By He Yin
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Nov. 4 that the overwhelming trend for countries to move toward openness and cooperation remains unchanged, calling on all counties to come together to jointly tackle risks and challenges, strengthen cooperation and communication, and embrace greater openness.
Xi made the remarks in a keynote speech delivered via video link at the opening ceremony of the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in east China’s Shanghai, charting the course for building an open world economy and promoting common development of all countries.
At such a critical moment when the COVID-19 pandemic has added to the instability and uncertainty facing the world economy, humanity particularly needs to have a clear sense of direction witha shared future in mind.
All countries need to commit to mutual opening up that features shared benefits, shared responsibilities, and shared governance, Xi said, calling on all countries to stick to unity and cooperation to tide over this difficult period.Recognizing and riding the trend of the world and the times, Xi shared his profound insight into the lofty responsibility for the future of mankind.
China’s stance reflected the common aspirations of people of all countries and received warm responses frommany foreign leaders.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezsaid that facing unprecedented challenges, all countries should strengthen dialogue and cooperation within a stable multilateral framework based on rules and order.
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape emphasized that unilateralism and protectionism will never be the only answer to meet the challenges all countries are facing. More than ever,all countries need to uphold multilateralism, strengthen international cooperation and tide over the hard times that the world is facing, Marape added.
Those who can take advantage of favorable conditions willstay one step ahead, and those who can create the conditions will do great things.
As COVID-19 is plunging the world economy into the worst recession after the World War II, all countriesface the formidable task to defuse risks and challenges and work together to promote global economic recovery.In this regard, all countries are in urgent need of the wisdom ofseeing the trend and seizing the trend.
Xi’s followingenlightening remarks embody China’s firm faith in mutual opening up.
“COVID-19 is a stark reminder that all countries are in a community with a shared future. No one can stay immune in a major crisis. Solidarity and cooperation is the right choice to make in meeting challenges.”
“We must uphold the principle of mutually beneficial cooperation. We need to build trust rather than second-guess each other; we need to join hands rather than throw punches at each other; and we need to consult rather than slander each other. Bearing in mind the common interests that bind us all, countries need to work together to make economic globalization more open, inclusive and balanced for the benefits of all.”
“Countries must work together as partners, with each shouldering its due responsibility. It is ill-advised to pursue unilateral dominance, or choose to hurt others’ interests, which diminishes one’s own interests.”
“Wemust not allow unilateralism or protectionism to undermine the international order and international rules. Rather, we need to reform the global economic governance system in a constructive way to better seize opportunities and avoid harm.”
The international community believes that China’s stance targetsthe pressingproblemsin the current world economic and social development, and represents the country’s consistent goal of realizing common development with other countries and advancing the well-being of mankind.
Serbian President AleksandarVucic said the concepts and initiatives China has proposed fully prove what President Xi often says,“China believes that everyone belongs to one family in a united world.”
Following the logic of history and the trend of the times in its pursuit of progress and development, China has always promoted mutual opening up of all countries through its own openness.
The fifth plenary session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committeespecified that China wouldpursuehigh-standard opening-up and open up new prospects for win-win cooperation.
China has always kept its promise, as evidenced by the country’s efforts to overcome the challenges brought by COVID-19 and hold the third CIIE as scheduled.
The opening-up measures the country announced at the previous CIIEs have been implemented to the full. At the third CIIE, China put forward more measures such as nurturingnew pacesetters of opening up, pursuing creative ways to grow foreign trade, keeping improving its business environment, and pursuing deeper bilateral, multilateral and regional cooperation. That’s another proof of China’s fulfillment of its commitments.
As a responsible major country, China has continued to expand opening up, which was widely acclaimed by the international community.
MukhisaKituyi, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development saidChina’s share in global imports has continued to increase, and the country has becomea source of stability for the world economy, considering many uncertaintiesthe global economy in the future.
“Looking back at history, humanity has always been able to forge ahead despite risks, disasters and headwinds, and humanity shall and will continue to stride forward,” Xi said.
China’s concrete steps and achievements indicated that all countries can overcome any difficulty or hardshipas long as they stick to the right direction and make concerted efforts.
It’s high time for all parties to show their sincerity and sense of responsibility in openness and cooperation to adapt to the normalized epidemic prevention and controland achieve global economic recovery in the post-COVID era.
China is willing to join hands with all other countries to bolster confidence and courage to tide over this difficult period together, and achieve win-win development by creating opportunities in opening up and tackling difficult problems through cooperation.
