Chinese President Xi Jinping attended and addressed the 2022 World Economic Forum (WEF) virtual session in Beijing on Jan. 17, providing China’s answers to the question of how to beat the pandemic and how to build the post-COVID world from the perspectives of history and philosophy.
He elaborated upon the right direction in which the international community can work jointly to defeat the pandemic, the ultimate solution to promoting steady recovery of the world economy, practical approach to bridging the development divide and suggestions for countries to get along with each other.
His remarks showed China’s firm determination to work together with the rest of the world to survive the trying times and jointly create a better post-COVID world.
“As a Chinese saying goes, ‘The momentum of the world either flourishes or declines; the state of the world either progresses or regresses.’ The world is always developing through the movement of contradictions; without contradiction, nothing would exist. The history of humanity is a history of achieving growth by meeting various tests and of developing by overcoming various crises. We need to move forward by following the logic of historical progress, and develop by riding the tide of development of our times,” said Xi at the virtual session.
Xi’s insightful remarks embody the scientific methodology of dialectical materialism, providing important guidance for grasping the trend of history and riding the waves of the times in the turbulent international situation.
Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, believes that Xi’s speech pointed the way to a better future for China and the world.
In the face of profound and extensive changes of the times, countries can only see clearly the right direction for human society through the “telescope” of history.
Although the once-in-a-century pandemic has created many obstacles to the communication between peoples of different countries, facts have shown once again that countries are not riding separately in some 190 small boats, but are rather all in a giant ship on which their shared destiny hinges. Only through cooperation can they usher in a brighter future.
The recovery and development of the world economy are faced with many constraints, but economic globalization has never and will not veer off course. Only by building an open world economy can countries fully unleash the vitality of the world economy.
Although problems like a widening North-South gap, divergent recovery trajectories, development fault-lines and technology divisions become more prominent, mankind’s beautiful dream of common development will never fade. Only by adhering to a people-centered philosophy of development can countries realize balanced development worldwide and revitalize global development.
Despite the resurgence of Cold War mentality, protectionism and unilateralism, peaceful development and win-win cooperation remain the right way forward for humanity. Different countries and civilizations can open up new space for global peaceful development only by prospering together on the basis of respect for each other, and seeking common ground and win-win outcomes by setting aside differences.
In the face of the profound and sweeping changes of the times, the international community must forge ahead with confidence and fortitude and push the wheel of history toward a brighter future with practical actions.
To take the initiative in the course of history, countries must pluck up the courage to overcome stubborn resistance and strong countercurrents along the way for a better future.
“We need to learn from comparing long history cycles, and see the change in things through the subtle and minute. We need to foster new opportunities amidst crises, open up new horizons on a shifting landscape, and pool great strength to go through difficulties and challenges,” Xi said at the event.
He encouraged the international community to face the issues of the times and create a better future with actions.
Crises and opportunities are interconnected and dialectically united. Only by figuring out the way forward, grasping the general trend, observing the situation through dialectical thinking, gaining a deep understand of opportunities and challenges and actively creating conditions can countries turn crises into opportunities.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, people from various countries have supported and helped each other, showing humankind’s courage, resolve and compassion in front of a major crisis and kindling a flame in the dark hour.
To build a better post-COVID world, the international community also needs to join hands to surmount all kinds of obstacles on the way forward with courage and strong will.
Throughout the history of humanity, human society has managed to progress no matter what kinds of risks, disasters or countercurrents were along the way. Humanity shall and will continue to stride forward.
As long as various parties follow the trend of history, embrace cooperation to defeat the virus, resolve various risks, bridge the development divide, and discard Cold War mentality, the international community will certainly create a better post-COVID world.
