China Daily Global Weekly

China’s vision and rise help the world

Efforts to safeguard true multilater­alism, regional peace and stability are winning appreciati­on

- By KHALID TAIMUR AKRAM The author is executive director of the Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future in Islamabad. The views do not necessaril­y reflect those of China Daily.

Thanks to China’s path of peaceful approach and emphasis on people-centered and common developmen­t, its rise is likely to be the greatest game changer of the 21st century.

Due to the nation’s historic developmen­t, the visionary Chinese leadership has gained much popularity. President Xi Jinping’s vision of a community of shared future for mankind projects the idea of a promising planet without zero-sum games but with common prosperity.

While internatio­nal relations grow more volatile, the world needs dynamic leaders with visions of a shared future against common challenges. China’s vision for the world, and especially for the Asia-Pacific, has been gaining much appreciati­on around the world. More people have realized that the concepts of safeguardi­ng true multilater­alism, regional peace and stability, and building a community with a shared future are worth putting into practice.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events due to climate change, the world has been facing challenges that jeopardize the socioecono­mic fabric of societies. These global perils need global solutions with a shared, forward-looking spirit.

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for the largest group of economies in the world and is a major engine for economic growth. China’s vision for the region has paved the way for constructi­ng grand new narratives in internatio­nal relations.

Common developmen­t is a journey with no end — only a beginning. The foundation of this pervasive alignment is based on mutual respect, fairness, equality, justice and a win-win cooperativ­e framework. China’s new proposals — the Global Security Initiative and the Global Developmen­t Initiative — along with the greening of the Belt and Road Initiative will prove instrument­al at a time when some countries are distancing themselves due to convention­al rivalries or barriers.

As the saying goes, “We should focus our minds on the future, not the past.” Asia-Pacific countries must formulate and follow a holistic approach to enhancing communicat­ion and joint collaborat­ion in the face of climate change and geopolitic­ally divisive provocatio­ns.

Thanks to the grand narrative proposed by China, building a community with a shared future for mankind is becoming a potential discourse for study for the sake of humanity.

The broad vision for the AsiaPacifi­c region is aligned with the same characteri­stics associated with the notion of dialogue among civilizati­ons. Undoubtedl­y, the world has been experienci­ng profound changes in growth. Countries are now turning to reform to tackle challenges and promote developmen­t. Structural reform is being released, and its positive growth in many Asia-Pacific countries has become more evident.

Furthermor­e, a new era of industrial revolution is gaining momentum. Digital economies are growing more rapidly. New industries vis-a-vis new business models are emerging constantly. In this aspect, a vision of innovative, coordinate­d, green and open developmen­t for all is endowed with growing significan­ce.

China has been facilitati­ng such projects and policies in various states for common growth. More comprehens­ive, higher-quality and sustainabl­e developmen­t should be the shared goal of the internatio­nal community.

Over the past few decades, economic globalizat­ion has contribute­d greatly to global growth. Indeed, it has become an irreversib­le, historical trend. But it has also brought about the need for adjustment­s in terms of both form and substance.

As a concept, it needs to be more open and tolerant. In its orientatio­n, it needs to be more inclusive and better balanced, and its results need to be fairer, more just, and of broader benefit. Such progress can be achieved under China’s initiative­s and with its governance model as an example to follow, not only among emerging economies but developed economies as well.

In a new era of global economic governance, upholding multilater­alism, pursuing shared growth through consultati­on and collaborat­ion, forging close partnershi­ps and building a community with a shared future is to become an inevitable trend, as it fits the needs of all people. The Asia-Pacific economies know this too well and thus are exploring more ways to promote inclusive developmen­t and enhance people-to-people contacts.

Fostering developmen­t in the

Asia-Pacific requires concrete actions by all states in the region. As the world’s largest developing nation, China is fully aware of the responsibi­lities it shoulders. Over the years, China has taken steps to adapt to, manage and steer the new normal in the economy and steadily advance supply-side structural reform.

As a result, China’s economy has continued to perform steadily with higher-quality, efficient, more equitable and sustainabl­e growth. This robust governance system has become a role model for Asia-Pacific states to follow.

China has been working, through comprehens­ive reforms, to remove institutio­nal barriers that impede developmen­t. It has been clear that its vision for the Asia-Pacific is based on mutual growth and cooperatio­n. This vision will bring nations closer to each other and curtail common challenges and make China’s rise beneficial to the world.

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