What is Sovereignty and Non-interference?
Historical Background
Key Points
8 points- 1.
Sovereignty: Includes the state's exclusive right to govern its territory and people without internal challenge (internal sovereignty) and its independence from external control (external sovereignty).
- 2.
All sovereign states are considered equal under international law, regardless of size or power.
- 3.
Includes the right to self-determination and territorial integrity, meaning a state's borders should not be violated.
- 4.
Non-interference: Prohibits states from using or threatening force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
- 5.
Applies to both military and non-military forms of intervention (e.g., economic coercion, political subversion).
- 6.
Exceptions exist, such as interventions authorized by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII (e.g., for humanitarian reasons or to maintain international peace and security).
- 7.
The concept of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) a global political commitment endorsed by all UN member states to prevent mass atrocities is a debated exception to non-interference.
- 8.
These principles are cornerstones of the Westphalian system of international relations.
Recent Developments
5 developmentsDebates around humanitarian intervention and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), challenging absolute non-interference.
Cyber warfare and information operations raise new questions about the definition of 'interference.'
Economic sanctions and trade disputes are often viewed by affected states as forms of interference.
China frequently invokes these principles to counter criticism of its internal policies (e.g., Xinjiang, Hong Kong) and its stance on Taiwan.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sparked renewed debate on the sanctity of sovereignty and territorial integrity.