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S.Y. Choy: Address to Peace Summit 2023, Session III-A
Written by Hon. So Yuk Choy, Congresswoman, National People’s Congress, People’s Republic of China
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Address to Peace Summit 2023
May 2-5, 2023
Your Excellencies, heads of government, heads of international organizations. Distinguished guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen, I’m greatly honored to have received this invitation to speak to you all.
Today I want to start by sharing with you about my neighbor in my hometown in China. As we all know, in early February of this year, the Syrian-Turkish border region was struck by the most devastating earthquake in over a century. Shortly after the earthquake, my neighbor, Jian Feng Yo, volunteered at his own expense to lead the Blue Leopard rescue team from China’s Fujian Province to go to the disaster-stricken area to aid in the rescue efforts.
This is a typical example of how the Chinese people are willing to help those to whom they have no relation. This compassionate and helpful mindset stems from the heart and is also nourished by the deep roots of Chinese civilization and traditional culture. China is a nation of multiple ethnic groups, and Chinese civilization has always sought harmony in diversity. The solidarity of the ethnic groups is derived from the respect for cultural diversity, mutual economic interdependence, emotional affinity, and the intrinsic drive of the Chinese to pursue unity and harmony.
This is what makes the Chinese civilization so inclusive and cohesive. The world is a global community consisting of multiple ethnicities and races. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forth the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past decades, this has become a core value of the Chinese government and people, as well as a new direction for China’s foreign policy. Recently, as you all must have read, China promoted the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Also, during his visit to China, French President Macron reached a consensus with China on many international issues and pledged to work together to promote world peace.
Xi Jinping has said, as the term suggests, a community with a shared future for mankind means that the future of every nation and country is interlocked. We are in the same boat and we should stick together and endeavor to build on this planet of ours a single, harmonious unit, turning people’s longing for a better life into a reality. As a Chinese, I strongly support this concept, and I hope that through today’s meeting, this vision can be better understood around the world.
From my perspective, number one, the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind contains the essence of China’s traditional cultural values. This includes harmony between men and nature, striving to achieve universal peace, and the concept of the world as one family. It includes putting righteousness first and upholding justice while pursuing shared interests. It can lead to a world of universal harmony characterized by material prosperity, moral elevation and social equity and justice.
Number two, this concept provides direction and guidance for the fate and destiny of humanity. In international relations, China supports dialogue and consultation, working together for mutual benefit, win-win cooperation and low-carbon development.
As a major country, China has a strong sense of responsibility to integrate its development with world development. Therefore, in 2021 and ’22, China proposed the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, calling for the establishment of a global community of development and a human community of security, and has demonstrated its willingness to work through international relationships to implement this.
Number three, a global community with a shared future represents a world at peace. China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace. China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, big or small, as well as the development paths and social systems chosen by their people. China stands firmly against all forms of hegemonism and power politics, against the Cold War mentality, against interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and against double standards in international matters.
China adheres to a defensive policy in national and international matters and will never seek hegemony. Regarding the economy, China pursues an open strategy of mutual benefit and adheres to the cause of economic globalization. China opposes protectionism, unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure tactics. It is committed to supporting other developing countries in accelerating development.
China also takes an active part in reforming and developing the global governance system. China actively safeguards the international system and the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the principles of the UN Charter. China is actively involved in setting global rules in global trade, economy, security, carbon emissions and other areas, works to promote international security cooperation, and takes an active part in UN peacemaking operations.
Number five: Finally, let us consider China’s role in Asia. As China has become the world’s second-largest economy, its economic growth has benefited the world, especially China’s neighbors. Asia is now a thriving region and a significant engine driving the global economy. However, Asian countries need to further strengthen mutual trust and regional security cooperation, collaborate to deal with nontraditional security challenges such as terrorism, transnational crimes, environmental security, cybersecurity, energy and resource security, and major natural disasters. We need to prevent certain countries with malicious intentions from driving a wedge between us, creating conflicts and tensions, and exploiting regional disputes for their own interests.
Dear friends, I’m glad to see that the agenda of today’s meeting is in accordance with China’s vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. I hope we can use this opportunity to work together to promote world peace and development and contribute to the progress of human civilization. Thank you.
To go to the Peace Summit 2023 Schedule page, click here.