Follow Historical Trend and Uphold World
Peace
Speech at the Opening Dinner of the 8th
Beijing Xiangshan Forum
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,
It gives me great pleasure to attend the
Beijing Xiangshan Forum. I would like to begin with warm congratulations on the
opening of the forum and sincere regards to all guests and friends joining us
from different parts of the world.
Thanks to the joint efforts and strong
support of all parties, seven sessions of the Beijing Xiangshan Forum have been
held successfully since its inception in 2006. The forum has grown into a
high-level platform for security and defense dialogues in the Asia-Pacific
region, and made positive contribution to enhancing trust, reducing misgivings,
building consensus, expanding cooperation and upholding peace and stability in
the region.
The theme of this year’s session, “Building
a New Type of Security Partnership of Equality, Mutual Trust and Win-Win
Cooperation”, echoes President Xi Jinping’s call for building a community with
a shared future for mankind and pursuing an open, inclusive, clean and
beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common
prosperity. It reflects the development trend of the world and the shared
aspirations of all countries. Leaders of defense and military establishment,
experts and scholars will come together for extensive exchange of views on the
theme and make fresh contributions.
Ⅰ. China and the World in the Past Four
Decades
This year marks the 40th anniversary of
China’s reform and opening-up. Over the past four decades, the Chinese people
have been committed to the principles of freeing up the mind, seeking truth
from facts, and keeping up with the times. Striving forward in an unremitting
spirit of self-renewal, they have opened up the path of socialism with Chinese
characteristics and greatly unleashed and developed productive forces. China’s
composite national strength rapidly increased, and nearly 800 million people
have been lifted out of poverty. This is hailed as a miracle in the history of
human development.
China’s historic achievements and
transformation through reform and opening-up are the result of the tenacious
efforts of the Chinese people, and are also attributable to the overall stable
international security environment. China suffered from foreign aggression and
chaos caused by wars for a century and it is the first time for it to enjoy
such a long period of peace in modern times. The Chinese people are keenly
aware of the value of peace and stability.
China’s development is part of the
collective development of East Asia, and a chapter of the symphony of rapid
development of Asian countries. China’s integration into the world offers not
only products, services and capitals, but also investment opportunities and
consumer market. China’s reform and opening-up is also a path towards win-win
cooperation between China and the rest of the world.
Hence, President Xi Jinping pointed out
that prosperity and stability of the world brings opportunities to China, and a
developing China presents opportunities to the world. China will stay on the
path of peaceful development, remain committed to friendship and cooperation
with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful
Coexistence, promote the building of a community with a shared future for
mankind, uphold world peace, and work for common development.
Ⅱ. A Number of Principle Issues to be
Clarified
The Asia-Pacific region, with the largest
share of global economy -- nearly 60% of world economic aggregate and half of
global trade volume, is a major engine for world economy. In recent years, the
Asia-Pacific region has been accelerating integration, making solid
achievements in sub-regional cooperation, and playing an increasingly important
role in the global strategic architecture.
At the same time, the world still faces a
number of destabilizing factors and uncertainties. Potential security risks
remain high as evidenced by the persisting zero-sum mentality from the Cold War
years, and hegemonism and power politics, rise of unilateralism and
protectionism, and emerging regional hotspots and non-traditional security
threats including terrorism. Therefore, how to ensure lasting peace and
prosperity of the Asia-Pacific is an issue of major strategic significance. In
this connection, I believe the following principle issues need to be clarified.
First, zero-sum game or win-win
cooperation. An essential rule of the zero-sum game is winner takes all, under
which one nation builds its security upon the insecurity of others, or even
pursues its so-called absolute security at the cost of others. Such a
mentality, which denies the universality or inclusiveness of security, and
rejects the possibility of cooperation, is both obsolete and harmful to all in
today’s world of interdependence.
China is always committed to win-win
cooperation. It pursues the greater good and shared interests in international
relations, accommodates the interests of others while maintaining its own, and
promotes common progress through its own development. China advocates increased
trust, reduced misgivings and greater common security through in-depth
dialogues and mutually beneficial cooperation. This brings win-win results to
all parties. China adheres to a defensive national defense policy and poses no
threat to any other countries. China will not follow the beaten path of a
stronger power seeking hegemony and it will never seek hegemony however strong
it may become.
Second, unilateralism or multilateralism. A
typical move of unilateralists is to exit established arrangements and start
new ones. It is a challenge to international rules and systems, with the real
purpose to pursue one’s own interests in disregard of the interests of most
countries. Trade protectionism is also a form of unilateralism, as it puts the
interests of oneself above all others, rejects complementarity and win-win
cooperation in international trade, and aims to benefit oneself and harm
others. In the end, such an approach will be self-damaging.
China is committed to multilateralism. It
firmly upholds the UN-centered multilateral international system, adheres to
the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and basic norms of international
law and international relations, and insists on seeking solution for global
issues through multilateral frameworks. China always maintains that
international issues should be properly resolved in accordance with rules and
consensus and through equal-footed dialogue and consultation. China’s position
is aimed at not only preserving its own legitimate rights and interests, but
also upholding the free trade system, the international rules and order, and
the shared interests of all countries.
Third, alliance or partnership. Alliance
means exclusive blocs or groups targeting a third party. Such a confrontational
mentality is an important root cause of instability and hotspots in the world.
China is committed to non-alliance. It
makes many friends and opposes small-group politics in international relations.
Partnerships can be built not only on shared purposes, but also on the
willingness to shelve differences. China advocates the kind of partnership that
is committed to a win-win approach and common interests in state-to-state
relations, not the zero-sum mentality with a hypothetical enemy or targeted
third party. This partnership follows the principle of equality of nations,
respects sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and respects
partners’ core interests and major concerns, as well as their people’s
independent choice of social systems and development paths. This partnership conforms
to the global trend of interdependence and the shared aspiration of all
countries for friendly relations, aims to promote mutual learning through
exchanges, and seeks common progress despite differences. The purpose of such a
partnership is to make the pie of common interests bigger through cooperation,
so that more fruits of success can be shared and common development and
prosperity will be realized.
Fourth, isolation or interconnection.
Today, in this global village where economic globalization and IT application
develop rapidly, no country can address the diverse challenges all by itself,
nor can anyone retreat into isolation.
China always believes that it is impossible
for countries to develop themselves behind closed doors when the trend of the
times moves towards multi-polarity, economic globalization, IT application, and
cultural diversity. Isolation will lead to nowhere and only opening-up can bring
about development. China has put forth the Belt and Road Initiative to promote
interconnection, which includes connectivity of policy, infrastructure, trade,
finance and people. This Initiative has become an international cooperation
platform with extensive support, a public good provided by China to the world.
Over 130 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation
agreements with China; a large number of collaborative projects have been
carried out; infrastructure networks are taking shape; industrial cooperation
along the routes is gaining momentum; and people in the regions concerned have
enjoyed the benefit of cooperation.
Ⅲ. China’s Position on Several Major
Questions
China-US relations. This year marks the
40th anniversary of the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic
Relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States of
America. The most important lesson from the past 40 years is that both
countries win from cooperation and lose from confrontation; and cooperation is
the only correct choice for both sides. China’s policy toward the United States
is consistent and clear-cut. We are committed to working with the United States
to achieve the goal of no conflict, no confrontation, mutual respect, and
win-win cooperation. China pursues development for creating happier lives of
its over 1.3 billion people, and for greater contribution to peace and
development of the world. China’s development achievements are attributed to
the right leadership of the Communist Party of China, the path of socialism
with Chinese characteristics, the constantly-advanced reform and opening-up,
and the hardworking and ingenious Chinese people. The US trade deficit with
China is a result of multiple objective factors. Essentially, it is caused by
the comparative strengths of the two countries and the international division
of labor. China never deliberately pursues trade surplus. Bilateral trade
between China and the US is never a one-way street where wealth only flows from
the US to China. In fact, the US has benefited enormously from economic
cooperation and trade with China. The two sides should work in the same
direction, properly resolve problems in China-US relations through dialogues
and consultations, so as to keep bilateral ties on the right track.
The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. Thanks
to the efforts of all parties concerned, the situation on the Korean Peninsula
has seen a major turnaround this year. China has made its own contribution. We
are committed to denuclearization, peace and stability on the Peninsula, as
well as a solution through dialogue and consultation, and have made enormous
efforts to this end. The positive developments we are seeing now are exactly
what China has pursued and hoped for. China supports all-round improvement in
inter-Korean relations, and continued dialogues between the DPRK and the US,
and encourages the DPRK to continue moving in the right direction toward
denuclearization. At the same time, we also believe it is necessary for the US
to make timely and positive responses to truly meet the DPRK halfway. An
effective settlement of the issue requires complete denuclearization as well as
the establishment of a peace mechanism on the Peninsula. Only when both
“wheels” move in tandem can the issue be truly resolved and can peace have a
chance.
The South China Sea. In recent years, there
has been a positive momentum of resolving disputes through dialogue and
consultation between countries directly concerned, and the overall situation in
the South China Sea has remained stable. China and ASEAN countries have arrived
at a single draft negotiating text of the Code of Conduct in the South China
Sea, marking a solid step to maintain peace in the South China Sea through the
establishment of maritime rules. However, as the saying goes, the tree may
crave for peace but the wind will not drop. Some countries outside the region
have frequently sent large warships and strategic bombers to the region in a
show of force, posing threats to the security of regional countries. This is
not only a typical act of militarization, but also the most important reason
behind militarization in the South China Sea. China’s peaceful construction and
development of defense facilities on relevant islands and reefs are legitimate
and lawful as they are fully consistent with the rights to self-preservation
and self-defense enjoyed by sovereign states under international law.
The Taiwan Question. There is only one
China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. This is the
common understanding of the international community. Abiding by the One China
principle and refrain from official contacts with Taiwan has become an
international rule followed by all countries. The separatist force advocating
“Taiwan independence” and its activities not only constitute the greatest
threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits but also erode regional
peace and stability. Moreover, the wrong actions taken by some country on the
Taiwan question have emboldened the “Taiwan independence” separatist force,
undermined peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and threatened regional
peace and stability. The international community must stay highly vigilant.
China will continue to uphold the principles of peaceful reunification and “one
country, two systems”, push for the peaceful development of cross-Straits
relations, and work toward the goal of peaceful reunification with utmost
sincerity and maximum efforts. At the same time, we stand firm in safeguarding
China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We have firm resolve, full
confidence, and sufficient capability to defeat separatist attempts for Taiwan
independence in any form.
More people means more ideas. I look
forward to your wisdom and insights on the prospect of peaceful development and
win-win cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and beyond.
Thank you!