BEIJING, June 29th (ABP) – ” All countries should join hands to overcome challenges, achieve shared prosperity, build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security, and shared prosperity, and realize peaceful coexistence with greater security and prosperity for mankind “, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his dearest wish throughout the keynote speech he delivered on Friday, June 28, 2024 in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, at the Conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
President Xi pointed out that New China (founded in 1949) followed the principle of independence, actively sought peaceful coexistence with all countries, and endeavored to improve its external environment, especially in its neighborhood. To this end, the Chinese leadership specified the Five Principles in their entirety for the first time, namely, 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.
President Xi specified that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were born in Asia, but quickly ascended to the world stage. In 1955, more than 20 Asian and African countries attended the Bandung Conference. They proposed ten principles for handling state-to-state relations on the basis of the Five Principles, and advocated the Bandung spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation, he said.
” The baton of history is passed from generation to generation, and the cause of human progress moves forward from one era to another as mankind seek answers to the questions of the times. Seventy years ago, our forefathers, who experienced the scourge of hot wars and the confrontation of the Cold War, concluded that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were the crucial way to safeguard peace and sovereignty “, President Xi stressed, adding that this answer has withstood the test of international vicissitudes, and has become more appealing rather than obsolete.
Seventy years later today, challenged by the historic question of “what kind of world to build and how to build it,” President Xi continued to say, China has answered the call of the times by proposing a community with a shared future for mankind. ” Today, this Chinese initiative has become an international consensus. The beautiful vision has been put into productive actions. It is moving the world to a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress “, he highlighted, noting that the Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind carries forward the same spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
Both the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind are rooted in traditional Chinese values such as “Be kind to your neighbor,” “Seek amity through integrity,” and “Promote harmony among all nations”, President Xi underscored, pointing out that both attest to China’s diplomatic tenets of self-confidence, self-reliance, justice, protection of the disadvantaged, and benevolence; demonstrate the broad vision of the Communist Party of China to contribute more to humanity; and manifest China’s firm resolve to follow the path of peaceful development.
According to the Chinese number one leader, the Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind is the most effective move to sustain, promote and upgrade the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in the new circumstances. The Vision captures the reality that all countries have a shared future and intertwined interests, and sets a new model of equality and coexistence for international relations.
China believes that all countries, regardless of their size, strength and wealth, are equal members of the international community. They have common interests, common rights, and common responsibilities in international affairs.
Furthermore, the Vision responds to the world’s prevailing trend of peace, development, cooperation and win-win, and opens up new prospects for peace and progress, President Xi disclosed, pointing out that China calls on all countries to bear in mind the future of humanity and the well-being of the people, and uphold their essential commitment to equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.
” We should all champion the common values of humanity, promote global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and cultivate a new type of international relations. We should all work together to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and deliver more benefits to all peoples “, he made a suggestion.
Additionnally, the Vision keeps pace with the historic trend toward multipolarity and economic globalization, and inspires new ways to achieve development and security. ” China has been working together with all sides to take profound and real measures to build a community with a shared future for mankind. We have together enabled the Vision to make historic achievements; expanding from bilateral to multilateral, regional to global, development to security, and cooperation to governance “, President Xi said, stressing that this has guided and boosted the efforts for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and has given the international community broad prospects of peace and stability, and presented the world with more prosperity and development.
The Conference marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence continued on the afternoon under four sub-forums that brought together over 50 panelists, diplomatic envoys and other guests from different countries including China, USA, Iraq, UK, Sudan, Pakistan, Philippines, among others. The general theme was ” From the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind ” with 4 sub-themes such as, Contemporary Value of Asian Wisdom; Vision and Mission of the Global South in a Shifting Landscape; Contributing to Global Prosperity through Chinese Modernization; and Promoting Global Governance Featuring Extensive Consultation and Joint Contributions for Shared Benefits.
Main topics for discussions included Asian wisdom embodied in the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence/Mission and global significance of Asian wisdom in our times; Upholding independence and jointly building a just and equitable international governance system/Cooperating in unity and jointly achieving development and rejuvenation to the benefit of the people; Peaceful development: Takeaways from the Chinese path for the world/Mutual benefit: Chinese practice creates new opportunities for the world; and the relevance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence for our times/Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence: Opportunities and Challenges. That is to say that in each sub-forum, two main topics were discussed.
After panelists expressed their standpoints, a question-and-answer session was opened for active participation and better understanding. Participants commended the speech by President Xi Jinping, for having provided all details to better understand how working together among countries is required. They acknowledged that without peace and stability, development would be impossible. They noted that the three initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping are of paramount importance in handling some global issues. They also noted that there should be permanent communication among countries for reliable and win-win cooperation.
It is worth recalling that Chinese President Xi Jinping did not forget to express the wish to pay high tribute to the visionaries from all countries who have been promoting the Five Principles with perseverance over the years.
