BEIJING, Oct 24 (APP):As the Middle East lurches from one crisis to the next, most global commentary still revolves around a small circle of major powers. Yet China and Pakistan are quietly putting forward an alternative vision, standing as important voices from the Global South.
In a statement, Prof Cheng Xizhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute, a non-governmental Chinese think-tank on diplomacy and international studies based in Beijing said that Pakistan commands unique credibility throughout the Islamic world. It maintains open, trusted channels with Gulf nations, Iran and a wide range of regional stakeholders.
China, for its part, keeps dialogue open with every party involved, anchored to a straightforward core principle: disputes ought to be resolved through negotiations, not missiles or blockades.
Together, they have backed the five-point initiative for stability in the Middle East, advocating ceasefires, secure maritime shipping routes and full respect for the UN Charter. This is no flashy diplomatic spectacle — it is a pragmatic peace proposal rooted in the realities of developing nations, he added.
What makes this coordination noteworthy is its non-aligned nature. The two countries are not seeking to form a new military bloc. Instead, they fill a meaningful vacuum: many smaller and mid-sized nations yearn for peace but seldom get a seat at the table to shape regional negotiations. Their joint position sends a clear message: the Global South is not merely a passive observer. It can also bring forward viable solutions.
He said that naturally, diplomacy cannot erase long-standing tensions overnight. Competing energy interests, vital trade corridors and historic rivalries all pose persistent challenges. Even so, the China-Pakistan approach holds real merit. It combines patient shuttle diplomacy with consistent communication and shuns inflammatory rhetoric.
In an international landscape increasingly tilted toward confrontation, this quiet collaboration carries weight. It reminds us that durable peace seldom emerges from coercion. It grows out of listening, balanced dialogue, and the right of regional states to chart their own destiny, he concluded.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
