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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and minister of foreign affairs

Mr. Guo Yezhou, deputy director of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee

Mr. Cong Liang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission

Mr. Li Qun, vice minister of culture and tourism and administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration

Mr. Zhao Fengtao, vice chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency

Moderator:

Mr. Sun Yeli, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office

Date:

Sept. 26, 2023

Sun Yeli:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference.

Today, the State Council Information Office has organized this press conference to release a white paper titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions," and will now introduce and explain its main content. 

The white paper thoroughly implements Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It systematically lays out the general context, rich implications, practical pathways and global significance of establishing a global community of shared future. The white paper showcases China's proactive actions and contributions in fostering a global community of shared future, and further calls upon the rest of the world to promote the common values of humanity, jointly build a global community of shared future and strive for a better world.

At around 22,000 Chinese characters, the white paper consists of a preface, main body and conclusion. Specifically, the main body is divided into five sections: "Humanity at a Crossroads," "An Answer to the Call of the Times and a Blueprint for the Future," "Deep Roots in History and Cultural Traditions," "Direction and Path" and "China's Action and Contribution."

The white paper is published in eight languages — Chinese, English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese — by the People's Publishing House and Foreign Languages Press. It is available at Xinhua Bookstores across the country.

To help you better understand the document, we have invited Mr. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and minister of foreign affairs; Mr. Guo Yezhou, deputy director of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee; Mr. Cong Liang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission; Mr. Li Qun, vice minister of culture and tourism and administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration; and Mr. Zhao Fengtao, vice chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, to attend today's press conference. They will brief you on related information and then take your questions.

First, I'll give the floor to Mr. Wang Yi to introduce the white paper.

Wang Yi:

Distinguished guests, colleagues and friends:

It gives me great pleasure to join you today to witness the release of the white paper "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions."

The white paper is a significant document that systematically lays out the theoretical base, practice and development of a global community of shared future. It also serves as an important measure to thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. I hope the release of the document can enable people from all walks of life and the international community to grasp the significance of a global community of shared future in a more comprehensive manner, and help them further understand the profound objectives of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Dear friends, this year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's proposal of a global community of shared future. Ten years ago, in face of the profound question raised by the world, by history and by the times of "What has happened to the world and how should we respond?" President Xi Jinping creatively proposed the establishment of a global community of shared future using his broad strategic vision, extraordinary political wisdom and strong sense of mission as a leader of a major country and Party. The proposal has charted the correct path for the world at a major historical turning point, and built strong consensus for international cooperation during turbulent times.

Over the past decade, through the personal involvement and advocacy of President Xi Jinping, the development of a global community of shared future has been transformed from a concept into actions. Seeing growth in strength, the proposal has adhered to the right path forward amid shifting global dynamics, and forged ahead with resolve despite challenges and risks. It has achieved remarkable practical progress and demonstrated a pioneering thought with the power of truth.

Over the past decade, the conceptual attributes of a global community of shared future have been gradually improved. From state visits to multilateral summits, President Xi Jinping has systemically elaborated on this major concept at multiple international events, and deepened the international society's understanding of it. As a result, a well-conceived theoretical system based on the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) has been developed. The proposal's general objectives are to build a world of lasting peace through dialogue and consultation; a world of common security for all through joint efforts; a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation; an open and inclusive world through exchanges and mutual learning; and to make our world clean and beautiful by pursuing green and low-carbon development. It pursues the common values of humanity, follows the fundamental path of fostering a new type of international relations, and uses the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a practical platform.

Over the past decade, China has made significant achievements in diplomatic practices aimed at building a global community of shared future. China has established various forms of a community of shared future with dozens of countries and regions, whether bilateral or multilateral, regional or global. The Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative have garnered support from over 100 countries. The Global Civilization Initiative received positive feedback from several countries shortly after its proposal. In responding to significant global challenges in fields such as health, climate change, and cybersecurity, President Xi Jinping has also presented the Chinese solution of building a global community of shared future, contributing wisdom and strength to address global challenges properly and improve global governance.

Over the past decade, the international consensus on building a global community of shared future has been growing. The vision of a global community of shared future has been included in U.N. Assembly Resolutions for six consecutive years and incorporated into the resolutions and declarations of multilateral mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS. It has garnered the international community's understanding and support, especially among developing countries. More and more countries and people realize that this vision reflects the pursuit of peace, justice, and progress, creates the greatest synergy for building a better world , and holds great significance in promoting unity and cooperation among countries to create a better future for humanity.

Friends, what was sown in spring will yield rich fruits in autumn. The successful practices of the past decade have once again proven that building a global community of shared future is an essential choice that aligns with the general trend of history and promotes human development. As world history unfolds into the 21st century, humanity is increasingly breaking down the boundaries of geography, ethnicity, and culture, residing in the same global village. With our interests and security so closely intertwined, the world has forged a community of shared interests, responsibilities, and future. Despite recent challenges such as trade wars, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical crises, globalization continues to advance amid twists and turns. The world economy remains an ocean, refusing to retreat into isolated lakes and rivers. People from all nations recognize that, in the face of the deepening global crisis, no country can prosper in isolation or meet all challenges independently . Like passengers aboard the same ship, only through solidarity can we steer clear of the historical cycles of war and peace, rise and fall, order and chaos.

Building a global community of shared future is the right direction to align with the current trend of the times and improve global governance. All epoch-making theories must adapt to the needs of the development and progress of the times. The old thinking of hegemonism and power politics has long been unable to adapt to the new reality of the 21st century. The international community strongly recognizes that in order to avoid a new Cold War and escape the dilemma of a clash of civilizations, we must make breakthroughs in theories of international relations. The vision of building a global community of shared future departs from traditional international relations theories, advocating that peaceful development should prevail over conflict and confrontation, common security should replace absolute security, and mutual benefit should replace zero-sum games. It calls for preventing clashes between civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning and protecting our planet through ecological progress. This vision has constructed a new model for theories of international diplomacy and contributed Chinese wisdom to the reform of global governance.

Building a global community of shared future is integral to our efforts to adhere to peaceful development and remain committed to win-win cooperation. The vision of a global community of shared future originates from the best of traditional Chinese culture, such as pursuing the common good and peace for all, and embodies the Chinese nation's longing for a fine human society since ancient times. Currently, promoting the construction of a global community of shared future has been enshrined in China's Constitution and the Constitution of the Communist Party of China, making it one of the essential requirements of Chinese modernization . This fully demonstrates that China is committed to pursuing a modernization path that is different from traditional Western powers and regards peaceful development as our strategic choice. In the process of promoting the construction of a global community of shared future, China will integrate its own development into the common development of all countries, closely linking its own future with the future of humanity. It will continue to provide new opportunities for the world with its own new development and inject stronger impetus into and make greater contributions to humanity's peace and development.

The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. Geopolitical competition is becoming increasingly fierce, the Cold War mentality is reemerging, the bullying acts of powers are becoming more harmful, and non-traditional security challenges such as terrorism, cyber-attacks, transnational crimes, and biosecurity continue to rise. Humanity is once again at a crossroads, facing a consequential choice for its future. What kind of world should we build, and how should we build this world? These are questions we must answer correctly. The lessons of two hot (world) wars and a cold war are not distant memories. There is no future for bloc confrontation and zero-sum games. The future of people worldwide lies in building a global community of shared future. Light will not come automatically; we need to work together to create the future.

We should forge greater synergy to achieve lasting peace. The key lies in respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, acknowledging each other's core interests and major concerns, and recognizing the development paths and social systems independently chosen by the people of different countries. We should actively embrace genuine multilateralism, developing a more equitable and orderly process of global multipolarity. We should reject camp-based confrontation and exclusive cliques, opting for an approach to international relations characterized by "dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance."

We should develop a conducive environment for common security. The key lies in promoting a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security outlook. Therefore, we should embrace the approach of addressing differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, give due consideration to each other's legitimate security concerns, and oppose the arbitrary expansion of military alliances and the encroachment on the security space of other nations. We should also make more efforts to coordinate and uphold security in both traditional and non-traditional domains, with the aim of expediting dialogues and cooperation in areas such as biosecurity, cybersecurity, data security, and artificial intelligence security, working together to mitigate risks.

We should instill greater confidence in common development. The key lies in steering and adhering to the correct course of globalization, opposing any attempts towards decoupling, supply chain disruption, or "small yard, high fence." We should also resist protectionism and unilateral sanctions. With such efforts, we can develop a fair, reasonable, and transparent international economic and trade regulatory system. There is a need to prioritize development-related issues at the core of the international agenda, better integrating developing countries into the global division of labor and ensuring that people from all nations can access the benefits of development in an equitable manner. Next month, China will host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and we view it as an opportunity to engage in discussions and pursue common development with all parties.

We should provide sustainable driving forces for mutual learning among civilizations. The key lies in adhering to the principles that no civilization is superior to others and that values should not be used as political tools or weapons of confrontation. We should champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness between civilizations and advocate for peaceful coexistence and harmonious development of different civilizations. We should reject the so-called binary opposition of "democracy versus authoritarianism" and the imposition of one's own values and models on others. By doing so, we can work hand in hand to achieve the creative development of civilization, solidify public support for our relations, and promote mutual understanding and friendship among people of all countries.

We should take more actions to protect the ecology. The key lies in embracing the concept of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, recognizing the significance to respect, adapt to, and safeguard the environment. We should strive to make green development resonate with the public to achieve a sustainable global ecological conservation that leads to a brighter future. We must continue to pursue low-carbon, circular, and sustainable development, collaborating to construct a fair and equitable system of global climate governance for mutually beneficial cooperation. In doing so, we can collectively work to protect our planet for the sake of human existence.

Dear friends,

In two days, we will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday. As such, I would like to extend my best wishes to all of you. The full moon on this festival symbolizes reunion and harmony, reflecting the Chinese belief in a world where "all under heaven are one family," and highlighting the spirit of our times – harmonious coexistence in a global community with a shared future. We are ready to work together with all parties, promoting unity and cooperation, and adhering to the vision of building a global community with a shared future. Together, we aim to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity. Thank you.

Sun Yeli:

Thank you, Mr. Wang. The floor is now open to questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising your questions.