Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 3rd (Reporter Liu Zan, Song Ying and Zhu Ruiqing) In 2023, the world is still not peaceful. Geopolitical conflicts threaten world peace and stability, the global economic recovery is insufficient, and the current global governance system continues to face the challenge of change.
The cross-flow of the sea shows the true colors of heroes, and the wind is high and the waves are urgent.
In 2023, China’s diplomacy as a great power was vigorous, and it made an appeal for world peace and security, injected impetus into global development, contributed to improving global governance and coping with global risks and challenges, and left a strong mark on the great journey of building a community of human destiny.
(1) Contribute China’s wisdom to solving the international security dilemma.
Six brown wooden strips are cleverly locked with each other to form a stable whole. This is a souvenir presented to the members of the United Nations Security Council on the first day of China’s presidency in November 2023 — — Lubansuo
"It (Luban Lock) is like peace. It is easy to disassemble and difficult to assemble, and it is easy to destroy and difficult to rebuild. It may cause irreversible damage if it is rashly laid hands on. It is also like a difficult problem currently facing the Security Council. Only through careful observation and analysis, scientific methods and patience and confidence can we effectively solve the problem. " Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, said.
On November 1, 2023, at the United Nations Headquarters in new york, Zhang Jun (left), Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, gave a speech at the media briefing. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Yushe
It takes patience and wisdom to unlock Luban lock. Dealing with the complicated international situation requires sincerity, integrity and good prescription.
In the world of 2023, multiple contradictions are prominent, and regional conflicts continue. Maintaining peace and stability has become a top priority. Following the global security initiative put forward by China in 2022, the Concept Document of Global Security Initiative was released in February 2023, which explained the core concepts and principles of the initiative, defined the key cooperation directions of the initiative, put forward suggestions and ideas on the platform and mechanism of the initiative, and demonstrated China’s responsibility for maintaining world peace and firm determination to protect global security.
China is the initiator of the global security initiative and a firm practitioner. In the past year, China has been clamoring for world peace and striving for common security.
Around the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has made great efforts to promote a ceasefire. President’s top leaders attended the special video summit of BRICS leaders on the Palestinian-Israeli issue and sent a congratulatory message to the United Nations commemorative meeting on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, expounding China’s position on the Palestinian-Israeli issue; The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China issued China’s Position Paper on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict; Foreign Minister Wang Yi has in-depth communication with politicians and responsible persons of more than 20 countries and international organizations; The China administration’s special envoy for the Middle East visited five countries in the Middle East and attended the Cairo Peace Summit to carry out shuttle diplomacy; China has also provided emergency humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip. As the rotating president of the UN Security Council in November, China hosted a high-level meeting of the Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, and worked with other relevant parties to push the Security Council to adopt the first resolution since the outbreak of the conflict in November, demonstrating the consensus of the international community to promote peace. Ahmad ibrahim, a Saudi expert on international issues, said: "China stands on the side of peace, justice and international law on the Palestinian-Israeli issue."
In February 2023, on the first anniversary of the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis, China issued the document "China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukrainian Crisis", which not only clarified the major principles for resolving the crisis, but also proposed a clear path out of the crisis, which was widely recognized by the international community. The China government sent a special representative for Eurasian affairs to have extensive contacts and exchanges with all parties. In May, he visited five countries including Russia and Ukraine, and in August, he went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to attend an international conference on Ukraine, striving to promote a political solution to the crisis. Saeb Ravache, an international analyst in Jordan, commented that China actively advocated ceasefire and peace talks, advocated dialogue and negotiations, and made unremitting efforts to implement global security initiatives.
On the issue of Afghanistan, China issued the document "China’s Position on Afghanistan", clearly indicating that China adheres to the "three respects" and "three never’s" and puts forward feasible measures on stabilizing the situation, peaceful reconstruction, anti-terrorism and drug control, international coordination and alleviating the humanitarian crisis.
In the past year, one of the most important achievements of China’s global security initiative was to promote reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In March, Shay reached the Beijing Agreement with the support of China, and the three parties issued a joint statement. In April, witnessed by the Chinese side, the two sides signed a joint statement in Beijing, announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations that had been interrupted for seven years from now on. The two Middle Eastern powers shook hands and made peace under the mediation of China, which brought great benefits to the turbulent world. The rapid recovery of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq has led to the reconciliation of many countries in the Middle East, the normalization of relations between Qatar and other Gulf Arab countries, and Syria’s return to the League of Arab States … … The Middle East, which has been in turmoil for a long time because of external interference, has set off a "wave of reconciliation", and seeking peace, development and anti-interference has become the aspiration and general trend of regional countries. "China successfully mediated the resumption of diplomatic relations between Shay and opened a new era of reconciliation in the Middle East." Steven Wright, an associate professor at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar, commented.
If the world loves each other, it will be ruled, and if it is evil, it will be chaotic. China actively practices the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, adheres to fairness and justice, injects more stability into the turbulent world, and wins wide recognition and support from the international community.
According to the article on the website of Eurasia Review, people are witnessing a major change in the geopolitical pattern in the 21st century, and China has become an important factor in maintaining global balance and stability. "Countries in Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America have all seen this."
"China has always been a staunch supporter, promoter and defender of world peace and development, a staunch force of the international community to safeguard and guarantee peace, and its contribution to world and regional peace is obvious to all." Bambang Suryono, chairman of the Asian Innovation Research Center of Indonesian think tank, said.
(2) Contributing China’s strength to solving global development problems
"Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway is jointly built by China and Indonesia ‘ Belt and Road ’ Cooperative ‘ Gold signboard ’ China is willing to sum up successful experience with Indonesia, do a good job in follow-up high-quality operations, and cultivate the Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway Economic Belt. " On October 17, 2023, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader said this when he held talks in the Great Hall of the People with Indonesian President Joko who came to China to attend the third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum and paid a state visit. After the talks, the two heads of state jointly unveiled the official opening of Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway.
After more than two months of operation, this high-speed rail line connecting Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and Bandung, a famous tourist city, has sent more than 1 million passengers. It not only shortens the time and space distance between cities, but also promotes the optimization and upgrading of local industrial structure and empowers economic development along the route. Zoco expressed the hope that more development plans in Indonesia can be connected with the "Belt and Road Initiative".
Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway is a significant landmark achievement of the "One Belt, One Road" jointly established by China and Indonesia, and it is also the latest example of China joining hands with the world and seeking common development.
This is a moving Jakarta-Bandung High-speed Railway high-speed EMU (photo of unmanned aerial vehicle) taken on December 6, 2023 near the Indonesian Bandung Dekarur Station. Xinhua News Agency reporter Xu Qinshe
In Africa, the "One Belt, One Road" cooperation has achieved fruitful results, with frequent good news: the Laiji deepwater port in Nigeria opened for operation, the terminals of Zimbabwe and Angola international airports were successfully completed, and the Cocody Bridge in C? te d ‘Ivoire was completed and opened to traffic … … In August 2023, Chinese and African leaders gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa, and held a dialogue meeting between Chinese and African leaders during the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders. After the meeting, China issued the Initiative to Support Africa’s Industrialization, China’s Plan to Help Africa’s Agricultural Modernization and China-Africa Cooperation Plan to support Africa’s integration and modernization.
In the Asia-Pacific region, during the series of East Asian cooperation leaders’ meetings in September 2023, the China-ASEAN leaders’ meeting issued a joint statement on the "Belt and Road Initiative" and the prospect of mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN Indo-Pacific, and adopted cooperation documents in the fields of agriculture, e-commerce and scientific and technological innovation; At the 30th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader delivered an important speech, pointing out the direction for jointly building the next "golden 30 years" of Asia-Pacific development.
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, the third "One Belt, One Road" international cooperation summit forum held in Beijing in October 2023 attracted more than 150 countries and reached a project cooperation agreement with a total amount of 97.2 billion US dollars. "What we are pursuing is not China’s independent modernization, but we are looking forward to working with other countries, including developing countries, to realize modernization together." At the summit forum, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader put forward the grand vision of working together to realize the world modernization of peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity, announced China’s eight actions to support the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road, and defined the direction of future efforts for the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road. Many delegates believe that the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" shows a new vision of modernization. Former Serbian President boris Tadic said that China has given new meaning to modernization and advocated harmonious coexistence between different countries and harmonious economic and social progress. "This is an important contribution to world modernization, and it represents hope and future.".
Development is the key for all countries to realize world modernization hand in hand. Since the global development initiative was put forward in 2021, China has been pushing the international community to refocus on development and put development issues at the center of the international cooperation agenda. During the UN General Assembly in September, 2023, China hosted a high-level meeting to showcase the cooperation achievements of global development initiatives and released the report "Practical Achievements and World Contributions of Global Development Initiatives". Participants spoke highly of the initiative’s outstanding contribution to rallying development consensus and helping to implement the UN Agenda 2030, and unanimously expressed their expectation to deeply participate in the initiative cooperation, adhere to multilateralism and revitalize the global development agenda.
China’s circle of free trade partners has been expanding from the first round of negotiations with Honduras to the signing of free trade agreements with Ecuador, Nicaragua and Serbia respectively, from the first round of negotiations on China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Version 3.0 to the signing of a protocol on further upgrading the free trade agreement with Singapore.
Consumer Expo, Service Trade Fair, China International Import Expo(CIIE), Canton Fair … … Major exhibitions are resumed offline, providing more opportunities for China, a big market with a population of more than 1.4 billion. The first China International Supply Chain Promotion Expo, held in Beijing from the end of November to the beginning of December, was the first national-level exhibition with the theme of supply chain in the world. 515 Chinese and foreign enterprises and institutions participated in the exhibition, and more than 200 cooperation agreements and intention agreements were signed, involving more than 150 billion yuan. Under the background of some countries encouraging "decoupling and breaking chains" and "small courtyard and high wall", enterprises from all countries have jointly issued the voice of maintaining the stability and smoothness of the global industrial chain supply chain with practical actions.
Veronica Nikishenna, general manager of Russian Export Center, believes that when some countries engage in trade protectionism, China shares the China market with the world by holding a series of exhibitions and other activities, promoting mutual benefit and win-win through opening up, and embodying China’s cooperation concept of openness, inclusiveness, balance of benefits and mutual benefit.
(3) Demonstrate China’s responsibility for improving global governance.
"The consensus reached between China and the United States is an important achievement made before the opening of COP28 … … These goals (in the consensus) will have a far-reaching impact on our future generations. " Sultan Jaber, President of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), spoke of the statement issued by China and the United States in mid-November on strengthening cooperation to cope with the climate crisis, and expressed such heartfelt sigh.
Global warming is one of the main global challenges facing mankind at present, which is related to the future survival and development of mankind. After China announced the Action Plan for Methane Emission Control in early November, it reached the above-mentioned consensus with the United States, showing the world its determination to deal with climate change and injecting momentum into COP28, which opened at the end of November.
At this meeting, China not only cooperated with developing countries to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, but also actively promoted dialogue and consultation with other parties to provide solutions acceptable to all parties, and finally promoted the success of the climate conference called "the most difficult" in recent years. At the closing plenary meeting of the conference, China called for a broad consensus, and many representatives made it clear that "we agree with China".
On December 13th, 2023, at the closing plenary meeting of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Dubai, the participants stood up and applauded after Sultan Jaber, Chairman of COP28, announced the "UAE Consensus". Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Dongzhen photo
China has not only made promises to deal with climate change, but also taken practical actions. David Dodwell, CEO of Strategic Access Consulting, USA, wrote that China has carefully promised and exceeded its commitments in climate action, and other countries should learn from China.
Responding to global risk challenges such as climate change requires an effective global governance system. Among them, maintaining the stability of relations between major powers is particularly crucial. In 2023, China made great efforts to build a pattern of relations between major powers with peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development, and contributed positive energy to maintaining global strategic stability.
From steadily coping with the difficult challenges faced by Sino-US relations, to receiving senior officials such as US Secretary of State Blinken, Finance Minister Yellen and Commerce Minister Raymond to visit China in the middle of the year, and then the Chairman of the Supreme Leader went to the United States to meet with US President Biden in November, and achieved many achievements in managing differences and carrying out related cooperation. Facing the United States’ persistent provocation of "great power competition", China has always developed Sino-US relations on the principle of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and promoted Sino-US relations to stop falling and stabilize.
Chinese and Russian leaders exchanged visits in 2023, drawing a new blueprint for bilateral relations. High-level exchanges between the two sides are frequent, mechanisms such as Sino-Russian strategic security consultations and regular meetings between Chinese and Russian prime ministers are running smoothly, the two countries maintain good cooperation in international and regional affairs, and the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Russia in the new era is stronger.
The China-EU leaders’ meeting resumed offline. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, the two sides made strategic guidance on further deepening China-EU relations and sent a positive signal to make joint efforts to promote the further development of China-EU relations.
An effective global governance system needs to reflect the reasonable demands of all countries in the world. In 2023, China will lead the way in the reform of the international system and order, continue to unite with developing countries, and promote the development of the global governance system in a more just and rational direction.
From the seventh summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in January, when the Chairman of the Supreme Leader was invited to make a video speech, to the summit of "Group of 77 and China" held in Havana, Cuba in September, China sent a strong voice of strengthening unity and cooperation with the developing countries, and made joint efforts to enhance the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance.
New progress has been made in the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the BRICS cooperation mechanism. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit held in July officially accepted Iran as a member state and approved the signing of a memorandum on Belarus’ obligations to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. At the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders in Johannesburg, South Africa in August, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia were invited to join the BRICS family.
Suzdaltsev, an associate professor in the Department of World Economics and Politics of the Russian State Higher School of Economics, said that the SCO and the BRICS cooperation mechanism are becoming one of the emerging multipolar world centers. Australia’s "Pearl and Stimulation" website article believes that the two meetings between the SCO and the BRICS countries show that the world geopolitical order is undergoing major changes, and the global economic focus is shifting from the West to the East.
(D) What kind of world to build and how to build it, and give China’s plan.
Over the past year, whether it is committed to maintaining peace and promoting development, or responding to global risk challenges and promoting the reform of the global governance system, China’s diplomacy is based on the fundamental understanding that human beings are in the same home on earth and the destiny of all countries in the world is shared, with building a community of human destiny as the highest goal.
In 2023, the relationship between China and many countries was upgraded, and the global partnership network was broader and higher in quality. New progress has been made in building a bilateral community of destiny. China and the five Central Asian countries have achieved full coverage of the community of human destiny at the bilateral level, and announced with Vietnam that they will join hands to build a strategic community of destiny between China and Vietnam.
Especially concerned by the international community, following the global development initiative and global security initiative, the General Secretary of the Supreme Leader put forward the global civilization initiative at the high-level dialogue meeting with world political parties in the Communist Party of China (CPC) in March 2023, advocating respect for the diversity of world civilization, promoting the common values of all mankind, attaching importance to the inheritance and innovation of civilization, and strengthening international humanities exchanges and cooperation, which further enriched and expanded the practical path of building a community of human destiny. A series of cultural exchange activities, such as the China-Russia Sports Exchange Year, the China-Pakistan Tourism Exchange Year, the Chengdu Universiade and the Hangzhou Asian Games, let the world see China’s sincere will and practical actions to implement the global civilization initiative and promote the exchange and mutual learning of civilizations.
On September 23rd, 2023, the last torchbearer Wang Shun and the digital torchbearer lit the main torch at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Xinhua News Agency reporter Cheng Tingting photo
According to the article published on the website of Zimbabwe’s Sunday Post, the three initiatives are full of China’s wisdom, which is of great practical significance and practical value for promoting different countries and civilizations to jointly meet the common challenges faced by all countries, and will inject strong impetus into the process of human modernization and the building of a community of human destiny.
At the end of 2023, the Central Conference on Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing. The meeting systematically summed up the historical achievements and valuable experience of diplomacy with China as a big country with characteristics in the new era, profoundly expounded the international environment and historical mission faced by foreign work in the new journey, and made comprehensive arrangements for foreign work at present and in the future.
In particular, the meeting profoundly summarized and summarized the core concept of building a community of human destiny, the supreme leader’s diplomatic thought: building a community of human destiny is to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, tolerance, cleanliness and beauty, to promote global governance that is jointly built and shared, to practice the common values of all mankind, and to promote the construction of new international relations as the basic support. Guided by the implementation of global development initiatives, global security initiatives and global civilization initiatives, and building the "Belt and Road" with high quality as a practical platform, we will push all countries to work together to meet challenges, achieve common prosperity, and push the world towards a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress.
Everything breeds without harming each other, and Tao runs parallel without contradicting each other. Building a community of human destiny is the future of people all over the world. It is China’s Chinese plan for what kind of world to build and how to build it. It embodies the Communist Party of China (CPC) people’s world outlook, order outlook and values, conforms to the general aspirations of people all over the world, points out the direction of world civilization and progress, and is the lofty goal pursued by China as a big country in the new era.
Isaac anquela, a senior researcher at the Center for Africa-China Policy Consulting, a think tank in Ghana, believes that, in essence, the theme and framework of China’s foreign policy agenda are centered on the vision of building a community of human destiny. This concept clearly expresses China’s views on strengthening global governance, meeting global security and development challenges and promoting global peace and development.
Rehab Mahmoud, Egyptian Dean of the Confucius Institute at Cairo University, said that the concept of building a community of human destiny advocated by China is highly compatible with Chinese excellent traditional culture, which will greatly promote international security, peace and development and effectively enhance the well-being of people around the world.
I will ride the wind and break the heavy waves some day, and then set the cloudlike sail and cross the sea. Looking around the world, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and change, but the general direction of human development and progress will not change, the general logic of tortuous progress in world history will not change, and the general trend of shared destiny of the international community will not change. On the new journey, the diplomacy of a big country with China characteristics will enter a new stage where it can do more, and it will surely play a new cadenza on the world stage and make new and greater contributions to building a community of human destiny.
