Bringing the global governance system established after WWII to cater for the needs of multi-polarity, increased interconnectivity and interdependence is one of the most crucial issues facing the present-day world. The opening of new frontiers like outer space, cyber space, deep sea and Polar Regions coupled with various climate change issues are posing additional challenges. Followed by the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, China’s emergence as the leading global power is viewed as the second most significant geopolitical event of recent times. However, the other side of the coin reflects a different picture altogether.
Visibly unnerved by the military tensions in the Himalayan border, Taiwan and the South China Sea, the US has decided to openly call a spade a spade. In a sharp tactical shift, without mincing words, the US has brought the proverbial cat out of the bag and stepped up efforts to rally allies to formulate a joint course of action to counter China’s rise as the emerging leading global power. The four-pronged strategy seemingly includes a collective endeavour to criticize and embarrass China diplomatically and forcefully target its human rights record, its increasing military power and its trade, economic and development policies. Unlike his predecessor who considered alliances as ‘obsolete’ and whose first official visit as President was to Saudi Arabia, Joe Biden’s first official trip as President was to Europe with the clear aim of rebuilding alliances to primarily safeguard Washington’s present and future vital interests. The formal China-containment drive commenced at the British city of Cornwall on June 11.
The G7 summit was business as usual until China and Russia came under discussion by the leaders of the US, Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada and France. As expected, the leaders of the rich democracies pledged one billion doses for less well-off nations; vowed to take collective actions to address the environmental crisis; and, placed a global minimum tax of at least fifteen per cent on large multinational companies. Overlooking more pressing international issues such as Palestine, Kashmir and Afghanistan, the G7 called for an immediate end to hostilities in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. Demanding Russia to take action against those conducting cyber attacks and an investigation into the use of chemical weapons was just a prelude to what was actually desired.
The G-7 leaders vowed to challenge China’s ‘non-market economic practices’ and to confront its ‘economic abuses’ while asking Beijing to respect human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. In addition, the G7 leaders underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait while encouraging a peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. Last but not least, they remained seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas and strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and increase tensions. Moreover, China was urged to probe into the origins of the ongoing pandemic. President Biden feels it was not yet certain whether or nota bat interfacing with animals and the environment caused Covid-19 or whether it was an experiment gone awry in a laboratory.
In the past, Beijing has repeatedly castigated the outdated imperial mindset of many major powers and has effectively countered what it perceives as attempts by Western powers to contain its development. Sensing the tide, even before the G7 joint communiqué was issued, China had cautioned the G7 leaders that the days when small groups of countries decided the fate of the world were long gone. Subsequently, the G-7 communiqué was dismissed as a deliberate effort of slandering China, arbitrarily interfering in China’s internal affairs and the sinister intentions of a few countries including the United States.
A few days after the G7 summit, thirty NATO leaders including President Biden cautioned the world of a constant security challenge being posed by China to undermine the rules-based global order through its assertive behaviour while expressing concerns over China’s ‘coercive policies’, its use of ‘disinformation’ and modernisation of its armed forces. China was also called upon to uphold its international commitments and to act responsibly in the prevailing international system. On the other hand, the NATO leaders agreed albeit reluctantly to engage China on the alliance’s security interests. Importantly, majority of them were not in favour of any direct confrontation with China or calling it a rival.
China was quick to respond. Terming NATO’s accusations as a misjudgment of the international situation, slander of China’s peaceful development and Cold War mentality, the Chinese Mission to the EU irately asked the NATO to stop exaggerating various forms of the ‘China threat theory’ and not to use China’s legitimate interests and legal rights as excuses for manipulating group politics and artificially creating confrontations.
For years, China has quietly but firmly been following its foreign policy of building a world community with a shared future of over seven billion people of the world. From signing agreements with over eighty countries on its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for better inter-state connectivity to setting up of multilateral financial institutions like the Silk Road Fund, China-UN Peace and Development Fund, South-South Climate Cooperation Fund, pouring in billions of dollars in its space programme, promoting peace and upholding stability in the Korean Peninsula, South Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria to bringing sanity in the United Nations, China has emerged as the main contender for managing and enhancing global governance. Hence, it is not surprising if President Biden considers China as America’s ‘main strategic competitor’.
If reforming and enhancing global governance in favour of the human race is a major issue of the present era, China seems a few miles ahead in effectively addressing it. Diligently working on the declaration of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) that ‘the world is undergoing major developments, transformation and adjustment, but peace and development remain the call of our day’, China seems destined to achieve its objectives as its rise as the leading world power is fact-based, well-intentioned and promisingly imminent. In formulating their response to the global governance leadership race, countries like Pakistan may take a lead from this Chinese saying: ‘When eating fruits, remember the tree; when drinking water, remember the source.’