Chen Wenling: Building a Common Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: Five Improvements in the Relationship between China and the Rest of the World in the New Era

  • Time:2018-05-14
  • source:CCIEE

At the World Economic Forum held on January 18 last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping quoted two sentences from the English writer Dickens: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” On the one hand, mankind continues to accumulate material, advance science and technology with each passing day, and hence human civilization has been developed to the highest level in history. On the other hand, the competition among major powers has become unprecedentedly fierce, regional conflicts occur frequently, and global challenges such as terrorism and refugee flows remain intractable. Poverty, unemployment, and income disparities continue to widen, and the uncertainty facing the world has risen sharply.

In particular, there are five shortages in global development and governance: First, there is a lack of ideas that can guide human society moving forward, suit the laws of human development, economic and social development. Second, there is a lack of world-class leaders who are embraced by the international community and have strategic thinking, strategic planning capabilities, and strategic determination. Third, there is a lack of consensus, joint programs and themes in the context of multi-culture, multi-civilization, diversified needs, lifestyles and values. Fourth, there is a lack of long-term blueprints and plans for building a common community with a shared future for mankind. Lastly, there is a lack of supply of new public goods and institutional supply which suits the common interests of all countries.

Where is the world going? What will happen to mankind tomorrow? The British physicist Hawking, who put forward the theory of the black hole has passed away, and the world is still moving forward. When certain countries are striding toward the 19th century, China chose to embrace the 21st century and was pushed to the center of the world stage. The program, theory, philosophy, style and strength of China have attracted global attention and given more countries, especially poor countries and developing countries hope. They understood that they do not have to copy the model from other advanced countries and have started to pursue a path which is suitable for their own development. This is China’s largest contribution to the world.

China has taken the lead in building a common community with a shared future for mankind and has achieved major progress in the following five areas.

The first one is the progress made in ideologies. The current ideology and theory of China are much better than the cold war mentality and other thinking that violates the law of human and economic development. China acknowledges global multiculturalism, diversified civilizations, needs, lifestyles, and values, and China’s philosophy plays great a guiding role in the international community.

The second progress is made in China’s planning and design capabilities. China has constantly put forward the ideas and approaches for the common development of the North and South, large and medium-sized countries, and different regions and sectors. President Xi Jinping has proposed many plans and solutions at the UN, the World Economic Forum, the APCE Conference, the G20 meeting, and the East Asia Summit, including the belt and road initiative, the establishment of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank. So far, China has signed cooperation agreements with more than 80 international organizations and countries for the building of the Belt and Road, forming the Land Silk Road, Maritime Silk Road, Air Silk Road, Online Silk Road, and the Ice Silk Road to promote connectivity, joint consultation and construction. The Silk Road put forward by president Xi is a flexible approach, which will not only connect different cultures and civilizations but also lead us to the road to peace, prosperity, civilization, innovation and openness.

The third progress made by China is its ability to take actions whenever it is necessary. China’s promotion of building a common community with a shared future for mankind is in contrast with the closeness, conservation, isolation and super-protectionism of some countries. The choice we made in the past determines today and the choice we make today will impact tomorrow. During its years of development, China has found its path and set the development goals for the next three decades. It has now become the largest stabilizer of the world while the United States has become the largest variable. All countries in the world have seen the path China went through, understood the direction of China’s future development from the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, all these have made China’s development more convincing to the international community. From now to 2020, it will be the historic period for meeting the two hundred-year-goal and building a prosperous society. From 2020 to 2035, we will realize socialist modernization, enhance China’s economy, scientific and technological strength and make China one of the best innovative countries. From 2035 to the middle of this century, we will turn China into a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful socialist modernized country, and improve China’s national strength and international influence. These goals will greatly strengthen the global confidence in China’s development and to a certain extent, increase the confidence in world development. China is a major contributor to the growth of the global economy as it contributed 31.6% of the global increase every year from 2012 to the present, over 30% annually from 2008 to the present. Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, China will achieve three hundred-percent goals by 2020: zero poverty, 100% social security and medical insurance coverage, and 100% basic public service, which demonstrates social fairness and justice and the right choices made by China.

Fourth, the significant contribution made by China’s leader to the world. Xi Jinping’s socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics can transcend the limitations of different cultures and development paths, seek the greatest common denominator, the intersection of common interests, and create a 21st-century human civilization that meets the needs of all the people for a better life. Furthermore, the harmonious coexistence between man and nature, proposed by Xi Jinping, gives peace, harmony, and beauty back to nature. The Chinese dream is connected with the dreams of all the people around the world. The view of justice, benefit and security put forward by Xi Jinping, have become the values and new civilizations that have penetrated the world.

Last but not least, China has made significant progress in offering public goods globally. Confucius once said, “Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors”. China’s peaceful rise is admirable. China’s initiative, program and theory, which is based on the concept of a common community with a shared future for mankind, are well respected and have become global public goods. China’s promotion of civilization exchange, civilization-learning and the coexistence of civilizations has earned China unprecedented respect and popularity. At the Belt and Road forum for international cooperation, held in Beijing on May 14 this year, more than 70 international organizations, and 1300 delegates from 140 countries attended the conference, showing that the Belt and Road initiative is well-recognized by other countries. China’s circle of friends will grow bigger and bigger, and the initiative will have a more important impact on the development of other countries.

China has entered Xi Jinping’s new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics and its new theory, thinking, strategy, pattern and goals will guide China to move forward. China has not only given new hope to those countries who hope to speed up development while maintaining their independence but also offered its wisdom and solutions to solve problems concerning all mankind.

 

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