Latest news with #multipolarity
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Southeast Asia increasingly finds China more reliable and predictable
As a nation, China sees itself as a rational, peaceful and stabilising force in an increasingly dangerous and fragmented global order. While such national characteristics may be relative and are mostly in the eyes of the beholder, they seem to be less debatable when compared with the erratic and unpredictable actions and policy flip-flops coming out of the White House of Donald Trump. In his first official visit last week, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was given the same message Xi Jinping has been sending to other Southeast Asian leaders during the latter's tour of the region earlier this year. Singapore and China together need to 'stand on the right side of history', Xi says, and push for an equitable multipolar world against 'unilateral bullying' and 'tariff abuse'. That was obviously a reference to the Trump administration's 'reciprocal tariffs', which have especially irked Singapore because of its trade deficit with the United States. In April, Wong criticised the US tariffs as 'not actions one does to a friend', so Xi's message was calibrated to appeal to the Singaporean sense of unfairness. It's often been claimed that, unlike the transatlanticism of Nato and the democratic governance of the European Union, Asean countries that collectively account for most of the economic activities of Southeast Asia lack a cohesive ideology. But despite their differences in government, culture and language, they do share some strong beliefs; that is, in growth, prosperity, pragmatism and peaceful coexistence over sabre-rattling. These are the same values to which China has long been committed. Also, it's long been debated whether Asean countries such as Singapore will end up having to choose between China and the US in their increasingly bitter rivalry. Asean's common response has been that they can be friends with everyone.
Times of Oman
23-06-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Putin: BRICS contributes 40 per cent to global economy
Moscow: President Vladimir Putin, addressing the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), said the global economy is witnessing its most profound shift in decades. He highlighted the rising prominence of BRICS nations, noting their contribution has doubled from 20 per cent at the turn of the century to nearly 40 per cent of global economic output today. Putin underscored Russia's commitment to a new development model--one rooted in fairness, openness, and national interests. Recalling the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, he said 35 countries expressed the need for a global framework aligned with today's multipolar reality. He noted that trade among participating nations has already surpassed USD 1 trillion, with joint projects gaining momentum in sectors like AI, nuclear energy, aviation, and IT, as reported by TV BRICS. "Russia invites its partners to contribute to the formation of a new global growth model, to jointly ensure the prosperity of our countries and the stable development of the whole world for many, many years to come," Putin stated. South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile called multipolarity a defining theme in global affairs. Hailing Russia as a key partner in BRICS and G20, he stressed the growing strategic importance of Africa in population and industrial potential. "Africa is looking for partnerships based on equality, equal access to capital markets, knowledge and technology," he said. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang reaffirmed China's dedication to open cooperation with developing economies, stating, "The civilisations of the world must develop through mutual enrichment, based on equality, dialogue, and respect for diversity." Bahrain's National Security Advisor, Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, lauded Russia's economic vision, particularly in energy and industry, and reiterated Bahrain's intent to deepen economic ties with Moscow.
Mail & Guardian
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
The future world order must be based on tolerance and diversity
American academic Ali Mazrui said that the US, Secretary of State Marco Rubio in particular, should be saying 'what is good for the world is good for my country'. American political scientist Joseph S Nye Jr, who died last month, recently wrote in an The Future of World Order that we may not know until 2029 whether we are entering a totally new period of American decline or whether the second Trump administration's attacks on the American Century's institutions and alliances will prove to be another cyclical dip. One thing is certain. Nye will be proved correct, regardless of what happens. But we do not know what the post-American world order will look like, should we indeed be 'entering a totally new period'. Will it be a multipolar world order of the same Westphalian states with reformed global institutions or one of civilisations and cultures? Will democracies and non-democracies constitute each of the multiple poles or will it be one that is composed of poles formed around key states in each major world region? Will it be a Sino-centric, unipolar international system or more balanced? All we can say for now is that the future world order will be a product of the interplay between cultural processes and existing global structures. Beyond that, nothing is certain. A discourse on the future world order is, therefore, appropriate and timely. Ideally, the future world order will be based on at least two interrelated normative principles. The first principle is a steadfast commitment to respecting diversity, encompassing cultural, ethnic, racial, religious and ideological differences. We recognise that diversity is not a popular notion in some circles today. Indeed, globalisation has significantly contributed to greater global homogeneity, as lifestyles have become increasingly similar across vast distances. But let us not forget that the lifestyle that has become globalised is predominantly Western. At the same time, we also have a rich intermingling of racial, cultural, ethnic and linguistic groups at the local level. The primary drivers of this local heterogeneity have been the forces of migration and colonialism. In other words, the local landscape has evolved into a microcosm of the world. On the global level, the world has become an approximation of a village, without the empathy of the village. This creates a compelling paradox — as we experience local heterogenisation, we simultaneously witness a vibrant explosion of global homogenisation. The future world order must rise to the challenge of embracing both emerging trends as its normative foundation. We must embrace a creative synthesis incorporating the finest aspects of the world's major cultures and traditions. Consider, for instance, what is known as Africa's triple heritage: indigenous values, Islam and Western culture. An aspect of Africa's indigenous values is the remarkable ability of Africans to forgive. While Africans have endured more than their fair share of violence, they often embrace moments of reconciliation with an inspiring quickness. This short memory of hate can serve as a powerful antidote to endless division and hatred and it can also become the continent's contribution to a global ethic of tolerance. From the West, we can take the wealth of knowledge and innovative spirit that drives educational advancements and capitalistic growth — if they survive until 2029. Let us be inspired by Islam's profound emphasis on modesty and humility in character and appearance. By incorporating lessons from other civilisations and traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Sikhism etc) such an approach can provide a solid basis for a harmonious world order. It would be a great opportunity for a grand synthesis based on the word's rich diversity. The second principle is tolerance. If diversity can be measured through the objective lens of heterogeneity, true tolerance can be assessed by the degree of our willingness to accept and even embrace differences. This acceptance is not just a moral obligation. It is essential for a harmonious and sustainable world order. However, it is worth noting that being a victim of intolerance in the past does not always lead to an understanding of its importance. The very faith that endured persecution by Roman gladiators in the West eventually became the instrument of severe repression through the Inquisition. In Africa, as well, there has been, for example, a conflictual relationship between the majority Hutu and the minority Tutsi of Rwanda. At times, the Hutu have perpetrated violence against the Tutsi and at other times, it was the Tutsi who were the culprits. The conflict culminated in genocide in 1994. It is essential to acknowledge that Islam too, has, at various times and to different degrees, exhibited characteristics of heightened political militancy and religious bigotry. It may be that Islam in the pre-Ottoman empire was more tolerant and ecumenical. Sustainable tolerance needs unwavering attention and effort. Tolerance is not a one-time achievement. It is a vital practice that must be actively nurtured and systematically reinforced through institutional measures. Diversity, tolerance and a creative synthesis of global pools of shared values and distinctive traditions should form the basis of the future world order. This may be the most promising pathway towards building a constructively pluralistic world order and resolving the tension between the increasingly diverse global actors and the originally Western international system. The alternative is divisive pluralism. In short, tolerance and accepting diversity is good for the world and, therefore, good for the future world order. Unfortunately, however, the logic of the current US administration appears different. In the In what can be regarded as a word-for-word 'response' to Rubio, a wise man once said: 'Today, in the United States, there are many Americans who believe that what is good for America is good for the world, that my country is the world. We need to change the logic of global expectations … Instead of arguing, like the Americans, my country is the world, we should move to the proposition that what is good for the world is good for my country.' That wise man is Joseph Nye's contemporary and a pan-African political scientist. His name is Ali Mazrui. Mazrui Dr Seifudein Adem is a research fellow at JICA Ogata Research Institute for Peace and Development in Tokyo, Japan.
Russia Today
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Lavrov reaffirms support for Russia-India-China trilateral format
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has once again expressed his support for the Russia-India-China (RIC) trilateral dialogue format. 'When President Putin became president, the very first three-party summit meeting between Russia, China, and India was held,' he said at the Future Forum 2050 in Moscow on Monday. 'About 20 meetings of foreign ministries took place, followed by dozens at different platforms, including meetings between the ministries of transport and economy and ever since the multipolarity is gaining momentum.' These comments come days after he said that Moscow had a 'genuine interest' in reviving the RIC trilateral dialogue, citing recent de-escalation along the India-China border as a timely opportunity. 'Now that, as I understand it, an understanding is being reached between India and China on how to calm the border situation, I believe the time has come to revive the RIC trio,' he said at a Eurasian security conference on Thursday. China and India have been engaged in a prolonged military standoff along their contested Himalayan border, the Line of Actual Control (LAC), following a fatal confrontation in the Galwan Valley in June 2020. Despite ongoing tensions, the two nations have conducted numerous rounds of negotiations, and although some areas of disagreement persist, officials have recently noted signs of de-escalation, accompanied by sustained military and diplomatic dialogue. On Monday, Lavrov said that Western powers perceive multipolarity as a threat to their longstanding influence and control, rather than an opportunity to foster a more equitable society. 'Instead of an opportunity for more fairness and equality it sees a threat to its historic dominance,' he added. Russia has long advocated multipolarity as the way forward. At the Eurasian security conference last week, Lavrov also voiced concerns over NATO's purported efforts to draw India into its anti-China strategies. 'I have no doubt that our Indian friends – and I say this based on confidential conversations with them – clearly see this provocation,' he said.
Russia Today
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
No single power should control the world
The world should not be controlled by a single power, Myanmar Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing has said in an exclusive interview with RT. A multipolar system is the best approach to avoid conflict, he believes. In the interview aired on Saturday, the prime minister stressed that developing countries such as Myanmar have especially suffered 'under a unipolar system.' 'That is why transitioning to a multipolar world works best for us. It is better to share global resources, to act fairly, to distribute things more evenly. Conflicts arise from inequality, so if we want to avoid conflicts, I believe a multipolar system is the best approach,' he said. 'The US and Western bloc controlled the world through unipolarity. Then it became bipolar, and from bipolarity it returned to unipolarity. This made the West stronger,' Hlaing said. However, 'in this era, Russia, China and India have made tremendous progress militarily, economically and scientifically,' the prime minister noted. 'As they have advanced, we have moved towards multipolarity and that is how it should be. No single power should control the world,' he said. If Moscow, Beijing and New Delhi, which are 'three equally important global powers,' collaborate and 'act in unison, multipolarity will become a global reality. No one will accept this unipolarity anymore,' the Myanmar leader emphasized. In order to succeed in the multipolar world, smaller countries 'must try to cooperate' with Russia, China, and India, he said. 'Making that attempt is absolutely worthwhile. We need to develop our own economic capabilities, while simultaneously increasing cooperation with each other,' he added. Hlaing was among the high-ranking foreign guests who visited Moscow for the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany on May 9. Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that relations between Moscow and Naypyidaw have been developing steadily and had 'good potential.' In 2024 alone, trade turnover between the two nations increased by 40%, he noted. Putin also expressed gratitude to the leadership of Myanmar for facilitating Russia's cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
