On October 1, 2024, Researcher Zhang Yuan  at Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University published an opinion piece “A better future for humanity cannot be achieved without upholding globalization and multipolarity” in Tehran Times, which reads as follows:

A better future for humanity cannot be achieved without upholding globalization and multipolarity

It should be acknowledged that since the end of the Cold War, globalization, which advocates freedom and people's livelihoods, and multilateralism, which promotes equality and respect, have been conducive to the realization of global justice from the goal to the path. To build a peaceful, prosperous, equal and innovative future for humankind, people-centred globalization and multi-polarization that respects sovereignty and security are in dispensable.

Adherence to globalization is a powerful rebuff of supremacism and narrow developmentalism

Globalization has been in full swing since the 1990s, and with its great quality of openness, it has contributed to the great prosperity of the world economy in the past few decades. All countries have benefited from the process of globalization. The term “globalization” used to imply a warm and romantic spirit of openness and tolerance. Regrettably, anti-globalization, reverse globalization and deglobalization have slowly entered the mainstream discourse of world politics and have even begun to shape the political agenda of some countries.

In particular, some developed countries are no longer willing to share the fruits of development and have deliberately reduced the magnitude of the flows of capital, trade, information and people, disregarding the widening development gap between countries. State-centrism and nationalism, which divides the world, cannot solve global problems or save mankind and future generations. Continuing to adhere to globalization and promoting economic globalization that is beneficial to all and inclusive is the only way to effectively respond to the “supremacism” and “narrow developmentalism” that are blinded by isolationism.

Upholding multipolarity can protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries on a fair and just footing

Multipolarity means that the sovereignty and dignity of all countries do not have to be subordinated to the hegemonic countries, and that developing countries and small and medium-sized countries have more rights in world politics, and that their national interests and rights and interests will not betrampled upon and sacrificed by the hegemonic countries at will. In today's political environment, adherence to multilateralism and multipolarity in the world is first and foremost a matter of respect for the United Nations framework, and United Nations resolutions should be complied with. It is only by adhering to the multipolarity of the world and to the settlement of controversial matters through consultation and negotiation on the platform of multilateralism that the use of violence by hegemony and power to undermine peace and stability can be avoided and limited.

The hegemony-obsessed superpower should be blamed for the current conflict tragedies

The tragedy of recurring wars in many regions of the world is the result of the United States' ever-expanding ambition to project its influence and the implementation of a blindly parochial and failed foreign policy. Even if there are reflective voices within the United States that want the United States to focus more on safeguarding narrowly defined American interests, they are quickly overridden by the sentiment of American supremacy. The U.S. has long been caught in a self-constructed hegemonic disorientation, obsessed with the world order in which the U.S. is absolutely dominant, while those U.S. followers who do not want to bear the full cost of their country's security and defense have contributed to the U.S.'s overly high judgment of its national power.

The U.S. has abandoned the principles of economic liberalism that it promoted at the beginning of the era of globalization, and left behind the concepts of relative interests and interdependence that can lead to cooperation and compromise. Instead, the U.S. equates reasonable trade and commerce activities with challenges to its own world domination, and unilaterally pursues absolute comparative advantages in economy and technological innovation, which will ultimately limit its own development on the line, and also reduce the chances of the world's economic revival and growth.

Only by firmly pursuing national rejuvenation through a path to modernization that is in line with its own national conditions will it be able to enhance its strength in upholding international fairness and justice.

Through a Chinese path to modernization, China has firmly stepped out on a successful development path that is in line with its national conditions, meanwhile, China’s prosperity has created more new opportunities for development in the world. China does not export its ideology and values to shape its foreign policy. China actively delivers the fruits of its development and shares its experience in governance with the world, especially with developing countries. On the issue of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China supports the unity of Arab and Islamic countries in order to bring about lasting peace in the region.

As Special Representative of President Xi Jinping, H.E. Wang Yi said in his statement at the UN Summit of the Future, “Humanity has only one planet Earth to call home, and we belong to the same world community.” It is only through a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization that people can enjoy the fruits of development and countries can achieve common prosperity; it is only through equal and orderly multipolarity that can reject the law of the jungle, and hegemonic practices such as unilateral sanctions can be countered.

People live in the same world community with a shared destiny. When the countries of the world workhand in hand and make concerted efforts to concentrate on development and cooperation, a better tomorrow with universal security, and mutual understanding of civilizations based on respect, prosperity and peace will come.

Source: Tehran Times

(The views expressed in this article are the personal views of the author or the interviewee, and do not represent the position of this research institution)