China determined to stick to path of peaceful development: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers an important speech at the conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, held on June 28, 2024 in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

China's determination to stay on the path of peaceful development, develop friendship and cooperation with all countries, and promote common development around the world will not change, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a press conference. a speech delivered Friday in Beijing at the Conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the five principles of peaceful coexistence. Seventy years ago, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai first put forward these five principles in their entirety: “mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit. , and peaceful coexistence.

Analysts noted that the five principles of peaceful coexistence, adopted by countries around the world over the past seven decades, are of particular significance in today's world. The principles also serve as a foundation for fostering cooperation among nations in the face of global challenges. Friday's events and China's efforts to strengthen collaboration, especially among countries in the South, are expected to inject new impetus into global stability.

At a commemorative conference on Friday, President Xi said that over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have transcended time and space and overcome distance, displaying solid resilience and eternal relevance. They have become open, inclusive and universally applicable basic norms for international relations and fundamental principles of international law, and have made indelible historical contributions to the cause of human progress.

President Xi Jinping stressed that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are a historical reference for international relations and the international rule of law. They have also served as a main guide for the establishment and development of relations between countries with different social systems.

The baton of history is passed from generation to generation, and the cause of human progress advances from one era to the next as humanity seeks answers to the questions of its time. Seventy years later today, faced with the historic question of “what type of world to build and how to build it”, China has responded to the call of its times by proposing a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.

President Xi noted that the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity carries forward the same spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Both are rooted in traditional Chinese values ​​such as “Be Kind to Your Neighbor,” “Seek Friendship Through Integrity” and “Promote Harmony Among All Nations.”

Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, director of the Center for Brazil-China Studies at the Getulio Vargas Foundation Law School in Brazil, told the Global Times that he felt extremely honored to have been invited to attend the significant events of Friday and that he was impressed by President Xi's speech.

China's commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has great symbolic value. This underlines China's commitment to building a peaceful world where international dialogue is anchored in respecting sovereignty and promoting multilateralism, Carvalho said.

This event also serves as an invitation to all nations to join efforts to strengthen friendship and create a global community with a shared future for humanity, Carvalho said.

Besides the memorial lecture, a luncheon and sub-forums were also organized on Friday. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended and delivered a speech at the luncheon. Former state leaders, experts and scholars, friendly personalities and representatives of the media and business community from various countries were also invited to participate in the activities.

Arnaud Bertrand, a French entrepreneur and commentator on economics and geopolitics, said that the five principles of peaceful coexistence constitute “a perfect basis for a good vision of the world.”

Bertrand told the Global Times that currently, we are facing two paths: peaceful coexistence or increased competition. The idea of ​​coexistence is a much more favorable outcome than the alternative of a new Cold War. The purpose of the five principles of peaceful coexistence is to provide a vision of a positive future and offer hope that conflicts can be resolved without resorting to intense competition.

The content of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence integrates traditional Chinese culture and diplomatic practices of New China, demonstrating the continuous development of Chinese diplomacy, Diao Daming, a professor at Renmin University of China in Beijing, who also attended the series of commemorative activities on Friday, told the Global Times.

In today's world, facing complex challenges, peace and development remain the common expectations of the international community. However, in the current unstable international context, it is necessary to emphasize the possibility of achieving peace, maintaining development, and allowing countries to coexist peacefully, respect each other and not interfere in each other's internal affairs. The actions of some countries show that they are flouting these basic principles, which require the international community to pay more attention to and respect them, Diao said.

Diao stressed that the five principles of peaceful coexistence are of great importance in today's world. It serves as a foundation for promoting global peace, cooperation and mutual respect among nations, thereby contributing to a more harmonious and prosperous future for all, the expert said.

Strong support for countries in the South

In his speech, President Xi also noted that the past 70 years have repeatedly proved that an effective way for countries to jointly address challenges and create a better future is through strengthening unity, cooperation, communication and understanding.

Among all the forces in the world, the Global South stands out for its strong dynamics and plays a vital role in promoting human progress. Standing at a new historical starting point, the global South must be more open and inclusive, and unite to take the lead in building a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.

President Xi announced eight measures that China will take to support the development of the South, including establishing a Southern Research Center, providing 1,000 scholarships under the five principles of peaceful coexistence and 100,000 training opportunities in the countries of the South in the years to come. five years, launching a Southern Young Leaders Program, renewing the China-IFAD South-South and Triangular Cooperation Facility, and making an additional renminbi contribution equivalent to US$10 million to support agricultural development in the South .

Looking to the future, the great cause of building a community with a shared future for mankind cannot be achieved without the support and participation of all progressive forces in the world. It is necessary for southern countries to be at the forefront of this historical trend, Wang Yi said at Friday's luncheon.

The eight measures announced by President Xi to support cooperation in the Global South demonstrate China's firm determination to stand with all countries in the Global South in good times and bad, and promote the development and revitalization of the Global South, Wang said, noting that China will actively implement these measures with all parties to inject stronger momentum into the common development, solidarity and cooperation of the Global South.

Donald Ramotar, former president of Guyana, who attended Friday's events, said China was already working very extensively with the global South and offered an alternative to the kind of relationships that once existed within the Western imperialist world, whose sole aim was to exploit the developing world to keep it poor and dependent.

China's construction of infrastructure through various initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative is also a contribution to strengthening the South's sovereignty and independence, Ramotar said.

Carvalho also said that countries in the Global South have always faced many foreign interventions that harmed the interests of their own people. Adherence to the five principles of peaceful coexistence is essential to promoting multilateralism in which every state, regardless of its size or strength, is respected and included in international decision-making.

The five principles of peaceful coexistence are also essential to promoting a stable international economic system, which in turn promotes common prosperity. A stable world allows for increased international trade and investment, creating an environment conducive to long-term cooperation, Carvalho said.