China issues white paper on global community of shared future, a decade after vision proposed

China's white paper outlines global community vision, emphasizing cooperation, justice, and collective responsibility

BEIJING:

China on Tuesday issued a white paper on building a global community of shared future, a grand vision serving as a blueprint for a better world raised by President Xi Jinping in 2013.

By putting forward the creative idea at a pivotal moment in history, President Xi has shown the correct path for the world, building a strong consensus for international cooperation, said Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing on the white paper's release.

Over the past decade, Xi has systematically expounded on the vision on numerous international occasions, helping the international community deepen the understanding of the vision, Wang added.

The white paper, issued by the State Council Information Office, said the vision of building a global community of shared future rises above the exclusive rules of bloc politics, the notion of "might makes right," and the "universal values" defined by a handful of Western countries.

It contributes to a more just and equitable international order, the white paper added.

The concept has been written into UN General Assembly resolutions for six consecutive years and incorporated in several multilateral mechanism resolutions and declarations, according to Wang.

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He noted that a growing number of countries and their people have realized the importance of the vision for creating a better future for humanity.

So far, China has built communities of shared future with dozens of countries and regions, the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative it proposed have gained support from over 100 countries, and the Global Civilization Initiative has received positive feedback.

China has also proposed solutions to major global challenges in fields such as health, climate change, and cyber security, said Wang.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a vivid example of building a global community of shared future. The China-Laos Railway, for example, added 110,000 jobs in Laos.

China will continue to carry out BRI landmark projects and focus on "small but beautiful" programs to bring benefits to the people of all partner countries, said Cong Liang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Zhao Fengtao, deputy head of China International Development Cooperation Agency, said China will invest more resources in global development cooperation, to accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and make new contributions to building a global community of shared future.

The Chinese and English versions of a white paper titled 'A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions', Sept. 26, 2023. PHOTO: XINHUA

The white paper said that China has taken concrete actions to promote the building of a global community of shared future.

Officials said China aims to advance its development as part of the development of the global community while bringing the world new opportunities through its new development.

Guo Yezhou, deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, said that political parties have an indispensable role to play in the progress of human civilization and the building of a global community of shared future.

Calling strengthening cultural exchanges a crucial pathway towards building such a community, China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Li Qun said that China has signed cooperation agreements in the fields of culture, cultural heritage, and tourism with 157 countries.

Over the past decade, China has collaborated with countries worldwide to organize more than 500 exhibitions showcasing cultural relics, said Li.

"Building a global community of shared future is the way forward for all the world's peoples," the white paper said, adding that, however, it is not a goal to be accomplished overnight and "there will be no plain sailing."

"To realize this goal, a sense of responsibility and a will to act hold the key," the white paper said. "Building a global community of shared future depends on the joint actions of all countries."