Global Times reports that China has formed an “International Organization for Mediation” (IOMed) to promote diplomacy and dialogue, both in politics, and in business and social relations. A signing ceremony took place on May 30 in Hong Kong, with senior representatives from 85 countries, and nearly 20 international organizations. Also, 33 countries signed the convention on the scene, and became founding member states. Global Times writes: “As the world’s first intergovernmental organization dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation, the IOMed provides a new platform for mediating disputes between countries, disputes over investment between the state and the people of other countries, and international commercial disputes.”
The description of the intention of the IOMed sounds very much like the Schiller Institutes’ campaign for a new architecture for security and development for all countries. Global Times writes: “Mediation is based on respecting the wills of the parties, and explores win-win solutions through the assistance of a neutral third party, with the final decision made by the disputing parties.... This approach, which contains the wisdom of ‘harmonious coexistence,’ has opened up a new path for dealing with international disputes with large cultural differences and high political sensitivity.”
They add that the current situation is undergoing the “rapid change of a century, and various contradictions are intertwined. Using a ‘Cold War’ confrontational mindset to deal with various global and regional issues has clearly deviated from the needs of the times and the development trend of the rule of law. In the existing international judicial system, developing countries often face difficulties such as lack of voice, insufficient applicability of rules, and high costs. However, some major countries are accustomed to handling international disputes through unilateral sanctions, often bypassing existing international rules and mechanisms and acting on their own. This not only fails to solve problems, but also gives rise to more contradictions. The international community has never been so eager to resolve disputes peacefully. From the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Beijing to the signing of the Beijing Declaration on ending the division by various Palestinian factions, countries have seen the great potential and possibility of resolving differences through dialogue. The birth of the IOMed is timely, and its establishment is an important step in promoting the development of the international order to a more just and reasonable direction.”
The IOMed advocates for the peaceful and amicable settlement of international disputes, aiming to build more harmonious international relations, and embody an inclusive and pluralistic culture of the rule of law. Against the backdrop of profound adjustments in the global order, the IOMed provides the international community with a public good of global rule of law that is peaceful, just, trustworthy, and efficient.
The Global Times} reports that the IOMed “represents an innovative response to the United Nations (UN) Charter’s principle of peaceful dispute settlement. It breaks through the traditional methods of handling disputes—whether between countries, between countries and investors, or between equal commercial entities—offering the greater flexibility, convenience, lower costs and more effective implementation. At the same time, it complements and enhances existing international dispute settlement mechanisms such as litigation and arbitration, helping to build a more comprehensive and diversified system for resolving international disputes.”
They continue: “As the world reaches the crossroads of history, what countries are calling for is not an arena of power, but a dialogue platform that transcends the zero-sum mentality of ‘you win, I lose’ and promotes the friendly settlement of disputes.... The healthy growth of this seedling of peace requires the care and support of the international community. We welcome more countries to join hands to nurture it.”
