China offers a different path to peace

By Maya Majueran

Lead: While Western powers rely on military alliances and sanctions, China champions peacekeeping, mediation and development, offering a vision of cooperative security rooted in sovereignty and mutual prosperity.

In a world fractured by geopolitical calculations and interventionist policies, the international community faces two divergent visions of global order. While one, championed by the United States and its allies, often relies on military alliances and economic coercion, China is advancing a distinct alternative.

By anchoring its foreign policy in the foundational principles of sovereignty, non-interference and a renewed commitment to the U.N. Charter, Beijing is positioning itself not as a disruptor but as a defender of a more equitable, multipolar world. This vision, which prioritizes dialogue over coercion and development over domination, is finding a receptive audience across the Global South.

The contrast in methodology is stark. Where Washington has frequently resorted to sanctions and military intervention to enforce its will, Beijing consistently advocates for negotiation as a sustainable tool for conflict resolution.

Whether addressing tensions in the South China Sea, the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula or the conflict in Ukraine, China's diplomatic refrain is one of restraint and negotiation. This principled rejection of unilateral coercion resonates powerfully with nations that have historically borne the brunt of such measures, which are often perceived not as instruments of justice but as tools of geopolitical dominance that exacerbate global inequality.

China's commitment to this path is demonstrated not merely in rhetoric but in substantial, tangible contributions to global stability. Its role as the largest troop contributor to United Nations peacekeeping among the five permanent members of the Security Council is both symbolic and profoundly practical.

With up to 2,500 military, police and civilian personnel deployed for U.N. peacekeeping at any given time, Chinese "blue helmets" are integral to missions across Africa and the Middle East. A substantial financial commitment matches this physical presence. As the second-largest funder of U.N. peacekeeping operations, contributing over 15% of the budget, China bears a far greater share of responsibility than other permanent members of the Security Council, such as the U.K. and France. This alignment of resources with principles demonstrates a major country willing to back its words with concrete action.

Beyond its checkbook and troop deployments, China has been a credible and effective diplomatic mediator. Its facilitation of the Iran nuclear negotiations, and more strikingly, its successful brokering of a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, stand as testament to its unique capacity to bridge deep divides.

Beijing's mediating power stems from its non-intrusive posture. Unlike powers that impose preconditions or seek strategic leverage, China approaches dialogue with a focus on neutrality and mutual interest. This approach builds trust, particularly in volatile regions that are critical to global energy and trade stability, proving that a major country can act as a stabilizer rather than a source of further disruption.

China's vision of a community with a shared future for humanity underpins this holistic strategy. Far from being abstract diplomatic rhetoric, this framework coherently links peacekeeping, mediation and economic development into a unified theory: that prosperity is the foundation for lasting peace. China operates on the conviction that poverty and underdevelopment are the primary drivers of conflict. This is where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) becomes a central pillar of its peace-building architecture.

Through the BRI, China is channeling historic levels of investment into infrastructure, energy and connectivity across the developing world. These projects — which often include technology transfer and skills training — aim to empower nations to modernize their economies on their own terms. This model of engagement contrasts sharply with conditional Western aid that often breeds dependency, offering what many see as genuine empowerment.

Western powers have too often forced smaller nations into binary choices, compelling them to pick sides in conflicts they did not initiate and imposing sanctions that cause widespread economic hardship. The result is a world of greater polarization and instability, where the interests of major powers routinely override the sovereignty of smaller states.

Ultimately, China's vision presents a clear moral and pragmatic alternative. Its different path, centered on respect for sovereignty, developmental partnership and inclusive dialogue, offers a way out of the Western coercive trap. By combining substantial peacekeeping contributions with proactive diplomacy and a deeply held belief that shared prosperity is the key to security, Beijing projects itself as a responsible stakeholder that seeks to strengthen the international order from within.

For a world weary of confrontation, this vision of cooperative security and a shared future stands as a compelling and necessary alternative.

Maya Majueran is the founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka (BRISL), a pioneering organization dedicated to research, dialogue and engagement on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Alongside his leadership role, Maya is a researcher and commentator on international relations, economics, and geopolitics, with a particular focus on Asia and the evolving role of the Global South in world affairs. He is a committed advocate for a multipolar world order and for strengthening the Global South's voice in shaping international systems and advancing economic integration.