XI’S YEAR OF DIPLOMACY IN 9 KEYWORDS
Chinese President Xi Jinping has expounded on China’s positions on major global issues at various diplomatic events in 2021, covering climate change, the fight against COVID-19, multilateralism and many other issues. Let’s take a look.
Close immunisation gap
As the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging globally, Mr Xi called for joint efforts to advance anti-virus cooperation and promote economic recovery.
“We need to promote the research, production and fair distribution of vaccines, ensure their accessibility and affordability in developing countries, and close the immunization gap,” Mr Xi said at the 28th Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
China has provided nearly two billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organisations, making China the largest vaccine exporter in the world.
Building a community of all life on Earth
Mr Xi reiterated the importance of man and nature coexisting in harmony at the COP15 United Nations biodiversity conference held in Kunming of China.
“When we take care to protect nature, nature rewards us generously; when we exploit nature ruthlessly, it punishes us without
mercy,” he said.
Mr Xi announced China’s initiative to establish a Kunming Biodiversity Fund, and the country took the lead by investing 1.5 billion yuan (FJ$78.08bn) to support biodiversity protection in developing countries.
“The international community must enhance co-operation, build consensus, and pool strength to build a community of all life on Earth,” he said.
Fighting climate change
In climate change response, Mr Xi said “the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is the cornerstone of global climate governance.”
He called for developed countries to not only do more themselves, but also provide support to help developing nations do better in a written statement to the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference.
At the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, Mr Xi pledged that China will support other developing countries’ green and low-carbon energy projects, and stop building new coal-fired power projects abroad, demonstrating the country’s resolve to cut back on carbon emissions and curb global warming.
Global Development Initiative
At the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, Mr Xi proposed a Global Development Initiative in
steering global development toward a new state of balanced, coordinated, and inclusive growth in face of the severe impact of COVID-19.
The initiative advocated a development pattern that benefits all, and cares about the special needs of developing countries.
“The pandemic has brought multiple crises to the world, developing countries in particular. The number of people living in hunger has reached around 800 million,” Mr Xi said.
Multilateralism
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the restoration of China’s lawful seat in the United Nations.
Mr Xi said the world should “be firm in opposing all forms of hegemony and power politics, as well as all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.”
Mr Xi said China will stay committed to the path of multilateralism and always be a defender of the international order.
“Multilateralism is essentially about having international affairs managed by all parties through consultation and the future of the world decided by all countries working together,” Mr Xi said.
“Countries should uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the pur
poses and principles of the UN Charter,” he said.
Innovation
Mr Xi has also stressed the importance of innovation in driving global development.
Innovation is a decisive factor in promoting economic and social development and in addressing the common challenges to humanity, Mr Xi said at the G20 Rome summit.
“We need to seize the historic opportunities created by the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, redouble efforts to harness technological achievements to boost productivity,” Mr Xi said.
Opening wider
As unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise and economic globalisation is facing headwinds, China is committed to its opening up strategy, Mr Xi said at the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation.
China has fully delivered on its accession commitments, with the overall tariff rate cut from 15.3 per cent to 7.4 per cent.
Since joining the WTO, China has kept opening wider to the world, thus generating a new wave of domestic development while injecting fresh impetus into the world
economy, Mr Xi said.
Building a new type of international relations
As the largest developing country in the world, China is a staunch follower of an independent foreign policy of peace, and it advocates democracy in international relations, Mr Xi indicated.
“Zero-sum game or winner-takesall is not the guiding philosophy of the Chinese people,” Mr Xi said at the World Economic Forum Event of Davos Agenda.
He stressed that a world of peace and development should embrace civilisations of various forms, and must accommodate diverse paths to modernisation.
“No country in the world is superior to others and every civilisation is special and unique to its own region,” Mr Xi said
Global community with a shared future
Building a community with a shared future for mankind is another hot word in Mr Xi’s diplomatic speeches.
“The human race is an integral community and Earth is our common homeland...We should keep moving toward a community with a shared future for mankind,” Mr Xi said at the conference marking the 50th anniversary of the restoration of China’s seat in the UN.