The 15th Broadyard Workshop (博雅工作坊) of Peking University’s Institute of Area Studies (PKUIAS), on the theme of “The Status Quo, Problems, and Prospects in International Anti-terrorism Cooperation,” was held at the Yingjie Exchange Center on November 16, 2018. More than ten academics and scholars from domestic universities and research organizations attended the conference and engaged in in-depth discussions on topics in the field of anti-terrorism.
The international community is currently facing a tough situation in the fight against terrorism. Terrorism impacts people’s livelihoods and development all over the world. Attendees at the conference opined that the international community has yet to come up with an authoritative and widely-accepted definition of terrorism, and, given that there is no consensus on what consitutes a terrorist organization, international cooperation on anti-terrorism efforts has been severely hampered. The US has an extraordinarily strong discourse power in the international anti-terrorism field, and its identification of international terrorist organizations affects not only its international anti-terrorism cooperation with other countries but also its relationships with foreign countries in general.
The conference presenters expressed their belief that, compared with the George Walker Bush administration and the Barack Obama administration, the Donald Trump administration’s anti-terrorism strategy has seen obvious changes, such as demoting the position of anti-terrorism in its national security strategy, insisting on an “America First” approach to counterterrorism while attempting to build up a new hegemonic system, further downsizing the scale of its anti-terrorism operation, and minimizing the significance of diplomatic and economic development in its anti-terrorism strategy. These changes may prompt China to reconsider or even alter its anti-terrorism policies.
Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, international anti-terrorism cooperative efforts have intensified to an unprecedented degree. But meanwhile, terrorist organizations’ influence on the politics inside one country or across multiple countries tends to be more complex; therefore, effective anti-terrorism cooperation has become increasingly important. The attendees further expressed their belief that China should emphasize strengthening not only its anti-terrorism capacity but also its anti-terrorism cooperation with foreign countries. Being more and more engaged in international affairs, China also needs to consider how to establish an anti-terrorism united front.
As a shining pearl on the ancient Silk Road, Afghanistan plays a significant role in China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI). With the advancement of the BRI in South Asia, the situation in Afghanistan will more strongly impact the common security and development of China and other surrounding countries. Some scholars opined that since the US unveiled its new Afghanistan and South Asia strategy one year ago, the effect has been far from ideal, with Taliban and Daesh activities continuously aggravating the security situation in Afghanistan. Thanks to China’s sound policy in Afghanistan which has won lots of local support, China still have a positive effect by participating in local affairs coordination.
The academics at the workshop also discussed topics including international intelligence cooperation in anti-terrorism, and the difference between al-Qaida and Daesh and their relationship with the Taliban.
