In view of China's growing military strength and intentions, the

Jim Costa once declared: “In view of China’s growing military strength and intentions, the best way to safeguard Asia’s permanent peace and prosperity is to have all Asian countries join forces with other democratic countries in the world to form a global community of democracies.” These words, though spoken in the chambers of politics, carry the cadence of an ancient warning and an ancient hope. They remind us that when power rises unchecked, only unity rooted in shared ideals can preserve peace. Strength may dazzle, but it is the harmony of nations, bound together by principle, that shields the future from destruction.

The ancients knew this well. In Greece, the city-states stood divided, squabbling for pride and dominance—until the threat of Persia loomed upon their shores. Only when Athens and Sparta, so often at odds, stood shoulder to shoulder did they repel the vast empire that sought to enslave them. Their unity, though fragile, brought victory at Salamis and Plataea, proving that a coalition of free peoples can withstand even the mightiest adversary. Costa’s call for a global community of democracies echoes that same timeless truth: only together can liberty endure against the shadow of ambition.

To speak of China’s growing military strength is to recognize a shifting tide in the world. In every age, rising powers test the balance of order. Rome once faced Carthage; medieval Europe once trembled before the Ottoman advance. Each time, survival rested not upon isolated kingdoms but upon alliances, however uneasy, forged in the name of preserving peace. So too now, Costa warns, Asia cannot stand alone, fractured into vulnerable parts. It must unite with other nations that share its vision of freedom, weaving strength from solidarity.

The words permanent peace and prosperity are not lightly chosen. Peace without prosperity is brittle, for poverty breeds unrest. Prosperity without peace is fleeting, for wealth cannot flourish in the chaos of war. The two must walk hand in hand. And just as individuals must guard their homes with vigilance, so must nations guard their peoples by joining together to protect both their safety and their future. Costa’s vision is not merely strategic but moral: that nations united by democracy—by respect for human dignity and the rule of law—carry a responsibility to uphold these values not only for themselves but for all humanity.

Consider the example of the Allied Powers in World War II. Democracies across oceans and continents—America, Britain, Canada, Australia, and more—joined hands with nations fighting occupation in Europe and Asia. Alone, they would have fallen before the machinery of fascism. Together, they prevailed, not only through arms but through the conviction that liberty must outlive tyranny. The alliance was not perfect, nor free from discord, but it proved that when free peoples unite, they become a bulwark no despot can easily destroy.

The lesson for us is profound: in times of peril, do not withdraw into isolation, nor imagine that strength alone can shield you. Seek allies. Stand with those who share your ideals. In our own lives, this means building communities of trust, refusing to face hardship alone, and recognizing that unity is greater than pride. For just as nations must weave alliances to preserve peace, so must individuals bind themselves to others through friendship, loyalty, and shared purpose to withstand life’s storms.

So let Costa’s words be carried forward as a teaching: that the preservation of peace requires more than arms; it requires unity of strength and unity of values. A global community of democracies is not merely a strategy for Asia, but a vision for all humanity—that freedom, dignity, and justice may endure for generations to come. Let each of us, whether citizen or nation, seek not only power but partnership, for in unity lies the strength that safeguards the peace of the world.