Secure neighboring nations in turmoil
- Source: Global Times
- [01:30 August 31 2009]
- Comments
China is facing a tough dilemma as the situation in neighboring Myanmar continues unfolding unpredictably. The ruling military government is battling the local authority in the Kokang region, and the crisis has reportedly forced tens of thousands of residents along the Myanmar-China border into China.
China's efforts have been limited to securing the border area. More armed police have been deployed along the border with Myanmar to prevent the conflict from spilling into China, though this measure did not prevent a shell from landing on the Chinese side and killing one person Friday.
Gunfire is ringing out close by at a time when the memory of war has largely faded from the Chinese people's mind. Events along the southwestern border are a good reminder that China must strengthen its role in stabilizing its neighbors during emergencies.
Of the 14 countries bordering China by land and the six bordering it by sea, some are currently ruled by unpopular governments that have employed extreme means to maintain power.
A few others are undergoing transition, and are governed by weak governments that are not able to maintain their rule when things start getting out of control.
Unequal economic development also has intensified religous and ethnic conflicts in some countries, resulting in social instability.
China's chaotic and disorderly neighboring countries pose a great risk to its open borderlines. In some extreme cases, their impact could be disastrous.
China has long followed a principle of peaceful coexistence and adopted a diplomatic approach centered on non-interference. While this remains, a pressing question is, when a neighboring country is in turmoil, how can China seek a diplomatic solution to stabilize the situation without changing the existing regime?
A good start is to foresee such situations before they happen and come up with a preemptive defensive plan, as some experts have suggested. China should not wait until nightmarish possibilities have become a reality. Better coordination among various government agencies, including the foreign affairs department and border security agencies, is necessary.
A special envoy is an effective way to talk to state heads of diplomatic hotspots to initiate negotiations or broker a deal. China played an important role in Darfur, Sudan with its envoy diplomacy.
In extreme cases, it can also initiate a peace-keeping mission by the UN Security Council to resolve the issue.
A major Asian power, China should push forward regional economic integration and a multilateral security mechanism as important components of its approach to dissipating conflict and maintaining stability.
Security experts also suggest China design individual security emergency response mechanisms for four of its major neighboring regions: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Central Asia.
Secure border regions are critical to China's continued growth. As a responsible regional power, China should go beyond offering economic cooperation to its neighbors and extend security assistance as well.
