南华早报 评论

作者

王辉耀 | 全球化智库创始人

随着全球冲突持续升温,中国作为调解人的角色日益凸显。其强大的经济影响力和广泛的外交网络为促进对话提供了独特优势。最近,乌克兰外长库列巴在广州与中国外长王毅会晤,就是一个显著例证。会谈中,王毅重申了中国推动俄乌战争政治解决的承诺,这一立场得到了库列巴的积极回应。

中国之所以能够在国际舞台上发挥独特作用,很大程度上源于其雄厚的经济实力和广泛的外交网络。在广州会谈中,王毅强调了中国作为乌克兰最大贸易伙伴的地位。根据中国海关数据,去年两国双边贸易额高达68.1亿美元。王毅还指出,中国不仅是乌克兰农产品的主要进口国,乌克兰还是“一带一路”倡议的早期参与国。

库列巴也指出了双边关系的重要性,称两国不仅是战略伙伴,更是重要的经贸伙伴。随着俄乌冲突的持续,乌克兰越来越重视中国的影响力。凭借在基础设施建设方面的专长,中国有望在乌克兰的战后重建中发挥关键作用。

同时,中国作为俄罗斯最大贸易伙伴的地位(去年双边贸易额升至2401亿美元)进一步巩固了其作为潜在中立调解人的独特角色。这种与冲突双方的经济相互依存关系赋予了中国其他国家难以企及的影响力。

中国的调解能力已在多个国际热点问题上得到验证。去年,在中国的斡旋下,沙特和伊朗实现关系正常化, 作为两国的主要贸易伙伴和最大石油买家,中国拥有举足轻重的影响力。这种经济影响力还得到重大双边协议的支撑：2021年与伊朗达成的25年合作协议,以及2022年与沙特阿拉伯加强的全面战略伙伴关系。

中国与这些中东大国的深厚经济纽带为推动它们和解提供了契机和动力。作为以色列第三大贸易伙伴,去年双边贸易额达145亿美元,中国有望在推动加沙危机和平解决方面发挥重要作用,为传统外交失效的情况下开辟新的对话渠道。

此外,中国在联合国安理会的常任理事国席位已成为其日益增长的外交影响力的基石,尤其体现在推动全球冲突多边解决方案方面。在乌克兰和加沙冲突爆发后,王毅提议召开高级别国际会议来解决危机,体现了中国的积极态度。这一方法今年早些时候就取得了成果, 中国积极推动巴勒斯坦内部和解,促成了《北京宣言》的达成, 为中东和平进程开辟了新的对话渠道。

在乌克兰危机和加沙冲突等重大国际问题上,中国多次呼吁召开高级别国际会议,推动和平谈判。中国常驻联合国代表傅聪在今年7月的安理会审议时重申了北京的立场,强调了和平谈判和政治解决的必要性。

值得一提的是,30多年来,中国已成为联合国维和行动的主要出兵国,提供的维和人员数量超过安理会其他常任理事国的总和,并成为这些行动的第二大财政支持者。这些实际行动有力地重塑了中国的国际形象,彰显了中国作为世界大国的责任担当。

更为重要的是,中国的国际外交方式深深植根于其独特的历史经验和外交政策原则。中国无殖民历史,近代也未曾发动侵略性军事行动,这为其在全球舞台上赢得了可信度。这一立场集中体现在"和平共处五项原则"中,强调通过对话协商而非武力侵略来解决国际争端。

中国坚持不干涉他国内政的政策为国际关系提供了一种有别于干预主义的新范式,获得了广泛支持,尤其在发展中国家中备受推崇。随着中国全球利益的拓展及其经济军事实力的增强,中国继续倡导和平共处和不干涉原则。摆脱冷战思维的束缚,中国将自身定位为全球事务中的中立调解者——这是中国在当今复杂地缘政治格局中日益凸显的角色。

此外,中国的外交努力还延伸至广大发展中国家,最近中国与巴西就乌克兰危机达成的共识就是明证。双方提出的六点建议概述了关键的降级原则,包括不扩大战场、不升级冲突、各方避免挑衅。值得注意的是,建议还提出召开国际和平会议,时间由俄罗斯和乌克兰双方商定,以确保各方平等参与并公平讨论所有和平方案。

这一趋势在去年非洲和平代表团访问乌克兰和俄罗斯时也得到了印证。作为金砖国家集团的重要成员,中国积极鼓励发展中国家参与制定和平发展框架。

通过信息共享、金融援助、项目合作和参与国际谈判,北京正在加强与全球南方国家的联系,增强它们在全球和平倡议中的集体声音。

总之,中国在全球冲突解决中的新兴角色充分利用其经济影响力和外交网络,致力于团结不同利益相关者。通过搭建跨越长期分歧的对话平台,北京为和平谈判开辟了新的途径。

中国致力于多边解决方案,积极与各方接触,这使其成为国际维和领域潜在的变革力量。这种方法不仅推进了中国的外交利益,也彰显了其人类命运共同体的愿景,有望在未来几年重塑全球冲突解决的格局。

文章选自南华早报，2024年8月16日

Wang Huiyao: Why China is becoming a top choice mediator for global conflicts

Illustration: Stephen Case

SCMP Op-Ed

■ China's economic influence, diplomatic connections and commitment to multilateral solutions makes it a potentially transformative force for peace.

By Wang Huiyao | Founder of

the Center for China and Globalization(CCG)

As global conflicts simmer, China’s role as a mediator is gaining prominence, with its economic influence and diplomatic connections helping it to foster dialogue. Last month, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Guangzhou. During their talks, Wang reiterated China’s commitment to promoting a political resolution to the Russian war on Ukraine, a stance that received a positive response from Kuleba.

China’s significant influence largely stems from its economic connections with the conflicting parties. During the Guangzhou talks, Wang emphasised China’s role as Ukraine’s largest trading partner. According to Chinese customs, bilateral trade was at US$6.81 billion last year. Wang also pointed out China’s position as the primary importer of Ukrainian agricultural products and underscored Ukraine’s early participation in the Belt and Road Initiative.

On his part, Kuleba acknowledged the importance of the bilateral relationship, calling the two not just strategic partners but also important economic and trade partners. As the conflict in Ukraine grinds on, Kyiv appears to see Beijing’s influence as increasingly vital. China, with its infrastructure expertise, could play a significant role in Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction.

At the same time, China’s position as Russia’s top trading partner, with bilateral trade rising to US$240.1 billion last year, further solidifies its unique role as a potential neutral mediator. This economic interdependence with both nations gives China leverage that few other countries can match.

China’s economic diplomacy scored a notable success a year ago when it brokered the restoration of ties between long-standing rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. As a major trading partner and the largest oil customer of both nations, China wielded significant influence. This economic leverage was bolstered by major bilateral agreements: a 25-year cooperation deal with Iran reached in 2021 and a strengthening of its comprehensive strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia in 2022.

China’s deep economic ties with these Middle Eastern powers provided both the means and the motivation to push for their reconciliation. As Israel’s third-largest trading partner, and with bilateral trade volume reaching US$14.5 billion last year, China can also – I have reason to believe – play a significant role in promoting a peaceful resolution to the Gaza crisis, potentially offering a path to dialogue where traditional diplomacy has faltered.

Furthermore, China’s seat on the UN Security Council has become a cornerstone of its growing diplomatic influence, particularly in its push for multilateral solutions to global conflicts. After the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza broke out, Wang proposed high-level international conferences to address the crises.

This approach bore fruit earlier this year when rival Palestinian factions came together for the Beijing Declaration, a rare moment of unity brokered through Chinese diplomacy. Days later, on July 25, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Fu Cong reiterated Beijing’s stance on the Ukraine war during a Security Council review, emphasising the need for peace talks and a political resolution.

Over three decades, China has grown to become a major contributor of troops in UN peacekeeping operations, providing more peacekeepers than all the other UN Security Council permanent members combined, and is the second-largest financial backer of these operations. These commitments have helped to reshape China’s international image, portraying it as a nation dedicated to global peace and respect for sovereignty, unlike its once isolationist stance.

More importantly, China’s approach to international diplomacy is deeply rooted in its historical narrative and foreign policy principles. China doesn’t have a colonial past and has not engaged in invasive military campaigns in recent history, which serves as a foundation for its credibility on the global stage. This stance, encapsulated in its “Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence”, emphasises dialogue and consultation over force and aggression in resolving international disputes.

China’s policy of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, offering an alternative to interventionist approaches, has gained significant support, particularly among developing nations. As China’s global interests expand alongside its economic and military capabilities, it continues to advocate for peaceful coexistence and non-intervention. Free from Cold War-era alliance constraints, China positions itself as a neutral mediator in global affairs – a role it increasingly embraces in today’s complex geopolitical landscape.

In addition, China’s diplomatic efforts extend to developing nations, as evidenced by the recent China-Brazil consensus on the Ukraine crisis. Their six-point proposal outlines key de-escalation principles, including no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting, and no provocation by any party. Significantly, it proposes an international peace conference, to be held at a time agreeable to both Russia and Ukraine, ensuring equal participation and fair discussion of all peace plans.

This trend was also underscored last year when an African peace delegation visited Ukraine and Russia. As a member of the Brics bloc (original members include Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa), China encourages developing countries to join in the fostering of peaceful development frameworks.

Through sharing information, financial aid, project collaboration and participation in international negotiations, Beijing is strengthening its ties with the Global South, amplifying the collective voice in global peace initiatives.

In conclusion, China’s emerging role in global conflict resolution leverages its economic influence and diplomatic reach to unite diverse stakeholders. By creating dialogue platforms that bridge long-standing divides, Beijing offers a fresh approach to peace negotiations.

China’s commitment to multilateral solutions and engagement with all parties positions it as a potentially transformative force in international peacekeeping. This approach not only advances China’s diplomatic interests but also reflects its vision of a shared future for humanity, potentially reshaping the landscape of global conflict resolution in the years to come.

From SCMP， 2024-8-16