Recently, Esprit de Corps Magazine published a byline article THE WAY FORWARD: China's Global Security Initiative by the Chinese Ambassador to Canada, H. E. CONG Peiwu. Here is the full text:

A year ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative（GSI）, calling on countries to adapt to the profoundly changing international landscape in the spirit of solidarity, and address the complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset. This initiative offers China's reasoned recommendations for advancing peace and development to create a global community with a shared future for humankind. To date, over 80 countries and regional organizations have expressed their appreciation and support for the GSI initiative.

The GSI is underpinned by "six commitments", namely, staying committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; staying committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; staying committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter; staying committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously; staying committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation; and staying committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains.

In February this year, the GSI Concept Paper was released by China. In this detailed concept paper, China identified the priorities, platforms and methods of cooperation. It demonstrated China’s sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and their resolve to defend global security. The concept paper lays out 20 priorities of cooperation, all of which are highly action-oriented. These 20 priorities could also be summarized as upholding the UN’s central role in security governance; promoting coordination and sound interactions among major countries; facilitating the peaceful settlement of hotspot issues through dialogue; tackling traditional and non-traditional security challenges; and strengthening the system and capacity for global security governance. China is willing to join hands with the international community, including Canada, in order to work together to help make the world safer.

The GSI encourages diplomacy as the proper conduit to achieve regional and international peace and security. Not long ago, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran issued a Joint Trilateral Statement–wherein Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to: resume diplomatic relations and cooperate with one another; abide by the principles of the UN Charter, resolve their disagreements peacefully, respect others' sovereignty and refrain from meddling in other nations' internal affairs. All three countries are keen to work together in order to enhance regional and international peace and security.

In this March, President Xi Jinping visited Russia. At present, the situation unseen in a century is evolving at a faster pace, and the world has entered a new period of instability and transformation. China and Russia are permanent members of the UN Security Council and major countries, and the significance and influence of the China-Russia relationship go far beyond the bilateral scope. China has upheld its objective and fair position on the Ukraine crisis and played a constructive role in promoting talks for peace. We maintain that political dialogue is the only resolution for conflicts and disputes. Fanning flames with unilateral sanctions and pressuring selective nations will only fuel the fires of war and make matters worse. 

China, along with many other nations in the world, is not interested in adding to the fire. Instead, China will uphold an objective and fair position on international and regional issues – including the one in Ukraine. Rest assured, the Chinese government will continue to play a constructive role in the political settlement of these issues.