By Frauke Heidemann, Patrick Renz & Vasilis Trigkas
The four major takeaways from a recent Track 1.5 diplomatic forum hosted by Tsinghua University.
On June 21-22, the World Peace Forum (WPF) took place at Tsinghua University in Beijing. The forum, conceived by Yan Xuetong, a Tsinghua professor and one of China’s most influential international relations scholars, reached its third anniversary under the theme “In Pursuit of Common Security: Peace, Mutual Trust, and Responsibility.”
Compared to 2012 and 2013, the security environment surrounding a “rising diva” like China has become more intense, including both spirited words and deeds by participating states. This includes China’s declaration of an Air Defense Identification Zone, tensions with Vietnam and the heated exchange between U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and the Deputy Chief of the PLA, Lieutenant General Wang Guanzhong, at the Shangri-La Dialogue. As Russia and the West clash over Ukraine, there is a burgeoning realignment between Moscow and Beijing with immense strategic implications for the “global order.” For all these new dynamics, the major debates of the 3rd WPF offer insights on the current foreign policy concerns as well as the strategies that Beijing, Washington, Moscow, Tokyo and other influential actors are pursuing. Four key areas took center stage at WPF this year.
Read the full story at The Diplomat