatic strategies and conduct.
