Dangerous flash points in Asia include the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea conflicts (such as the clashes between China and the Philippines) that have become hot issues to debate at international level. Besides that, the Gulf of Thailand might be the next geopolitical flash point.
These conflicts occur when people claim ownership of the world’s limited resources to fulfill their unlimited needs. The UN established peacekeeping missions based on three principles; consent of the parties, impartiality and no use of force (except in self-defense and in defense of the mandate).
Whereas the peacekeeping missions are proposed to help nations to find appropriate solutions that aim at dealing with difficult situations and achieving peace, it seems like a peaceful life is difficult to obtain because of unpredictable and turbulent circumstances in the world.
To fulfill unlimited human needs, some nations (especially superpowers) tend to expand their maritime boundaries, which enable them to gain access to mineral and biological resources, as well as maritime gateways. Actually, all nations (and all people) are equal. They have the right to live in peace and a no-harm rule should be implemented. Although the world’s limited resources are available, they should not harm other states to satisfy their unlimited needs.
Instead of making war, they should resolve problems through negotiations with accountability to reach an agreement and they should become partners in various issues, such as climate change, landslides, air pollution, biological resources and transportation.
Being partners would support peacekeeping rather than nations being competitors or enemies.
Phathara-on Wesarat is head of the bachelor of business administration program in the department of humanities and social sciences at Prince of Songkla University in Thailand.
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