Peacebuilding with “Chinese Characteristics”? Insights from China's Engagement in Myanmar's Peace Process

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monalisa Adhikari
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
World Order ◽  
Economic Interests ◽  
Peace Processes ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Chinese Characteristics ◽  
Rise Of China ◽  
Global Peace ◽  
Liberal Peacebuilding ◽  
Core Features

Abstract The unpreceded rise of China, amid the decline of the Western-led liberal world order, has brought questions about how China will engage with the various manifestations of that world order, including human rights, trade, and global peace and security regimes. Through the empirical example of Chinese engagement in Myanmar, this article offers an inductive analysis of China's engagement in the field of “peacebuilding”: a prominent manifestation of the liberal world order in post-conflict states. In doing so, the article first argues that China speaks a distinct vernacular of peace, which is characterized by five core features: a focus on stability, prioritisation of development, conditional adherence to state-centricity, prioritization of regional actors in the making of peace, and an aversion to templates and policies for engaging in peace processes. Secondly, the article also highlights that in deploying these features, Chinese engagement in conflict management in Myanmar not only generates tensions between the various features, but is also seen to overlook local needs, bolster elite control of the state, discount the political context of peace processes, and indeed fluctuate in accordance with Chinese strategic and economic interests: all issues that resonate with the dominant critique of liberal peacebuilding projects. In proffering these arguments, the article cautions that as the Chinese approach to peacebuilding matures and strengthens, the ironing out of these contradictions is likely to be challenging.

scholarly journals Rise of China’s Developmental Peace: Prospects for Asian Hybrid Peacebuilding

2021 ◽  
pp. 127-157
Author(s):  
KwokChung Wong ◽  
Fujian Li
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Belt And Road Initiative ◽  
Unified Approach ◽  
Chinese Characteristics ◽  
Rise Of China ◽  
Chinese Military ◽  
Belt And Road ◽  
International Peacebuilding ◽  
The Rise Of China ◽  
Liberal Peacebuilding

AbstractThe rise of China represents an increase not only in Chinese military, political and economic power, but also in Chinese interests in becoming a more proactive player in the field of international peacebuilding, particularly in Asia, where it aims to protect stability and enhance the scope of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, without a clear peacebuilding policy at home, China is not adopting a systematic and unified approach to peacebuilding despite its developmental peace having many traits that resemble the pursuit of hybrid peacebuilding that other major actors in the field have adopted to address the shortcomings of liberal peacebuilding. Asia is a conflict-prone region. This chapter examines the practice of developmental peace in Myanmar and Afghanistan/Pakistan to demonstrate the potential for peacebuilding with Chinese characteristics. The rise of China also brings an interesting style of peacebuilding that is focused on addressing conflict through economic development, while upholding the host country’s sovereign rights.

A PRAGMATIC MODEL OF RUSSIAN-KYRGYZ RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF EURASIAN INTEGRATION

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.A. KRUTKO
Keyword(s):  
Russian Federation ◽  
World Order ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Kyrgyz Republic ◽  
Economic Interests ◽  
Interstate Relations ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Policy Priority ◽  
Integration Project ◽  
Historical Past

The article is devoted to the consideration of the modern model of interstate relations between Russia and Kyrgyzstan. The author demonstrates the asymmetry of such model, expressed in the fact that the Eurasian integration is a foreign policy priority for the Russian Federation, that considers it a strategic goal of the multipolar world. The policy of Kyrgyz Republic is based on the multivector principle and therefore refers to the integration project as one of the tools for achieving economic interests and a means of ensuring development. The author comes to the conclusion that the main meaning of that integration project for Kyrgyzstan is a pragmatic solution of social problems with the assistance of the Russian Federation and other EAEU member states. For Russia, in its turn, the pragmatism of this model consists in the strengthening of its strategic presence in the Central Asian region and its authority in the international arena as a whole. In the future, not only the common historical past, economic, militarypolitical and humanitarian ties, but also joint participation in the formation of a new world order will be the dominant factor in strengthening RussianKyrgyz relations.

Fostering relations with a host country: A case study of the OSCE and Tadjikistan

2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Samuel
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Conflict Prevention ◽  
Post Conflict

AbstractThe OSCE's mandate for early warning, conflict prevention, conflict management and post-conflict rehabilitation based on its approach to comprehensive security through its network of field offices is implemented on a daily basis. Constructive relations with a host country are an important factor in their success, yet not always easy to achieve. This article provides a case study of one endeavour to strengthen these relations.

scholarly journals Conflict affected, parallel health systems: challenges to collaboration between ethnic and government health systems in Kayin State, Myanmar

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Colette Pang Biesty ◽  
Aung Ja Brang ◽  
Barry Munslow
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Health Systems ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Peace Accord ◽  
Government Health ◽  
Peace Processes ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Observation Methods ◽  
Minority Ethnic Groups

Abstract Background Myanmar has had a long history of civil wars with its minority ethnic groups and is yet to see a sustainable peace accord. The conflicts have had a significant impact on health in Myanmar, with ethnic populations experiencing inequitable health outcomes. Consequently, to meet the health needs of ethnic people, Ethnic Health Organisations and Community-Based Health Organisations (EHO/CBHOs) created their own health system. The EHO/CBHO and Government health systems, provided by the Myanmar Ministry of Health and Sports (MoHS), remain parallel, despite both stakeholders discussing unification of the health systems within the context of ongoing but unresolved peace processes. EHO/CBHOs discuss the ‘convergence’ of health systems, whilst the MoHS discuss the integration of health providers under their National Health Plan. Methods A qualitative study design was used to explore the challenges to collaboration between EHO/CBHOs and the MoHS in Kayin state, Myanmar. Twelve health workers from different levels of the Karen EHO/CBHO health system were interviewed. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and coded. Data was analysed thematically using the Framework method. Topic guides evolved in an iterative process, as themes emerged inductively from the transcripts. A literature review and observation methods were also utilised to increase validity of the data. Results The challenges to collaboration were identified in the following five themes: (1) the current situation is not ‘post conflict’ (2) a lack of trust (3) centralised nature of the MoHS (4) lack of EHO/CBHO health worker accreditation (5) the NHP is not implemented in some ethnic areas. Conclusions Ultimately, all five challenges to collaboration stem from the lack of peace in Myanmar. The health systems cannot be ‘converged or ‘integrated’ until there is a peace accord which is acceptable to all actors. EHO/CBHOs want a federal political system, where the health system is devolved, equitable and accessible to all ethnic people. External donors should understand this context and remain neutral by supporting all health actors in a conflict sensitive manner.

scholarly journals Complexities and Context: Women's Peace-Building in Conflict and Post-Conflict Bougainville

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Dylan Page
Keyword(s):  
Peace Process ◽  
United Nations Security Council ◽  
Peace Building ◽  
Peace Negotiations ◽  
Peace Processes ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Peace And Conflict Studies ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Context Specific

<p>The potential role of women in conflict and post-conflict environments has been the subject of much debate in the field of peace and conflict studies. In 2000 the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1325, which called for a greater involvement of women and acknowledgement of gender issues in conflict and post-conflict environments, and this has led to further discussion about what this might mean and how it might be implemented. Despite this women are continually under-represented in nearly all peace processes and there is no universally agreed upon way to ensure this situation does not come about. The barriers women face range from cultural to logistical and economic, and surmounting them can be hard to achieve.  One case where women have been involved at all levels in the peace process with substantial success is the Pacific island of Bougainville, where a conflict over mining issues and secession from Papua New Guinea was waged from 1988-1997. Women were active in attempts to bring all parties to negotiations during the conflict and have also been heavily involved in the continuing reconciliation and healing processes. For cultural reasons Bougainvillean women were well placed to perform the role of peace-builders but that is not to say that they did not face challenges and barriers to their involvement. This thesis examines the involvement of women in both the immediate peace negotiations and the longer-term aspects of the peace process in Bougainville in order explain how and why they enjoyed these successes and what lessons can be learnt from this case in regards to the potential roles of women in other post-conflict environments. Four factors will be identified as key to women's involvement in the peace process: the history of Bougainville up to and including the conflict; the grassroots mobilisation and organisation of women; the traditional cultural roles of women in Bougainville; and the identification of women with motherhood and its associated traits.  These factors indicate that the involvement of women in peace processes is highly context-specific and although there are policies which can be pursued to encourage their participation the potential barriers to this are imposing.</p>

scholarly journals The effect of domestication on post-conflict management: wolves reconcile while dogs avoid each other

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 171553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Cafazzo ◽  
Sarah Marshall-Pescini ◽  
Martina Lazzaroni ◽  
Zsófia Virányi ◽  
Friederike Range
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Domestic Dogs ◽  
Ecological Conditions ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Social Species ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Latency Duration

Highly cooperative social species are expected to engage in frequent reconciliation following conflicts in order to maintain pack cohesiveness and preserve future cooperation. By contrast, in social species with low reliance on cooperation, reconciliation is expected to be less frequent. Here, we investigate the pattern of reconciliation in four captive wolf packs and four captive dog packs. We provide evidence for reconciliation in captive wolves, which are highly dependent on cooperation between pack members, while domestic dogs, which rely on conspecific cooperation less than wolves, avoided interacting with their partners after conflicts. Occurrence, intensity, latency, duration and initiation of wolf reconciliations appeared to vary as a consequence of a compromise between the costs (e.g. risk of further aggression) and the benefits (e.g. restoring relationship with opponents) of such interactions. Our results are in line with previous findings on various wolf packs living under different social and ecological conditions, suggesting that reconciliation is an important strategy for maintaining functional relationships and pack cohesiveness. However, current results on dogs are in contrast to the only other study showing that reconciliation can occur also in this species. Therefore, the occurrence of reconciliation in dogs may be influenced by social and environmental conditions more than in wolves. Which factors promote and modulate reconciliation in dogs needs to be further investigated.

Thinking Regional on Peace Missions in Latin America

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 177-196
Author(s):  
Monica Hirst
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
The United States ◽  
Post Cold War ◽  
Peace Processes ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Open Case ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
Latin America And Caribbean ◽  
The Caribbean

As is the case with other regions, in Latin America and the Caribbean, multilateral peace missions are subordinated to norms and expectations of specific mandates. Yet, post-Cold War peace missions in Latin America and the Caribbean share circumstances that are unique to this region. This article seeks to offer a sequenced overview of three scenarios – Central America, Haiti and Colombia – to show how these circumstances interplay as shaping factors in regional peace missions. Three circumstances are highlighted: i) the strategic irrelevance of the region; ii) the preeminence of the United States in Latin America and the Caribbean; iii) the response capacity of Latin American governments. These three are addressed as the core cast of determinants in post-conflict contexts in Latin America and Caribbean. This article explores how these circumstances have adapted in time producing reiterative dynamics attuned to international and regional changing landscapes. Even though the Colombian experience should be considered “an open case”, its inclusion contributes to enrich this argument. Final reflections raise the question if these circumstances explain as well the failures and reversed expectations of regional peace processes.

America’s exceptional empire

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jude Woodward
Keyword(s):  
World Order ◽  
Great Power ◽  
Power Politics ◽  
The Us ◽  
Rise Of China ◽  
Great Power Politics ◽  
Strategic Position ◽  
The Rise Of China ◽  
Line P ◽  
Liberal Perspective

The Obama administration announced in 2010 that the US would make a strategic foreign policy turn towards Asia i.e. China. This chapter shows that the discussion on this policy in the US is framed by a shared perception that the rise of China presents an existential challenge to the US-led world order that has prevailed since 1945. Some see conflict as an inevitable consequence of Great Power politics; others allege conflict will be unavoidable because China has regional expansionist aspirations or because China is a revisionist power that does not accept the rules of the ‘pax Americana’. The Pentagon is developing military strategies in the case of conflict with China. This chapter demonstrates that wherever the argument, starts, whether from a neocon or liberal perspective, whether concerned about the US’s economic, military or strategic position, all arrive at the same conclusion: China must be brought into line.

Part IV Activities of Organizations, Ch.9 Peace Operations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayal Anjali ◽  
Howard Lise Morjé
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Conflict Management ◽  
International Conflict ◽  
Military Intervention ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Peace Operations ◽  
The World ◽  
Peace And Security ◽  
Global Peace ◽  
World Organization

This chapter discusses the origins of peace operations; their evolution alongside the growing international conflict management structures of the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations; and their core functions, composition, and efficacy. Although peace operations have roots in earlier forms of military intervention, their emergence as a dominant tool for conflict management is a distinct innovation of the same internationalist project that forged the UN. Their evolution lays bare the fundamental tensions between state interests and the liberal internationalist project of a ‘world organization for the enforcement of peace’, and their execution has defined the way wars are fought today. The chapter focuses on UN peace operations throughout because they are the modal type of mission in the world. It also discusses the use of force within peace operations, an issue of growing importance that highlights fundamental tensions in the authorization and execution of internationally-led efforts to maintain global peace and security.

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