中文
By Danny Haiphong
September has been a busy month in Chinese diplomacy. As world leaders prepared to gather for the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA) on September 18-26, China participated in a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with key nations around the world. Head-of-state visits from Zambia and Cambodia strengthened cooperation between China and its African and Asian partners. China also played an important role in the Summit of the Group of 77 and China and the 8th Eastern Economic Forum, both of which give Global South countries an important voice in all spheres of development. However, of particular importance were high-level meetings China held with Venezuela, the United States, Russia, and Syria.
These meetings injected vitality into the multipolar world at a critical juncture in history. This year's UNGA demonstrated clearly that the world is increasingly divided between a few countries that seek a unipolar world and the vast majority pursuing a more democratic, multipolar arrangement. The United States, the leader of the unipolar order, hijacked the UNGA to promote its proxy war in Ukraine. Western mainstream media hyped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plea for global support against Russia and U.S. President Joe Biden's attempt to frame its Cold War policy against Russia and China as exercises in "democracy" and "multilateralism."
In this context, China's successful high-level talks with Venezuela, Russia, and Syria sent an important message that "multilateralism" is more than just rhetoric. They are critical principles in the development of a multipolar world that only find relevance when applied in practice. U.S. President Joe Biden claims that his administration is pursuing multilateralism despite engaging in unilateral sanctions and military provocations all over the world. Indeed, Russia, Venezuela, and Syria are three of the most sanctioned countries in the world and all have faced some form of military and political interference from the United States for at least a decade or more.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited China for six days from September 8 where the two countries upgraded ties to an "all-weather" strategic partnership. On September 21, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also kicked off his state visit to China for fruitful talks that led to the joint announcement of the China-Syria strategic partnership. Diplomatic advances with Venezuela and Syria reinforced China's long-standing opposition to unilateral sanctions and commitment to an inclusive world order. They further underscored how efforts to isolate and divide the Global South, mainly led by the United States, have failed.
Although China has repeatedly affirmed that its ties with other nations do not target any third country, it is no secret that the prevailing U.S. foreign policy strategy of this era is one of "great power" or "strategic competition" with China and Russia. China currently navigates a world order where all U.S. foreign policy endeavors are directed toward its containment. U.S. political leaders and the mainstream media frequently claim that Chinese foreign policy have provoked U.S. military involvement and economic sanctions in Asia and beyond. Yet China has proven time and time again its commitment to steering relations with the U.S. on the right course. That China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Malta from September 16 to 17 to reiterate the importance of adhering to the one-China principle for repairing relations is a case in point.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Malta, September 16, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
Wang Yi followed up his meeting with Sullivan by heading to Russia for the 18th Round of China-Russia Strategic Security Consultation. While in Moscow, Wang met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both sides exchanged views on their commitment to deepening ties and implementing the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership. This included discussion of practical cooperation as well as their responsibilities as major leaders in the development of a multipolar world under important development and security mechanisms such as the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
China's willingness to hold high-level meetings with an "all weather" friend such as Russia directly after the U.S. was yet another positive signal that Chinese diplomacy is not defined by narrow, hegemonic interests but rather, it is geared toward building the foundations of a world order where peaceful development, stability, and mutual benefit can flourish.
China's diplomacy thus injects vitality into a world order mired in significant economic, political, and environmental challenges. The U.S.-led unipolar order thrives off generating chaos and instability through military interventions and sanctions. As China prepares to hold its third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, it is clear that China's diplomacy offers a roadmap for creating an inclusive and multipolar world that benefits all nations rather than the hegemonic interests of a tiny few.
Danny Haiphong, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is an independent journalist and researcher in the United States. He is a contributing editor to the Black Agenda Report, co-editor of Friends of Socialist China, and founding member of the No Cold War international campaign.
