Can China and Russia as ‘Civilisation States’ Emerge as Security Providers in West Asia?

Abstract

In the recent past, the two self-affirmed ‘civilisation states’, China and Russia, have actively sought to play a role in peace-building initiatives in West Asia and North Africa. The China-brokered rapprochement of Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023 within the framework of its ‘quasi-mediation diplomacy’, and the Russian proposal for a ‘Collective Security Concept for the Persian Gulf’ in 2019, demonstrate the two states’ proactive approach to bringing stability to the region which was perceived as an Anglo-American area of influence. Today, the idea of Western hegemony in the world, but more specifically in West Asia is challenged by the emergence of non-Western powers like China, Russia, India, and Turkey. The failure of the American interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan and attempts at peacebuilding in West Asia have put the spotlight on waning Western influence in the region. As the US and Europe try to defend the cherished values of liberal internationalism and European cosmopolitanism, China and Russia have reinvented themselves as ‘civilisation states’ and challenge the Western values that had formed the bedrock of global affairs in the last century. Each of them has tried to put forth a model of engagement which draws inspiration from their own cultural and civilisational antecedents. This is a legitimate way for China and Russia to distinguish them from the discredited Western model and popularise the idea of an alternative to the outdated Western one. There is a growing interest in alternate models of engagement in the non-Western world and consequently in support of Chinese and Russian interventions. It is against this backdrop that this paper will explore how China and Russia as ‘civilisation states’ have attempted to build peace and stability in West Asia. The paper will attempt to explore the definitional contours of the ‘civilisation state’ which sets it apart from the idea of the ‘nation-state’ which is rooted in European history and philosophy and is often understood as a Western concept. Subsequently, the paper will attempt to understand the motivations that have driven the two countries to adopt this approach. Next, it will juxtapose the Western model of peacebuilding in the region and underscore the reasons for its apparent failure. The paper will then attempt to explore the possibility of developing a conflict resolution model based on the approaches that China and Russia have adopted and, finally, conclude by examining reasons why this model could work should the two states decide to work together to resolve conflicts and build peace in West Asia.