China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an important proposal on the reform and development of global governance on September 13, 2023.
Drawing on President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which is now marking its tenth anniversary, as well as his more recent Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI), the document sets out China’s views and proposals on a considerable range of global issues in a systematic fashion.
It notes that:
“Today, changes in the world, in our times and in history are unfolding in ways like never before. The deficits in peace, development, security and governance are growing. Humanity is once again at a crossroads, and facing a consequential choice on its future… Facing global changes unseen in a century, and keeping in mind both China’s realities and global developments, President Xi Jinping has creatively put forth the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity… As the world faces frequently emerging hotspot issues, rising geopolitical conflicts, and rampant unilateral and bullying practices, the international community needs peace, trust, solidarity and cooperation, rather than war, suspicion, division or confrontation.”
Among the numerous issues highlighted, the document sets out that:
- China firmly supports a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be upheld. All efforts conducive to a peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported. No one gains from conflicts and wars. Imposing sanctions, exerting pressure, or adding fuel to the fire will only escalate the situation. It is important to maintain mutual respect, abandon the Cold War mentality, stop ganging up to stoke camp-based confrontation, and work to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture.
- China maintains that it is important to preserve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, achieve denuclearisation and establish a peace mechanism on the Peninsula. The issue needs to be resolved through dialogue and consultation, and the legitimate concerns of all sides addressed in a balanced manner.
- China calls on the international community to respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, follow the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” principle, and maintain engagement and dialogue with Afghanistan on that basis.
- China firmly supports the Palestinian people’s just cause of restoring their legitimate national rights. The fundamental solution to the Palestinian question is to establish an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty.
- China strongly condemns all forms of terrorism and extremism. China opposes associating terrorism and extremism with any particular country, ethnic group or religion, opposes double standards on counter-terrorism, and opposes politicising or instrumentalising the issue of counter-terrorism.
- Nuclear weapons must not be used and nuclear wars must never be fought. China supports greater efforts to reduce strategic risks based on the joint statement by the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states [according to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty {NPT}]on preventing nuclear war.
- Peaceful uses of nuclear energy should not be pursued at the expense of the environment and human health. The Japanese government should respond fully to the international community’s major concerns on the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from Fukushima.
- China supports the pursuit of green and low-carbon development. In the course of a just energy transition, the different national realities and capabilities of countries should be fully respected, and traditional energy should be phased out on the basis of ensuring safe and reliable alternative energy sources.
- China attaches great importance to addressing climate change and maintains that countries should work in concert within multilateral frameworks to tackle this pressing global challenge. It is important to stick to the objectives, principles and institutional arrangements outlined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, especially the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
- Human rights for all is the shared pursuit of humanity. People’s happiness is the biggest human right. In advancing human rights, countries should put the people front and centre, make the people’s aspirations for a better life their starting point and ultimate goal, and keep making efforts to resolve the most practical problems that are of the greatest and most direct concern to the people, so that people can lead a good life.
- Education is an important force for the progress of human civilisation. China stands ready to work with countries around the world for more educational exchange, enhance openness in education and actively support other developing countries in advancing education.
- The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) benefits all countries, and all countries should be able to participate extensively in the global governance of AI. All parties should follow the principles of extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits, give play to the role of the UN as the main channel, and promote a people-centred approach and such visions as ‘AI for good’, emphasis on development and giving priority to ethics.
- Peaceful exploration and use of outer space is an equal right for all countries in the world. Lasting peace and security in outer space bears on the security, development and prosperity of all countries. China has all along upheld the principle of exploration and use of outer space for the well-being of the entire humanity, and safeguarded the international order in outer space with the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 as the cornerstone.
- China firmly supports the core role of the UN in international affairs. The reform of the UN should be conducive to safeguarding multilateralism and the role of the UN, increasing the voice of developing countries in international affairs, and boosting the enforcement capacity and management efficiency of UN agencies.
- China supports necessary and equitable reform of the Security Council to boost its authority and efficiency, enhance its capacity to tackle global threats and challenges, and let it better fulfill its mandate prescribed in the UN Charter. The Security Council should not become a club of the big countries or rich countries. Its reform should credibly increase the representation and voice of developing countries, redress the historical injustices done to Africa, and give more developing countries with independent foreign policies and just positions the opportunity to sit on the Security Council and participate in its decision-making. China supports making special arrangements to meet Africa’s aspiration as a priority.
- China supports necessary and equitable reform of the global health governance system, to raise the efficiency of the system, better respond to global public health crises, and build a global community of health for all.
We reprint the full text of the proposal below. It was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.
Today, changes in the world, in our times and in history are unfolding in ways like never before. The deficits in peace, development, security and governance are growing. Humanity is once again at a crossroads, and facing a consequential choice on its future. Meanwhile, world multi-polarity and economic globalization keep evolving. Peace, development and win-win cooperation are the unstoppable trends of the times. Solidarity, cooperation and progress remain the aspiration of people around the world.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s proposal on building a community with a shared future for mankind. Facing global changes unseen in a century, and keeping in mind both China’s realities and global developments, President Xi Jinping has creatively put forth the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. This proposal has pointed the way forward for the future development of the world and provided a solution for common challenges. Over the past decade, the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind has grown from an idea to action and a vision to reality. China calls on the international community to act on true multilateralism, uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, support the U.N. in playing a central role in international affairs, further develop and improve the global governance system, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.
I.Enhancing global security governance and safeguarding world peace and stability
Security is humanity’s most basic need and the most important global public good. As the world faces frequently emerging hotspot issues, rising geopolitical conflicts, and rampant unilateral and bullying practices, the international community needs peace, trust, solidarity and cooperation, rather than war, suspicion, division or confrontation. China welcomes the New Agenda for Peace presented by Secretary General António Guterres, and is ready to have further discussions and build consensus with all parties.
Continue reading Proposal of the People’s Republic of China on the Reform and Development of Global Governance