Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- In 2023, we will see the world in a stormy world.
Xinhua News Agency reporter Xin Jiping.
In 2023, the hurricane of geopolitical conflicts, the whirlpool of bloc confrontation, and the undercurrent of economic recession will stir the world, and the road ahead for mankind will be bumpy and turbulent. At the same time, the crisis has brought about change and nurtured hope, the multipolarization of the world is accelerating, the tide of globalization is still surging, the scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation are changing with each passing day, and the vast number of developing countries are more consciously united and self-reliant, more actively cooperate for mutual benefit, and respond to changes more calmly.
"Face-to-face contact" has become an important keyword on the international stage this year. Multilateral conferences, bilateral meetings and meetings, various economic and trade cooperation expos, and forums on various issues in various fields of global governance have been intensively held, either focusing on peace and security, or working on development cooperation, or promoting joint challenges, or aiming to strengthen exchanges. Despite the twists and turns, most of the meetings sent a clear message to the international community: peace, development, cooperation and win-win results are the trend of the times and the aspirations of the people.
As a member of the international community and a responsible major country, China answers the questions of the times in the spirit of solidarity and coexistence, speaks out for peace and justice, sets the stage for development cooperation, provides advice for global governance, cultivates soil for exchanges among civilizations, and joins hands with other countries to ride the general trend of history, take the right path for mankind and move forward the wheel of the times to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
Subheading) Bringing together the voices of peace and justice.
The United Nations is an important multilateral venue for world peace and security. Over the past year, all sides have engaged in fierce confrontations and repeated tugs and turns over the security issue, reflecting the death of hegemonism and the fierceness of the call for peace.
In October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict resumed, exposing the fragility of the international security mechanism and the injustice of the international order. The United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly have held many meetings, and a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities have become an overwhelming consensus, but the United States has repeatedly used the veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council to block the adoption of the draft resolution on a ceasefire.
The confrontation around the Palestinian-Israeli ceasefire is a microcosm of the intertwined game between the two forces of maintaining hegemony and pursuing peace in the world today. The inertia of the hegemon is still strong, but the forces of peace are thriving. The collective rise of developing countries has become an irreversible historical trend, and the process of multipolarization of international politics and democratization of international relations has accelerated, tilting the balance of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction. This trend will become more and more evident in 2023.
At the beginning of the year, with the support of China, Saudi Arabia and Iran achieved historic reconciliation through face-to-face talks, setting an example for regional countries to resolve their differences and achieve good-neighborliness and friendship through dialogue and consultation. Subsequently, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other countries moved towards normalization of relations with Qatar, and the Arab League summit ushered in the return of Syria. Although this round of "reconciliation" has been hit by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, in the long run, the general trend of pursuing peaceful development will be difficult to shake, and the process of regional reconciliation will continue to advance.
In June, a peace delegation composed of leaders and special envoys of South Africa and other African countries visited Russia and met with Vladimir Putin to propose a peace plan for resolving the Ukrainian crisis. In November, under the auspices of China, which holds the rotating presidency of the month, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2712 on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which is the first Security Council resolution since the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Subsequently, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and other countries, some of the detainees were released and a ceasefire was held for several days. In the same month, BRICS leaders held a special summit on the Palestinian-Israeli issue to raise the voice of justice and peace on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. This is also the first time that the leaders of the BRICS countries have met specifically on an international ......
These multilateral interactions and efforts to promote reconciliation reflect a clear trend: In the face of the turbulent international situation, the vast number of members of the international community have become more and more active in their efforts to pursue and promote peace, and the old pattern of international order and security dominated and monopolized by a few countries for decades is being broken, and promoting the construction of a peaceful environment conducive to stable development has become an increasingly powerful common aspiration of the vast number of developing countries. A recent report by the Council on Foreign Relations, a European think tank, pointed out that the "system of global hegemony" is rapidly declining, and the "Global South" is desperate to build a new "multipolar world".
As a builder of world peace and a defender of the international order, China has integrated knowledge and action. From the Global Security Initiative (GSI) to mediating hotspot issues to launching home security diplomacy such as the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, China's principles of common security and indivisible security have continued to take root in the hearts of the people. Because China is fair, it "asks China". The fact that the joint delegation of foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries chose China as the first stop of its international mediation campaign on the Palestinian-Israeli issue also shows that China's position and actions on the Palestinian-Israeli issue are widely recognized.
In today's world, people's minds are fixed. The ills created by the old security paradigm will not disappear overnight, but the new international forces are growing stronger and showing the energy to effectively suppress the hegemonic impulses. Lasting peace is not a one-day effort, and the game is still being played. It has been seen that the playbook of history is evolving in the direction desired by the majority of the members of the international community.
Subheading) Convergence of synergies for common development.
Representatives of 151 countries and 41 international organizations attended the conference, with a total number of more than 10,000 registrations, 458 cooperation achievements, and a total of 97.2 billion US dollars ...... business cooperation agreementsThe grand occasion of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation has left a deep impression on the world. The popularity of the forum not only highlights the strong development aspirations of all countries, but also reflects the great potential for global cooperation.
At present, the world economic recovery is sluggish, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and some countries have built "small courtyards and high walls" and forcibly promoted "decoupling and chain breaking", and economic globalization has encountered headwinds. Problems such as the North-South gap, the development fault, and the technological divide have become more prominent......UN Secretary-General António Guterres sounded the alarm that global development has reached a "decisive moment". "Development and Cooperation" has become the distinctive theme of many international conferences in 2023.
At the beginning of the year, the theme of the annual meeting in Davos was "Strengthening Cooperation in a World".At regional meetings such as the African Union Summit, the ASEAN Summit, and the South American Leaders' Meeting, it has become a general consensus to strengthen regional cooperation, jointly promote the integration process, and promote development and economic recoveryThe 15th BRICS Summit held in August clearly sent a resounding ...... of solidarity and cooperation between BRICS countries and developing countriesIn the face of severe challenges, most countries, especially developing countries, have an increasingly strong desire for development, and the trend of expanding cooperation is unstoppable.
The torrent of development rolls forward, there are mainstream and countercurrent. From the G7 Hiroshima Summit to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Ministerial Meeting, to the US-EU and Technical Committee meetings, the United States has politicized and ideologized economic and trade issues, created an exclusive coterie in the name of "de-risking", seriously disrupted the normal operation of the global market, and hindered global development cooperation.
As the largest developing country in the world, China has demonstrated firm will and down-to-earth actions, and has always given prominence to global development issues in the midst of the noise and turmoil with the vast number of developing countries. From promoting multilateral mechanisms to focus on development issues, to strengthening the synergy of mutually beneficial and win-win development strategies at the bilateral level, to actively building platforms to create opportunities for common development, the vast number of developing countries have been striving to do the "addition" of common development and continuously inject new impetus into the cause of global development.
At the G20 summit in New Delhi, although some countries wanted to force geopolitical issues, China and other developing countries insisted on anchoring development issuesAt the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, China called for further consensus building, focusing on action, and injecting greater impetus into the cause of global sustainable developmentAt the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue, China put forward a number of initiatives to support the sustainable development ...... the African continent
The 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) was very popular, with an annual turnover of 784$100 million;The 2023 China International Service Fair will be booming, attracting more than 500 of the world's top 500 companies and industry leading enterprises to participate in the exhibitionA series of exhibitions such as the 2023 China International Digital Economy Expo, the 2nd Global Digital Expo, and the 1st China International Digital Chain Promotion Expo have been successfully held, allowing China's development and the world's development to further integrate and achieve ...... mutual achievementsHolding high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results in the new era, China is committed to creating more growth opportunities for the economic development of all countries and allowing people of all countries to enjoy more development results, demonstrating the true character and responsibility of a major country as a global development advocate and a doer of development cooperation.
Development is the last word, and this is China's successful experience and the general consensus of the vast number of developing countries. During the High-level Week of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the high-level meeting on the achievement of cooperation on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) hosted by China attracted much attention, with more than 300 representatives from the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) member states and international organizations gathering together to continue the development story of mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity with China, highlighting the important role played by the China Initiative in building consensus on development and boosting international cooperation.
The more turbulent the world becomes, the more we need all countries to work together in the same boat. As long as all countries focus on development and pursue development wholeheartedly, they will be able to find a mutually beneficial and win-win solution for universal prosperity and create a colorful movement of common development.
Subheading) Bringing together the wisdom of multilateral co-governance.
As the hottest year on record draws to a close, the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has come to a close, with historic agreement on a roadmap for the transition away from fossil fuels in the UAE Consensus. The 70,000-person international conference is a successful example of humanity's holistic approach to the challenges of common existence, bringing a new dawn of "building a cleaner and more beautiful world" to the world.
In today's world, the energy crisis, food crisis, debt crisis, etc. are intensifying, the urgency of global climate governance is highlighted, the green and low-carbon transformation has a long way to go, the digital divide is widening, and the lack of AI governance is ......At a time when global governance challenges are still frequent, countries have a deeper sense of interdependence and shared destiny, and there is a greater need for gathering to discuss and seek consensus, and there is a stronger need to converge and overcome differences and address challenges.
Since the beginning of this year, the protracted crisis in Ukraine and the resurgence of the Palestinian-Israeli war have been the topics of many international conferences, reminding people that traditional security challenges such as war have not gone far. At the same time, non-traditional security challenges are emerging, crises are becoming more incomprehensible, and the connotation and extension of global governance are constantly enriched.
As the world's most affected continent by climate change, Africa hosted the first-ever climate summit this year, focusing on the threat of climate change and green growth, calling for greater financing and technical assistance to Africa to address climate change, and jointly "providing solutions" to the global climate crisis. As a new frontier of global governance, the issue of artificial intelligence has attracted much attention. The Declaration of the UK's first Global AI Security Summit highlighted in particular that many of the risks of AI are international in nature and "best addressed through international cooperation......".
The boundaries of global governance are expanding, and the forces to promote global governance are becoming more diverse. It is worth noting that the countries of the "Global South" have increased their importance and influence on the international agenda significantly in this year's international conferences. The Munich Security Conference in February, which included a special session on "North-South cooperation," repeatedly mentioned the need to regain the trust of the "Global South" in the report. The G7 summit in Hiroshima in May will focus on strengthening ties with countries in the Global South. However, the West's sudden focus on the "Global South" is only an emergency response to the rapid rise of developing countries, reflecting anxiety and unease about the global "de-Westernization". According to the National University of Singapore's Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute of Asian Studies, Washington must adapt to a new reality in which developing countries are becoming more mature and more capable of making decisions on their own.
In August, during the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, BRICS countries successfully expanded their membership, vigorously promoting the momentum of world multipolarization and democratization of international relations, and effectively enhancing the representation and voice of emerging markets and developing countries in international affairs. During the general debate of the UN General Assembly this year, many leaders of developing countries expressed their dissatisfaction with Western countries for ignoring and sacrificing the interests of developing countries, and jointly called for the practice of true multilateralism that benefits all countries. According to the Brookings Institution, "the countries of the 'Global South' are calling for a greater role in global governance and major multilateral institutions" as a prominent feature of the current session of the UN General Assembly.
**The Chair stressed that strengthening global governance is the right choice for the international community to share development opportunities and address global challenges. In the face of emerging global challenges, China has practiced the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance, and actively participated in the reform and construction of the global governance system. From the high-end forum on global human rights governance focusing on human rights, to the "2023 Imperial Springs International Forum", to the release of the "China Plan for the Reform and Construction of Global Governance" and "Working Together to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: China's Initiatives and Actions", China has always adhered to the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and has worked with other countries in the world to pool wisdom and efforts to promote the development of global governance in a more just and reasonable direction, so as to contribute to the construction of a lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, and a more equitable and equitable development. An open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world contributes China's wisdom, China's solutions and China's strength.
Subheading) Gathering the stars of mutual learning among civilizations.
In the galaxy of human history, different civilizations are like bright stars, reflecting each other and illuminating each other.
In March, a high-level dialogue between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and world political parties was held in Beijing, in which China brought the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), an important global public good, to the world. The initiative focuses on promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, promoting the progress of human civilization, and injecting strong positive energy into the process of world modernization and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
In the past year, many countries have been trying to adjust to this era of great development, great change and great adjustment, and China's leaders are not only strategizing for their own development, but also deeply thinking about fundamental and overall issues related to the future and destiny of mankind. From regional conferences such as the ASEAN-China Summit and the China-Central Asia Summit, to the in-depth exchange of experience in governance, to the first Liangzhu Forum and the Understanding China International Conference, China has promoted the harmonious coexistence of different civilizations. China spares no effort to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, so as to cultivate a fertile ground for people-to-people ties and sow the seeds of understanding, trust and friendship. These multilateral meetings have witnessed China's wisdom and achievements in exploring the path of state-to-state exchanges in the new era and enhancing the well-being of all mankind.
The friendship between countries lies in people-to-people affinity, and people-to-people friendship lies in heart-to-heart bonds." The peoples of various countries that have created different civilizations are the main body of international relations and the main body of the cause of world peace and development. In April, the President held talks with the visiting French Macron, and proposed that China is willing to strengthen cooperation in relevant fields with the French side next year to take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism and the Paris Olympic Games as an opportunityAt the San Francisco meeting in November, the Chinese and US heads of state reached a consensus to reaffirm the importance of people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, and will introduce more measures to promote people-to-people exchangesIn December, when meeting with representatives of young people and friendly personages from China and Vietnam, President ** pointed out that the foundation of China-Vietnam friendship lies in the people and the future lies in the youth. Chile's Boric, who is visiting China this year, said: "We very much appreciate the new model of global governance put forward by President ***, with the harmonious coexistence of all peoples at the core. ”
With the ancients, the new oriental wisdom brings enlightenment to the process of world modernization. Proceeding from its own experience, China sees the importance of praising its own civilization and respecting and learning from other civilizations to the modernization process of a country and the world. China has always believed that the inclusive coexistence and mutual learning of different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in promoting the modernization of human society and prospering the garden of world civilizations.
In addition to the first meeting, various cultural and sports events and people-to-people forums held in China in 2023 have also contributed to promoting mutual understanding and recognition among different civilizations. The passionate drums of the Hangzhou Asian Games "Shui Yucong" and the echo of the ancient Shu of the Chengdu Universiade "Stone Chime" let people appreciate the long meaning of Chinese civilization;Before the opening of the first "Liangzhu Forum", more than 80 foreign artists set off from the ancient city of Liangzhu to visit China to experience the diversity and richness of Chinese history, culture and artThe Imperial Springs International Forum brought together more than 130 guests from more than 40 countries from the political, business and academic circles to ...... important topics such as world peace and stability, sustainable economic development, and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizationsDifferent civilizations have stirred up each other in the process of opening up, and different nations have made progress in the process of blending. To promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, China is striving to tighten the ties of cooperation and build bridges of peace.
2023 is coming to an end. Taking the meeting as a window, we can see that peace and development are still the theme of the timesWith the meeting as a bridge, the people of all countries will walk hand in hand in exchanges and exchanges;With the conference as a medium, China has continuously contributed its wisdom and strength to the cause of world peace and development. Looking forward to the new year, mankind still needs more contact, more handshakes, more exchanges and more interactions, build consensus, promote cooperation in gathering from all over the world, and jointly answer the questions of the world, the times and history. (ENDS).