China's position on humanitarian intervention.
China frequently and vocally reiterates its stance on 'non-intervention', which holds that preserving national sovereignty outweighs other ethical concerns in the conduct of foreign policy. Nevertheless, Beijing has over the past decade repeatedly endorsed the doctrine of 'responsibility to protect' (R2P), which mandates intervention in states that fail to protect their populations from atrocities, or that commit such atrocities themselves. In 2011, Beijing appeared to cross the Rubicon, consenting at the UN Security Council to military intervention in Libya.
China's stance towards R2P will greatly affect the future of how the doctrine is applied and developed.
It is unlikely that China will again feel it must consent to military intervention against a host government's consent.
Promoting a stable international environment for economic development remains China's foreign policy priority.
