Chen Xiaodong, China's vice minister of foreign affairs, speaks on Thursday at a panel discussion at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024. [Photo/ Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

The pressing need of the international community to maintain peace and prevent conflicts is being addressed by the Global Security Initiative, or GSI, which provides feasible solutions to complex security challenges, observers have said.

Current major issues, including the conflict in the Middle East and rising tension in the Red Sea, have shown that the path to world peace and security remains long and arduous, said Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Chen Xiaodong.

The GSI proposed by China is committed to resolving conflicts and differences, and seeking solutions for people suffering because of those situations, Chen said during a panel discussion at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024.

The goal of the initiative is to respect each and every country, and to ensure the security of nations, instead of seeking dominance in international security affairs or asking others to pick sides, he said.

Chen said more and more countries have realized that the GSI is not China's tool in geopolitical contests, but an international public good from which all parties can benefit.

The GSI does not seek to build a "small yard and high fence", nor does it target or exclude any particular country, he said.

"We welcome all interested countries to the GSI and support all efforts conducive to global peace and stability with an open mind," he added.

Sarybay Kairat, secretary-general of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, or CICA, said the GSI is conducive to handling conflicts between countries, and a cornerstone in promoting trust and dialogue.

During this challenging time, the initiative offers a compelling and realistic framework for resolving disputes between nations through peaceful dialogue, and under the current circumstances of geopolitical fraction, multilateralism and inclusiveness stand as the only viable pathways toward peace and stability, he said.

"I strongly believe that the synergy between CICA objectives and GSI goals can foster a safer, more prosperous and interconnected world by addressing common challenges through collective action and dialogue," he said.

Zhang Ming, secretary-general of the Shanghai Security Cooperation, or SCO, said the GSI philosophy is highly consistent with the spirit and principles of the SCO, which has injected impetus into the organization's efforts to uphold regional peace and stability and in promoting political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues.

The SCO is ready to work with like-minded friends to promote traditional and non-traditional responses to security challenges in the spirit of the GSI, so as to promote the development of a more just and equitable international order and safeguard world and regional peace and security, he said.