PREAMBLE
China-brokered détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia raised hope on easing of tension in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Many a MENA expert gives the opinion as to why China-led multilateral organizations and initiatives are increasingly becoming attractive platforms for Middle Eastern countries.
Though Professor Liu Zhongmin -with the Middle East Studies Institute (MESI) at the Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) - is of the opinion that “The US continues to wield the most powerful and diverse force and means to influence the Middle East, both in terms of hard and soft power".
Excerpts from Liu’s impression was first published in his column for The Paper 澎湃 on August 29, 2023, reproduced below:
“The report of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress points out that it is necessary to strengthen the capacity building of China's international communication, and comprehensively enhance its effectiveness. The goal it set to achieve is international discourse power 话语权 that is commensurate with China's comprehensive national strength and international status.
“General Secretary Xi Jinping has always placed a high value on China's international discourse power capacity building in the new era, emphasizing that ‘the fight for international discourse power is a major issue that we must properly resolve.’
“We can see from this that developing China's international discourse power is both a necessary and an urgent task. It is a critical systematic undertaking and a long-term project with implications for China's national ‘soft power’ and the shaping of its national image, as well as the external public opinion environment required for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
“The most crucial factor influencing the capacity building of international discourse power is the formulation of a set of theories that are both ambitious in design 宏大格局 and visionary in strategy 战略远见; they should be distinguished by philosophical deliberation 哲学思考 and founded on cultural heritage 文化积淀; they must have a clear and comprehensive logical framework, as well as a simple and vivid theoretical character that is oriented toward praxis 实践 [praxis in the Marxist sense is defined as “the fusion of theory and practice aimed at furthering a social revolution.”]
“They are both endowed with Chinese characteristics and are easily received by people from all over the world, serving as an ideological and theoretical guide for the future as well as a reference for the times. This is critical to our ability to persuade 说服, influence 影响, and guide 引导 people in a profound and lasting way in the international arena.
“In this regard, General Secretary Xi Jinping's important core concept of promoting the creation of a Community with a Shared Destiny for Mankind, as well as the theoretical system built around it, have historically played an important role.
“Since its inception [in 2013], the CPC has placed a premium on unity 联合 and has proven adept at uniting all forces that can be united 团结一切可团结的力量.
“The concept of a Community with a Shared Destiny for Mankind is based on the ideological essence of Marxism; it is rooted in the fertile soil of China's excellent traditional culture and inherits and propagates New China's diplomatic traditions and philosophies; it takes the moral high ground of human development and progress, shedding light on the interdependence of all countries around the world, and the objective law that human destinies are inextricably linked; it is a reflection of humanity's shared values 共同价值 [as opposed to “universal values”] and a means for us to find a common denominator in the making of a better world.
“With its ambitious design and succinct message, this important concept answers the question of the times [as posed by Xi Jinping], "Where is humanity going?"
“It possesses the moral power to speak directly to the hearts of the people and serves as an extremely important ideological weapon and spiritual banner for realizing China's historic expansion of its international discourse power. In doing so, it encourages the broadest possible level of unity among the global populace.
“The concept of building a Community with a Shared Destiny for Mankind is based on the overarching goal of creating a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and tolerance, and a world that is clean and beautiful.
“This concept reflects the Communist Party of China's (CPC) ability, courage, and commitment to transcend conventional theories of international relations and creatively construct a new theoretical system for the entire world.
“It embodies the historical initiative to lead in practice, guide the times, and usher in the future through theoretical innovation and ideological creativity, in order to fully realize China's right to international discourse power. It has thus provided strong theoretical support as well as a practical path that ensures that peace-loving people all over the world who want to develop together will seize the initiative of historical development.
“Ever since the New Era began, China has been getting closer to the center of the world stage and attracting greater interest. The concept of building a Community with a Shared Destiny for Mankind not only has distinctive Chinese characteristics, but it also embodies the common values of humanity.
“It emphasizes that we're all in the same boat 同舟共济 and must work together to achieve global prosperity and development. Moreover, it is a reflection of China's open-mindedness in integrating its own development with the common development of the rest of the world.
“In the ten years since the concept was proposed, particularly since the outbreak of COVID-19, people from all over the world have come to appreciate the true essence of this Thought/ideology 思想, and have felt the majestic force 磅礴力量 of this message.
“General Secretary Xi Jinping has clearly stipulated that we should hoist the banner of a Community with a Shared Destiny for Mankind, rely on the vivid practice of China's development, and build on more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to comprehensively expound China's outlooks 观 on development, civilization, security, human rights, ecology, the international order, and global governance.
“By adhering to these principles, we will be able to develop means of expression and a narrative system that integrates China with the rest of the world while remaining true to both our nation and the times 兼具民族性和时代性的.
“It will help us shape and spread China's image as a responsible major power committed to peaceful development, common development, international justice, and contributing to humanity. It can further help shape and disseminate the image of China as a socialist major power that is more open to the outside world, approachable 亲和力, full of hope and vitality.”
source: CSSN