Former foreign political dignitaries, diplomatic envoys from various countries in China, as well as experts and scholars, gathered on Saturday at the 12th World Peace Forum in Beijing to share their views on improving global security governance.
This year's World Peace Forum was held at Tsinghua University in the Chinese capital. The theme was improving global security governance through justice, unity, and cooperation. About 400 people attended the event and shared opinions on a range of topics.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama highlighted the evolving dynamic relations between China and the United States and the importance of Japan acting as a bridge between the two major countries.
"China's national power will be on par with that of the United States in the future, and thus, the competition between the U.S. and China will also become a long-term issue. However, I still believe that acting as a bridge between China and the U.S. to alleviate and manage their rivalry is in Japan's national interest," Hatoyama said in his speech at the forum.
Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin emphasized in his speech the enduring relevance of key principles rooted in international diplomacy.
"We must rely on the principles of the United Nations and reaffirm 'the Spirit of San Francisco,' 'the Spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence,' as well as 'the Spirit of Bandung.' They remain highly relevant concerning mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, as well as peaceful coexistence. And they can serve as a basis for resolving major international crises," de Villepin said.
The World Peace Forum was initiated by Tsinghua University and has now become an annual event with widespread participation from global strategic security professionals.
Forum gathers former world leaders, diplomatic envoys in Beijing to discuss global security governance
Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba expressed agreement with China's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, calling on the world to leave behind inequality and the domination of one country over others.
In September, Mbumba visited Beijing to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years, with the highest rate of attendance by foreign leaders. The summit ran from Sept 4 to 6 with the goal of deepening ties and outlining future cooperation between China and Africa.
So many African leaders attended the event because they understand the global trend of development and the importance of multilateralism, said the president in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) that aired Friday.
"Development will take place. But the question is, is this development for the welfare of the people and the benefit of the world, or is [it] for selfish ends? And that is what we have to avoid. We have to work together, cooperate together and build a shared prosperity for all people, for all nations," he said.
In Mbumba's view, the greatest hindrance to the realization of an equal and just world is a global power structure dependent on the exploitation of developing countries.
"I think the inequality of the past, the domination of other countries and other people of the past, we should leave that behind and truly and honestly work together to develop. We don't need to be engaged in funny politics of destroying one another or robbing one another's minerals or countries, but to cooperate together and benefit all of us," said Mbumba.
"For some people to think that they are the only one, their country is the only one that matters, and the lives of their people is the only thing that matters, other people, you can get rid of them [and] it is not important. It is very, very important that humanity accepts that we are one, that we better learn how to cooperate, how to work together," he said.
The Namibian president pointed to China's Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative as viable alternatives to existing hegemonic paradigms.
"I think it is very, very important that through the initiative like that by honest people representing strong, honest principles, they are worthy of pursuing, they are worthy of respecting. And we should work, all of us, work together, to make humanity at this level of development, all the world, to live in peace, to be able to live the lives our grandparents or great-great grandparents could not have imagined," Mbumba said.
Namibia stands in agreement with China's vision for shared prosperity: president
