Conflict prevention in the 21st century
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 4, 2016
China and the UK in Central Asia
On 9 September the CPWG took part in a seminar co-hosted by Saferworld and the IISS, which addressed the involvement of both China and the UK in Central Asia, with the objective of identifying avenues of potential collaboration in conflict prevention in the region. The seminar enabled discussion to take a more practical approach and build upon the largely theoretical approaches to conflict prevention discussed in the workshop. It commenced with presentations addressing the lessons learnt from previous stabilization and conflict prevention approaches in Afghanistan. The instability in Afghanistan is an issue that China is increasingly wary of, as evidenced by the appointment of a special envoy for Afghanistan in July 2014. Afghanistan therefore provides a useful case study for the CPWG as China potentially looks to play a more prominent role in future conflict prevention activities in the region. After introducing the role of the West and the challenges it faced in its counterinsurgency and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan, questions were raised for debate. These addressed:
• whether China can leverage the benefits of the West's investment in security and help Afghanistan move to the next stage of recovery
• whether China will be willing to focus on addressing the root causes of conflict
• if this is an area in which intelligence and military co-operation between China and major western stakeholders might be possible – and if so what barriers would need to be overcome
The debate was then broadened from Afghanistan to the wider Central Asia region, during which participants highlighted the changing geopolitical positions and strategies for both Russia and China within the region. Some of the security challenges facing the region were discussed, as was the issue of how China has, until recently, prioritized economic development over security in the region, particularly with the Heart of Asia and the Silk Road projects. The session concluded with emphasis on China's expanding presence in Central Asian states. Chinese engagement, it was argued, needs to adopt a conflict-sensitive approach in order to prevent or exacerbate conflict.
The UK's Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS)
The CPWG also attended a meeting with the UK Government's Stabilization Unit and DFID as a means of better understanding the UK's approach to conflict prevention. The meeting summarized the roles of both departments in the planning and/or operationalization of the UK's conflict prevention policies and practices, including the cross-departmental BSOS, which lies at the core of UK policy.
The potential for China-UK cooperation was discussed, and there was consensus that this could prove to be beneficial for both countries, to support wider international peace and stability. It was suggested that the integrated approach utilized in British policies on conflict prevention should not be limited to one government, and that pooling more resources would facilitate understanding of the responses, resources and thoughts of others within the international community.
A meeting was also held with the Conflict Department of the FCO on 10 September, in order to explain the role of the FCO in the UK's approach to conflict prevention, and what changes will occur as a result of the transition away from the CSSF. In addition to highlighting the role of the Conflict Department in the streams of peacekeeping, peace building, protection of civilians and business and armed conflict, the meeting addressed some of the challenges faced by the UK and other international actors. This includes the question of how institutions can best act on early warning. The UK, for example, operates a 'countries at risk of instability' index, which the National Security Council uses alongside individual country analyses to determine which countries should be considered to be priorities for UK conflict prevention activities. By providing more comprehensive country strategies, as the UK is beginning to do, it is hoped that more rigor will be brought to early warning work. However, the challenge remains for the UK, and indeed for all governments and multilateral institutions, of how to best translate such analysis into effective action. This is an issue which will be explored in more depth later in the project.
UK-China conflict prevention partnership on conflict prevention in Africa
The CPWG also attended a seminar co-hosted by Saferworld and the RUSI. This seminar highlighted potential avenues for China-UK cooperation in conflict prevention in Africa, through the lenses of peacekeeping and organized crime. It explored China's evolving position on international peacekeeping and its more flexible interpretation of the principle of non-intervention. The seminar opened with a presentation on key trends in peacekeeping reform, and the increasing trend towards cooperation between states and through international organizations. It was argued that continued China UK cooperation in peacekeeping is very much needed. One participant proposed that China's increasing contributions to peace-keeping point to the country's transition from a cautious supporter of peace operations to assertive support. It was also suggested that the UK encourages China's efforts in peacekeeping, particularly in Sudan. One participant maintained that the British will provide support to China where requested (including by sharing their experiences of dealing with private security companies in conflict-affected states) and that the UK also has a lot of lessons to learn from China.
The second session addressed the issue of organized crime in Africa, a major impediment to security and stability. It explored potential avenues for expanding police cooperation between China and the UK in Africa to combat organized crime and therefore contribute to the building of a more secure Africa. One participant argued that China is more focused on capacity building rather than on good governance and how law enforcement is a relatively new form of Chinese engagement in Africa. It was mentioned that there are increasing incentives to pool resources and work collaboratively to combat organized crime and prominent issues such as drug trafficking and the illegal trade of wildlife products, but that there is a tendency to 'go it alone', or work bilaterally with countries concerned. There needs to be more discussion on how we can link different priorities to maximize resources, bridge gaps such as those between capacity building and good governance, and coordinate to combat organized crime. This led into a discussion on the role of liaison officers in bridging the gaps between law enforcement agencies of different countries, and some of the challenges that they face. A concluding remark reflected that as two leading powers in the world, China and the UK should expand upon their law enforcement cooperation in order to meet new challenges. This will be discussed in more detail at future CPWG meetings.
Future prospects
The next workshop will focus on the issue of crisis response as a form of conflict prevention, and will take place in Beijing in November 2014. It will complement a high-level policy seminar on 'Crisis Diplomacy: The experience of Sudan and South Sudan'. The objective of this high-level policy seminar, to be co-hosted by Saferworld and the SIIS, is to have a mutual exchange of lessons learned from Chinese and wider international engagement with Sudan and South Sudan in recent years. More specifically, the seminar will address the current priorities, challenges and opportunities in international support for both a viable and stable Sudan and South Sudan, as well as stable and mutually benefiting relations between the Sudans.
In addition to adding insight into key policy developments, the event will seek to identify practical next steps for cooperation and collaboration among the international community moving forward. Side workshops and roundtables will accompany the seminar. A briefing paper on crisis response to be co-authored by two members of the CPWG will also be produced.
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