China has responded to the challenges of our times by proposing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and implementing a range of measures designed to assist the Global South countries in achieving prosperity in the turbulent world and realizing stability and peaceful development, according to several experts and former politicians who attended a conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.
The Conference, marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, was held on Friday in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech on the theme of "Carrying Forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" at the event.
Seven decades ago, then-Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai thoroughly outlined these principles for the first time: "mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence."
Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have transcended time and space and overcome estrangement, showing robust resilience and everlasting relevance, Xi said.
Noting these principles have become open, inclusive, and universally applicable basic norms for international relations and fundamental principles of international law, Xi said they have made indelible historic contributions to the cause of human progress.
The guests said that Xi's speech carries profound and wide-ranging importance for nations globally to harness the historical insights of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, fostering consensus and collaborative efforts to address the complex problems and challenges of today's world.
"President Xi Jinping didn't speak just about the history of the five principles, but also (about) application to today's circumstances. That's very important. He showed that the five principles are alive today and very important, and probably more important than ever," said former Croatian President Ivo Josipovic.
"President Xi's speech not only commemorates the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence but also charts a road map for building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by Xi," said Ahmed Mustafa Fahmy, head of the League of Arab States' China representative office.
In his speech, Xi said that 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 seeks answers to the questions of the times.
Seventy years later, today, challenged by the historic question of "what kind of world to build and how to build it," China has answered the call of the times by proposing a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.
"A macro perspective in time and space, it’s long-range thinking, and it is global thinking. And your President does not talk about 'we' and 'them'; he talks about 'we' as a global community. He is trying to say that I have a vision that we have a shared future if we listen to each other if we dialogue with each other," said Jan Oberg, director of Sweden-based Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research.
In his speech, President Xi announced eight measures to support cooperation of the Global South, which cover areas of training, youth exchange, economic development, free trade, agricultural cooperation, digital economy, green development and ecological conservation. China will work with all parties to provide stronger impetus for the common development, solidarity and cooperation of the Global South.
Leader of a British trade organization said these measures will help developing nations spur economic growth and foster a more balanced and inclusive multipolar world order.
"I think we should adhere to those but I think we should also understand that China is a leader in innovation. China is not the factory of the world like it was. Then, in the 70s, people realized they could make money in China and come to China. And now people are saying, okay, well, they'll come to China to see what their innovation is. You talk about high-quality development. You talk about productive forces. China is the place where it's evolving. So hopefully, the world can be connected and not separated," said Jack Perry, chairman of the 48 Group Club, a British trade organization that provides policy interpretation, information consultancy, legal assistance, and other services for British and Chinese companies.
Experts praise China’s proposed measures for addressing turbulent global situation
