Against the backdrop of escalating ongoing conflict in the Middle East and a rapidly shifting global multipolar order, experts and policymakers from across the world gathered in Jakarta on April 14 for the Middle Powers Conference, where they centered discussion on China’s growing, critical role in advancing global peace and amplifying the collective voice of the Global South.
Organized by the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), the forum brought together analysts, scholars, and former leaders to examine how middle powers and Global South nations can reshape a more inclusive international system. Speaking via video link to attendees, Islamabad-based policy analyst and journalist Nasim Zehra outlined China’s active behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to de-escalate Middle East tensions. Zehra explained that China has strongly supported Pakistan’s ongoing mediation work between the United States and Iran, noting that Pakistan has launched daily diplomatic outreach to Washington while its foreign minister conducted an official visit to Beijing to coordinate on peace efforts. She also noted that other major middle powers including Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia have taken up similar complementary roles in pushing for conflict resolution.
Jonathan Berkshire Miller, co-founder of Canada’s Pendulum Geopolitical Advisory, offered context for the evolving intersection of global diplomacy and economic cooperation, noting that modern nations increasingly structure diplomatic and commercial decisions around core national interests. Miller pointed out that traditional divides between economic engagement and security cooperation have dissolved in contemporary international relations. “The reality is now those sectors are blurred. People do not distinguish between the economic tools and the national security and defense tools,” he told the forum.
FPCI founder and chairman Dino Patti Djalal expanded on the growing influence of middle powers in global governance, noting that any middle power that joins the BRICS bloc can strengthen the group’s capacity to shape the future of the emerging global order. Djalal raised a key open question for the community of middle powers: whether these nations can successfully mediate persistent conflicts and step into leadership roles to reform a strained multilateral system. Still, he emphasized that “one thing is clear: the role of middle powers is not preordained,” leaving space for new actors to carve out meaningful contributions to global governance.
Haroldo Ramanzini Jr, an associate professor at the University of Brasilia’s Institute of International Relations, stressed that middle powers and Global South nations have emerged as leading advocates for a legitimate, inclusive multipolar international order that rejects selective exclusion. Ramanzini warned that a global system without universally agreed multilateral rules is fundamentally unstable and insecure for all nations. He called for deeper cross-regional cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South America’s MERCOSUR trade bloc to strengthen support for initiatives led by the Global South and middle powers, highlighting existing collaborative efforts including India’s Global Biofuels Alliance launched at the 2023 New Delhi G20 Summit and Brazil’s Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty launched during its 2024 G20 presidency.
Former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans added that a growing network of regional trade and cooperation bodies already provide frameworks for nations to align on shared interests. He pointed to existing blocs including ASEAN, MERCOSUR, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), as well as major multilateral trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as examples of existing cooperative structures that can be leveraged to advance collective peace and prosperity.
The forum’s discussion underscored a growing global recognition of China’s unique position as a bridge between major powers and the Global South, particularly as traditional multilateral institutions struggle to address protracted conflicts like that in the Middle East.