September has been a busy month for Chinese diplomacy. As world leaders prepared to gather for the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from September 18 to 26, China engaged in a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings with key nations around the world. State visits from Zambia and Cambodia strengthened cooperation between China and its African and Asian partners. China also played a significant role in the Summit of the Group of 77 and China and the 8th Eastern Economic Forum, both of which provide Global South countries with 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 clearly demonstrated that the world is increasingly divided between a few countries seeking a unipolar world and the vast majority pursuing a more democratic, multipolar arrangement. The United States, as the leader of the unipolar order, focused on promoting its policies in Ukraine. Western mainstream media highlighted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s plea for global support against Russia and U.S. President Joe Biden’s attempts to frame policies 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. These are critical principles in the development of a multipolar world that only find relevance when applied in practice. While President Joe Biden claims that his administration is pursuing multilateralism, it has engaged in unilateral sanctions and military actions around the world. Indeed, Russia, Venezuela, and Syria are among the most sanctioned countries globally and have faced various forms 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 starting September 8, where the two countries upgraded their ties to an “all-weather” strategic partnership. On September 21, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began his state visit to China, leading to the joint announcement of the China-Syria strategic partnership. These diplomatic advances 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 have failed.
Although China has repeatedly affirmed that its ties with other nations do not target any third country, it is evident that the prevailing U.S. foreign policy strategy focuses on “strategic competition” with China and Russia. China is navigating a world order where U.S. foreign policy endeavors are directed toward its containment. U.S. political leaders and mainstream media often claim that Chinese foreign policy has provoked U.S. military involvement and economic sanctions in Asia and beyond. Yet China has consistently demonstrated its commitment to steering relations with the U.S. on the right course. For instance, 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.
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China's diplomacy injects vitality into the multipolar world
cgtn.com
