It takes two to tango

Building a community with a shared responsibility for human security between China and the US will help build a global community with a shared future

The cooperation and competition between China and the United States in various sectors ultimately reflect their security relations.

The interaction and crisis management mechanisms between the two nations in traditional security domains, including geopolitical security, economic security, and international security, can only enable both sides to maintain a fragile balance in their security relations, and there is no guarantee that they will not escalate out of control.

Beijing and Washington should therefore make long-term efforts to broaden their perspective on security relations and promote the building of a community with a shared security responsibility for mankind.

The dilemma facing traditional security relations between China and the US is evident. In terms of geopolitical issues, the US, driven by a strategy of balancing power in the Atlantic and Pacific and fueled by the fear of China's rise and ideological differences, has employed a strategy of containment and encirclement by leveraging geopolitical tensions and collaborating with regional allies. As for economic and trade relations, the economic cooperation between the two countries has been confronted with challenges in political and security issues, ranging from a trade war to a tech war. In international security, there are differences in their positions on major geopolitical events such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Palestine conflict, and their consensus and coordinated actions in global governance have dwindled.

To break free from challenges in their traditional security relations, it is necessary for both sides to focus on higher dimensions, seeking more common ground in human security and expanding the space for interaction. Beyond the traditional challenges such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, major ecological challenges resulting from nuclear wastewater discharge, and humanitarian crises arising from local conflicts, have made the concept of human security, as outlined in the United Nations' Human Development Report 1994, even more relevant. In this new international environment, safeguarding human security, which includes political security, personal security, environmental security, food security, health security, economic security and community security, requires the international community, particularly the two major countries, to go beyond traditional notions and work toward the betterment of global human security while promoting the positive development of their own international relations.

China and the US have a responsibility and the ability to jointly safeguard human security. Threats to human security, such as climate change, the escalation of geopolitical conflicts, the risk of uncontrolled use of weapons of mass destruction, cybersecurity, ethical risks related to artificial intelligence and biotechnology and crimes against humanity, pose potential dangers far greater than the security threats that stem from conflicts in their real interests. Addressing these common security threats necessitates building a sense of shared responsibility between China and the US and establishing mechanisms for joint responsibility. Both countries, with their mature political systems, strong organizational and mobilization capabilities and leading strength in advanced technologies and culture, play pivotal roles in global governance.

This provides a realistic basis for their cooperation over human security. In fact, both countries have conducted positive interactions in areas such as climate change, marine conservation, and public health, indicating the potential for consensus on human security.

Sino-US cooperation in the field of human security is still far from reaching a scope and level that matches the importance of this issue. The two sides have yet to establish a dialogue and negotiation mechanism for human security, and the academic community needs to delve deeper into this issue. In the face of uncertainties and challenges in traditional security cooperation, it is important for both countries to promote in-depth dialogue and cooperation from the perspective of their shared responsibility for human security.

It is necessary to incorporate the theme of human security into the bilateral diplomatic security dialogue mechanism. The China-US diplomatic security dialogue mechanism, first established in 2017, is a significant initiative. It is necessary to include the shared responsibility for human security community as a regular topic into this mechanism and invite leading scholars on human security into the discussions to promote the establishment of relevant cooperation mechanisms.

Efforts should be made to solidify the economic foundation of China-US cooperation in human security. Human security encompasses the most fundamental security needs of humanity, and these needs drive supply. This logic provides ample space for mutual interaction between the two countries in the economic and financial sectors regarding human security. For example, both countries can engage in more pragmatic cooperation in areas such as infrastructure financing related to human security, food and healthcare products, large-scale disaster insurance, and personal insurance.

It is important to build up awareness of the need for a community with a shared responsibility for human security among the public. It is necessary to strengthen nongovernmental dialogues on security concepts and cooperation, organize exchanges at various levels, including young students, women's groups, and media organizations, on the issue of the shared responsibility for human security. Additionally, academic disciplines related to human security should be established in universities and research institutions to step up relevant research. By maximizing consensus on the shared responsibility for human security, the public support for building a community with a shared responsibility for human security can be strengthened, which could enable both governments to give more consideration to human security factors when formulating security policies.

The cooperation in human security governance within international organizations and global governance should be invigorated. China and the US should work together and play a leading role in addressing various international challenges in the field of human security, including those faced by international organizations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Labor Organization, and UNESCO.

It is imperative to strengthen cooperation in human security with a broader range of countries. Human security is not only a concern for China and the US, but also for the broader international community. It is necessary to strengthen dialogue, research, and cooperation in the field of human security with other countries, finding like-minded partners. For example, topics related to human security could be introduced within frameworks like the Belt and Road Initiative and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to explore governance approaches for cybersecurity, climate change, space and technological security and establish relevant cooperation mechanisms. The establishment of a thematic forum on the shared responsibility for human security will help maximize international consensus and enable breakthroughs in the field of human security.

However, Sino-US cooperation over human security and working toward the building of a community with a shared responsibility for human security is bound to be a complex and challenging process. The biggest obstacle is the tendency to overstretch, politicize and ideologize issues related to universal human security from the perspective of unilateral interests. It is impossible to isolate human security issues from national security, and it is also important to recognize that such issues go beyond political and national domains to some extent. Therefore, building a community with a shared responsibility for human security between China and the US will help to break free from the challenges facing the two nations in their traditional security relations while opening up new chapters and channels for security interaction. This will help guide the positive development of China-US relations toward the building of a global community with a shared future.

The author is head of college English teaching and research team at the University of International Relations. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.