We are hiding again behind national borders

One of the characteristics of the new international disorder is to ignore the role of international organisations. The conventions, resolutions, principles and values, which the experience gained during the several decades that followed the Second World War has built up, are being set aside. The United Nations System has been relegated to a little corner of the international relations map. It is simply ignored. Whose fault is it? That’s a matter for a longer debate, but what is worth emphasising now is that nobody listens to the voices that emphasise the importance of multilateral responses and international cooperation. We are back to country-specific decisions, to the primacy of national interests seen in isolation, to relations of force. We have moved back in history, hiding behind national borders. It is simply unacceptable. It leads to conflict and instability.

Investing in Chinese private security firms

The Chinese leaders are very much aware that the protection of the infrastructure built in foreign lands as part of the gigantic Belt and Road Initiative will be a major issue. Such infrastructure will face a variety of menaces. They also know they can’t exclusively count on each participating country’s security apparatus. It’s a fact they will increase the security cooperation with the States concerned. We will see in the next few years a serious push in the area of bilateral security cooperation. State to State cooperation, the official side of the matter, will be competing with the security assistance coming from Western countries. It will become a new front of tension as well.

However, the Beijing leaders do not consider that form of cooperation as enough. Consequently, and without any fanfare, they have opened a new door in their domestic economic edifice. We are now witnessing a rapid expansion of the private security firms in China. This is a fast-growing sector of the economy.

My sources tell me that there are already more than 4,000 Chinese companies ready to operate overseas and protect their country’s investments. In addition, the industry related to the production of security gadgets for the use by private companies is also expanding fast. It is a high-tech sector of the economy. We should have no illusions about that. Two weeks ago, in Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan Province, an area that borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, a beautiful region for that matter, there was a major exhibition of Chinese-produced security items. Without going into the details, the show was a major eye-opener. One could see the Chinese are far more advanced in that industry than what we can guess.

On the anniversary of NATO

All along, I have listened to a good number of dinner speakers. And I have noticed that, in general, they believe that a successful speech is the one that confirms the views of the attendees. They end up by seeing themselves as “comfort speakers”, as I would call them, invited to reinforce the prevailing ideas that have already gained a seat around the table.

That has been the case, for instance, on matters related to NATO. I mention the Alliance as its leaders get together in London to celebrate its 70^th anniversary. And I recall that I have repeated at a few occasions the Organisation needs an independent view of its relevance and role. They should even listen to some “positive contrarians” – another expression I use –, people that are ready to raise some fundamental questions instead of just re-stating dogmatic or diplomatic views.

I would also like to recall another of my frequent messages to senior officers: we can only succeed if we consult, de-conflict and harmonise our respective strategic and operational interests.