Keynote Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy

Learn the Oriental Wisdom and Understand the Future of China

Chairman Stephen Perry,

Professor Martine Albrow,

Dr Martin Jacques,

Chairman Fang Wenjian,

My Lords,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Welcome to the Symposium on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

This is the 46th year of my career as a diplomat, and the 10th year as Chinese Ambassador to the UK. Many British friends asked me, "What has impressed you most during your time in the UK?" My answer is: the successful state visit by President Xi Jinping to the UK in 2015.

It was memorable not just because it was the first time for me to receive a head of state from China as Ambassador. More importantly, this historic visit ushered in the China-UK "Golden Era". It also charted the course for China-UK relations in the second decade of the 21st century.

At the banquet held by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, President Xi Jinping said,

"The path that the Chinese people follow has been a choice of history. What the Chinese people want is a better life. What the Chinese people long for is a world of peace and development."

He also said that "China will stand firm with all other countries to meet whatever challenges that may lie ahead", and that "roads will only become broader when more people travel on them".

These powerful words reflect a strategic thinking. They embody the oriental wisdom that values the common good, inclusiveness and mutual learning. They also demonstrate President Xi Jinping's vision, courage and responsibilities as a leader of a big country.

As the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, I regard it as my mission to enhance mutual understanding, mutual trust and cooperation between China and the UK, and to tell the story of the real China to the people of the UK and of the world.

In recent years, the increase of media reports on China has been exponential. But to be frank, these reports are not all of good quality. There are more negative voices than positive ones. China's development is regarded as an opportunity by some but a challenge or even a threat by others.

So, how will a richer and stronger China behave? How will it influence the world? To these questions, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy has provided the best answer. To understand today's China and China's diplomacy, one must study and try to understand Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

Now I would like to share with you my views by answering three questions.

First, what is at the core of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy?

Last June, I attended the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in Beijing, where Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy was established as the guiding thought that provides basic principles and guidelines for China foreign policy. It is an innovation, a breakthrough and a leap forward in the evolution of the thought on China's diplomacy.

Now I would like to share with you my understanding on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy from three perspectives.

First, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy inherits and develops China's cultural and diplomatic tradition.

The pursuit for peace, good neighbourliness and harmony has been running in the blood of the Chinese nation.

For generations,

We have prized and pursued "peace for all under heaven";

We have believed in win-win as embedded in the ancient teaching that "the interests to be considered should be the interests of all";

We have upheld the ideals of harmony and inclusion rooted in the words of ancient philosophers, such as "there should be harmony without uniformity" and "do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you";

And because of our belief that "all under the sun belong to one big family", we are convinced that countries should always come to each other's assistance and work towards the same direction.

These are the traditional Chinese wisdoms behind China's diplomacy.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. In the past 70 years, we have formed the diplomatic tradition with unique Chinese features, namely, independence, peaceful development and win-win cooperation.

Several decades ago when China itself was struggling to make ends meet, we shared what little we had with other developing countries striving for independence and economic growth.

In 1976, I was a junior diplomat in Zambia, where I had the honour to attend the handover ceremony of Tazara, a railway linking Tanzania and Zambia. More than 60 Chinese workers died in the process of building Tazara and were laid to rest on the African continent. Tazara highlights the value of putting righteousness above material gains. It embodies the spirit of equality and win-win cooperation. These ideas have always been deeply embedded in China's foreign policy.

Following the adoption of the policies of reform and opening up, China came to the strategic conclusion that peace and development were the theme of the times. This fundamental judgment continued to be the bedrock of China's diplomacy up to and after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

At the same time, China's diplomacy has also kept abreast with the changing times and made new progress in line with the evolving landscape abroad and reality at home. We have put forward a number of new ideals, proposals and initiatives that are imbued with Chinese characteristics, embody the spirit of our times and provide guidance to the progress of mankind.

Second, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy encapsulates the concepts and practice of China's diplomacy.

At the centre of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy are ten key concepts known as ten "persistent efforts". These concepts are the essence of China's diplomacy that are extracted and distilled from China's long-held principles and decades of practice.

Together they constitute the foundation of the idea and practice of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Out of the ten concepts, I would like to stress three.

First, making persistent effort to build a community with a shared future for mankind, with the aim of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

This lofty goal of China's diplomacy in the new era has been written into the Constitution of China and the Constitution of the Communist Party of China. It is also endorsed in the documents of important regional and international organisations including the UN.

Second, making persistent effort to advance the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in line with the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration.

BRI is the overarching design for China's opening up and international cooperation and will remain so for a considerable period of time to come. This is an important measure to open up China's market wider to the world in the new era. More than six years after it was proposed, BRI is becoming the most popular public goods and largest platform for international cooperation.

Third, making persistent effort to follow a path of peaceful development based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

This is a basic principle that must be upheld in China's diplomatic initiatives on a long-term basis. Peaceful development is a path to common development. It is leading to a new type of state-to-state relations.

Third, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy provides an assessment and definition on the development of the world and the role of China.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a hundred years:

Last century, mankind experienced two World Wars and a Cold War that lasted for nearly half a century.

The 21st century is witnessing accelerated multi-polarisation, the rise of emerging countries and profound adjustments in the international landscape. At the same time, the world economic growth remains sluggish, the financial crisis is taking its toll and unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise.

Under such circumstances, how does China see itself and the world? Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy provides the best answer:

We should strive for national revitalisation;

We should promote the progress of mankind;

We should adopt a historical perspective, see the big picture and play our role.

China's hard work over the past decades has not only brought about a better life for its more than 1.3 billion people. It is also an important contribution to peace and prosperity in the world and the common interests and benefits of people of all countries.

No matter what development stage China reaches, it will continue to be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of international order.