By He Yin, People’s Daily
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech titled “Bolstering Confidence and Jointly Overcoming Difficulties to Build a Better World” at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly via video link on September 21.
Xi’s speech at the platform of the UN, the most universal, representative and authoritative international organization, following the Chinese leader’s addresses at the high-level meetings marking the 75th anniversary of the UN last year, bears great significance for promoting global solidarity to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, stimulating global economic recovery, and improving global governance when the international community needs more than ever to jointly meet challenges and achieve common development as the world is once again at a historical crossroads.
“COVID-19 reminds us that we are living in an interconnected global village with a common stake. All countries are closely connected and we share a common future,” said Xi in his speech at the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly last September. He also elaborated on the great significance and practical ways of building a community with a shared future for mankind in the speech.
When changes unseen in a century are intertwined with the COVID-19 pandemic in today’s world, people understand better the profound significance of China’s solutions to global challenges and have shown stronger support for the country’s idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently presented a report entitled “Our Common Agenda” to the UN General Assembly, stressing that the world needs effective multilateralism and calling on countries to re-embrace global solidarity and find new ways to work together for the common good and eventually build a safer and greener future for mankind.
Against the backdrop of resurging epidemic, sluggish economic recovery and profound and complex changes to international order, the report’s suggestions on strengthening global solidarity and cooperation and creating a better future mirror the strong desire of people around the world to turn the Earth into a big warm family and their aspirations for a better life realities. The desire is also an important part of the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
To build a community with a shared future for mankind, countries must intensify international anti-epidemic cooperation, which is the most urgent task at present.
Countries around the globe have so far reported a total of more than 220 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 4.6 million deaths from COVID-19. Such a crisis unseen in a century makes global cooperation an imperative choice.
Always putting people and their lives first, China has not only achieved significant strategic results in curbing the pandemic at home, but actively advocated and practiced the idea of building a community of common health for mankind and carried out the largest humanitarian operation in the world since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), trying its best to help other countries, especially developing countries, combat the virus.
As of June, China had provided anti-epidemic supplies for more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations. To date, the country has provided nearly 1.2 billion doses of finished and bulk COVID-19 vaccines to over 100 countries and international organizations, and will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses by the end of this year. It has made contributions to the global public health cause and demonstrated its sense of responsibility as a major country with practical actions.
To build a community with a shared future for mankind, countries must promote common development, which is the key to improving people’s well-being.
Although world economy is climbing out of the deep recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, countries’ economic recoveries are following divergent trajectories, and the North-South gap risks further widening and even perpetuation.
China has advocated stepping up macroeconomic policy coordination and jointly promoting strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy. By effectively balancing epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development, the country has restored and stabilized economic growth, injecting strong impetus into the recovery and development of world economy.
China has continuously expanded opening-up, providing important development opportunities for countries around the world; and it has promoted high-quality construction of the Belt and Road with other countries, making positive contributions to the common prosperity of humankind.
To build a community with a shared future for mankind, countries must constantly improve global governance, which is a guarantee of common development and progress.
The world has entered into a phase of fluidity and transformation, with instability and uncertainty clearly on the rise. The future of humanity depends on what countries do at the moment.
They should bear in mind the shared interests of mankind and make responsible and wise choices to uphold and practice true multilateralism and improve global governance.
Committed to a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, China believes that international affairs should be addressed through consultation and the future of the world should be decided by everyone working together, and stresses adhering to the universal values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, pointing the way for countries to peaceful coexistence, mutual benefits and win-win results.
It is the universal aspiration of mankind to let everyone live in peace and harmony, make the fruits of development benefit all countries, and allow various civilizations to coexist in harmony.
This year marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China as well as the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the PRC in the UN. Standing at the new starting point, China will, together with the rest of the world, make new contributions to world peace and tranquility, global development and prosperity, and exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, so as to benefit all by building a community with a shared future for mankind.
