Chinese President Xi Jinping has successively attended three major multilateral diplomatic events from Nov. 17 to 22, namely the 12th BRICS Summit, the 27th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting and the 15th G20 Leaders’ Summit, and delivered speeches.
The world is caught between a pandemic of the century and momentous changes never seen in the last one hundred years, the global economy has been put into deep recession, and the globe is entering a period of turbulence and revolution.
It is against such a background that Xi put forward China’s solutions to global challenges on multilateral stages and sent reassuring messages to the world.
It is generally believed by the international community that Xi’s remarks and the initiatives proposed by China have provided inspiration for the world to shake off the current crisis and charted the way forward for restoring the world after the COVID-19 pandemic.
It remains an urgent task confronting the entire world to defeat the virus with solidarity and cooperation.
Xi has comprehensively and systematically expounded on China’s ideas about and propositions on international anti-epidemic cooperation.
He proposed that countries adhere to people-centered development and put people’s lives and health first.
Xi stressed that unity and cooperation are the most potent weapon to conquer the epidemic, and encouraged countries to overcome division with unity, replace bias with reason, and pool the maximum global synergy to beat the virus.
The Chinese leader also called on countries to actively support the World Health Organization (WHO)’s crucial leadership role in combating the virus, step up international coordination and response as well as telemedicine, share experience on how to control COVID-19 and achieve economic recovery with digital technologies, establish a global mechanism on the mutual recognition of health certificates, and build a global firewall against the pandemic.
China’s propositions and initiatives have added impetus to international anti-epidemic cooperation and infused confidence to mankind’s fight against the virus.
These propositions and initiatives have once again fully demonstrated the Chinese leader’s sincere wish to pursue common health for mankind and secure stability for the world, embodied China’s firm will to join hands with other countries to overcome the current difficulties, and won high praise and positive responses from various parties.
Cooperation is necessary today more than ever to face the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, which holds the rotating presidency of the G20.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel believes that this (COVID-19) is a global challenge that can only be overcome through global joint efforts, calling on countries to support the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) and enhance the role of the WHO.
The common tasks facing all countries are how to coordinate epidemic prevention and control and economic development, how to keep a balance among the efforts to fight the epidemic, stabilize the economy, and protect people’s livelihood, and how to advance the cause of global poverty reduction.
By referring to China’s successful practice of coordinating epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development as well as taking the lead in resuming work and production and restoring economic growth, Xi has proposed a package of plans for boosting the recovery of world economy.
Xi said countries need to stand firm for building an open world economy and uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, proactively seize the opportunities of the times, cultivate new growth drivers through scientific and technological innovation and digital transformation, and bring about common development of higher quality and stronger resilience.
Xi also called on the international community to place the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the heart of international development cooperation, and make poverty eradication a primary goal.
He stressed the necessity to implement the Paris Agreement in good faith, stick to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and provide more help to developing countries, particularly the small island developing states.
Highlighting adherence to open, innovative, inclusive and green development, China’s proposals fully exhibited the country’s sense of responsibility as a major country that seeks to explore new drivers for world economy, open up space for international economic cooperation, and the well-being of people in all countries.
Through China’s proposals and plans, the world has become more aware of China’s high-quality development momentum, and can better understand the trend of the times.
In the face of severe challenges such as the virus, China, a country with a population of 1.4 billion, has always maintained its strategic focus, and pooled resources and concentrated on managing its own affairs well.
China has achieved major strategic achievements in epidemic prevention and control, and secured positive results in balancing epidemic prevention and control and economic and social development.
In the first three quarters of this year, China’s GDP grew by 0.7 percent, on course to register positive growth for the whole year. The economic performance has greatly boosted people’s confidence in overcoming the epidemic and restoring economic growth.
As China enters a new stage of development, pursues the vision of innovative, coordinated, green, open and inclusive development, and builds a new development pattern whereby domestic and foreign markets can boost each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay, the country will be more vigorous in integrating into the global market and will take greater initiative in deepening international cooperation.
In so doing, China will create more opportunities and space for global recovery and growth.
China is playing an increasingly important role in the Asia-Pacific region and even the world, as pointed out by Sergei Lousianin, a professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University).
When the wind is strong and the tides are high, human beings are put to a tougher test of wisdom, will and ability than ever.
“On the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, China stands ready to pursue peaceful coexistence and common development with all countries. We may bridge differences through dialogue, resolve disputes through negotiation, and make a joint effort for world peace and development,” Xi noted.
As long as countries keep pace and work as a team to break the waves, they will surely dispel the haze of the epidemic through cooperation and navigate steadily toward a brighter future.
