Photo credit: Daniel Vegel/SPP

China

As the world's second largest economy, China wields enormous political and economic influence. China is also a major player on matters relating to global security. It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with a growing role in UN peacekeeping operations, an increasing share of the global arms market and a substantial infrastructure project (known as the Belt and Road Initiative) that spans over 70 countries, including conflict-affected parts of the world.

Our work

Saferworld has been working on China-related initiatives since 2004. Together with Chinese official institutions, research institutes, scholars and businesses, we work to ensure that China’s engagement in conflict-affected contexts makes positive contributions towards conflict prevention and peacebuilding by putting the communities living in those contexts first.

Our work focuses on two main themes:

Conflict-sensitive business practices as a means of managing risk and promoting peace in conflict-affected environments along the Belt and Road Initiative.
Transparent and effective regulation of arms transfers, in accordance with international law.

“The future of China’s Belt & Road Initiative depends on whether it will truly create equitable and inclusive benefits, especially in conflict-prone contexts. To do so, businesses need to understand national contexts better, become more conflict-sensitive in their practices and adopt a people-centric engagement approach.”
Leon Yu Liang, Saferworld’s Beijing Operations Manager