Is China's mediation game a hegemony play?
China is reportedly set to launch what it portrays as a multilateral platform for the peaceful settlement of international disputes. Called the International Organization for Mediation, it will be based in Hong Kong. Countries of the Global South with which Beijing has close ties, such as Indonesia and Pakistan, among others, are said to be backing this initiative.
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As stated, its aim is to help settle disputes amicably through negotiation rather than bitter court battles. While this is not a direct gauntlet thrown down to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) set up by the West, let alone to the United Nations, the move still amounts to upping the geopolitical ante on disagreements.
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Unlike the ICJ, it won't issue judicial orders that find one side right and the other wrong. Instead, it will offer win-win solutions out of court. While we have only sketchy details of its authority structure, it could act as a vehicle for China to play an enlarged role in world affairs.
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Indeed, the platform's conceptual moorings suggest an effort to rally various nations to challenge Western hegemony over major institutions. Should a US-led upheaval make space for a new hegemon, China might be preparing to grab its chance.
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