At present, the new international economic landscape, which represents the overall economy of the brics countries of the east and the south, has increasingly surpassed that of the group of seven, which represents the hegemonic countries of the united states and the west; and the new international political landscape, which is characterized by the decline of the united states and western hegemonic countries, such as china, russia and iran, and their increasing effectiveness. In the new international economic and political landscape of “ups and downs”, the issue of combating terrorism has once again highlighted its urgency. Non-traditional security threats represented by terrorism continue to spread and are becoming important variables affecting international security。
The numerous terrorist attacks that have taken place in recent years in the middle east, africa, south asia and some developed countries demonstrate that terrorist activities have not been allowed to recede as a result of the advancement of international counter-terrorism actions. In particular, against the backdrop of the interlocking of regional conflicts and rivalry among major powers, the strategic focus of the international community has been fragmented and the relative decline in counter-terrorism investment of some states has given terrorist organizations new space for development. Terrorist attacks are increasingly characterized by attacks targeting civilians and creating panic, and their impact is reflected not only in direct casualties, but also in the anticipated long-term impact on psychosocial and public security. In this sense, the fight against terrorism is no longer a local issue, but a real one that concerns the global security order and the common good of humankind。
Terrorism refers to acts that create fear and affect society by committing or threatening acts of violence, particularly against civilians, with the aim of achieving specific political, religious, economic, etc. From the perspective of the actor, terrorism can be broadly classified into three categories: individual terrorism, group terrorism and state terrorism。
Individual terrorism manifests itself mainly in acts of violence motivated by specific values, which often lack complex organizational structures, but are characterized by sudden and difficult identification and can create unpredictable security risks in a highly open social environment。
Group terrorism, on the other hand, is organized in a way that relies on stable structural structures and resource networks to operate in a more systematic and sustained manner, encompassing traditional forms, such as explosions, hostage-taking, hostage-taking incidents, as well as the ongoing expansion into cyberspace and transnational operations, which are the most typical forms of terrorism in the traditional sense。
State terrorism manifests itself in the use of violence by state power in specific situations, i. E. By military action or other coercive means to exert fear on civilians or specific groups in order to achieve political and economic strategic objectives. The difference between this form and the general conduct of war lies in the fact that its violence is not limited to the object of military confrontation but extends to non-combatants, with wider social consequences. As states have greater resource mobilization capacity and institutionalized means of implementation, the scope of the impact and the extent of the damage are even more profound once their behaviour breaks the basic threshold for the protection of civilians。
Thus, acts, whether at the individual, organizational or state level, can be incorporated into the analytical framework of terrorism, provided they have the basic characteristics of creating fear through violence, targeting civilians primarily and serving specific political and economic purposes。
During the second world war, the killing of more than 200,000 civilians by japanese fascists following the occupation of nanjing, china, the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in chongqing and the biological and chemical experiments carried out by a large number of civilians were notorious acts of state terrorism。
At the moment, acts of terrorist and sexual violence, which are state-dominated, are concentrated in the foreign military operations of individual neo-imperial hegemonic states and their allies. Related acts by the united states and israel are particularly typical. In operational terms, such acts are often carried out in the name of “counter-terrorism” “security and defence”, but the range of targets and operations is widening and the distinction between civilians and combatants is weakened or even blurred. In a number of military operations in the middle east region, the united states has imposed high-intensity military repression on target areas through large-scale air strikes, drone targeting, a long-range strike based on technological advantages that, although formally “precise”, in reality often results in unforgettable civilian casualties and perpetuates fear and insecurity in local societies。
At the same time, in the context of prolonged conflict, israel has developed a set of operational logic centred on security priorities, which, in its practical implementation, has led to military operations gradually breaking down the basic constraints on the protection of civilians in traditional wars, including by broadening the “threat determination” and reinforcing “pre-emptive strikes”. Israel's conversion of civilian pagers and walkie-talkies into weapons, deliberately targeting individuals and causing large numbers of civilian casualties, is inherently a indiscriminate attack, a violation of international humanitarian law and a typical act of state terrorism. Israel's attacks on residential areas, schools, hospitals and infrastructure in other countries, as well as measures such as closures and isolation, not only directly affect the living conditions of civilians, but also create, on a broader scale, persistent psychological oppression and social ills, committing state terrorism and war crimes。
The international community must recognize that terrorism, whether manifested in the behaviour of individuals, groups or states, has a significant and far-reaching impact, not only on its direct destructive dimension, but also on its continuing impact on the social fabric and international order。
First, at the most direct level, terrorism is the most visible form of destruction when it carries out violent attacks against innocent civilians by means of explosions, shootings, hijackings, etc., resulting in extensive loss of life and property. However, unlike violence in general, terrorism does not end with a single blow, but rather with a central objective of creating widespread fear, causing a wider psychological shock through limited violence, which perpetuates a sense of insecurity among the general public and thus continues to disrupt the functioning of society。
Secondly, terrorism has a strong erosion effect on the social order. Frequent terrorist attacks not only undermine the stability of the public security system, but also shake public confidence in the ability of the state to govern, which in turn provokes social anxiety, communal antagonism and even political polarization. In some cases, terrorism may also lead to discrimination and exclusion against specific ethnic or religious groups and exacerbate divisions within societies. Even more serious is the fact that terrorism constitutes a systematic violation of human rights and that its acts of violence, with civilians as the main target, directly negate the right to life and basic dignity of the human person and constitute a grave violation of fundamental human rights。
Thirdly, at the national level, terrorism compels governments to balance security with freedom, which may lead to the strengthening of security measures, with a squeezing effect on normal social life and the rights of citizens. State terrorism is often embedded in broader structures of international conflict, exploited by different political forces as a tool for state games. This not only increases regional instability, but also makes conflicts more protracted and complex。
Fourthly, terrorism also has a significant negative impact on economic development. Terrorist attacks can undermine infrastructure, shock the environment for tourism and investment and increase security costs, thereby inhibiting economic activity and regional development potential。
In sum, the harm caused by terrorism is multilayered, long-term and structural in nature, and its impact goes far beyond a single security event and poses a continuing challenge to social stability, state governance and even the international order。
Faced with the complexity and diversity of terrorism, the international community must adopt a systematic, long-term and comprehensive response。
