Turning point in history

The choices we make now will set humanity on a new journey

The year 2020 marks an extraordinary turning point in human history. The COVID-19 pandemic has been intertwined with volatile uncertainties unseen in a century, transforming the whole world and reshaping the future of humanity.

Since the pandemic outbreak, global governance has entered a "dark moment". The multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core, has taken a hard hit from unilateralism, with free trade undermined by protectionism. The authority of the World Health Organization has been under attack. The role of the World Trade Organization has been denied.

The development of humanity needs multilateralism, which is an inspiration and legacy from the end of World War II. However, given that there is a tug-of-war between unilateralism and multilateralism, the choices we make now will define our future.

To turn crisis into opportunity, we must put people and life first. In the face of global challenges, we must choose people over profitability, and science over politics.

Humanity progresses through innovation and cooperation. No country can make itself great by creating problems for others. Those who stifle innovation and hinder the great trend of cooperation will eventually be left behind by the times.

This year not only marks the beginning of a new decade, but also a starting point to meet challenges with innovative ideas and promote reforms with renewed actions. We must stand on the side of history and embark on a new journey to rebuild a world that is more resilient, united and cooperative.

Global collaboration to respond to the pandemic is the top priority. Vaccines are the ultimate weapon to fight the pandemic. The most urgent issue currently is to put aside vaccine nationalism and ensure equitable access for all.

China is delivering its pledge to make its vaccines a global public good. Chinese vaccines are clinically proven to be safe and effective. Some do not require ultra-low temperature storage and cold chain transportation, which makes them accessible to and affordable for more people. Chinese vaccine aid has been provided to 14 developing countries, and will soon reach 38 more. At the request of the WHO, China will deliver 10 million doses of Chinese vaccines to COVAX for urgent use of developing countries. Chinese vaccine manufacturers are carrying out joint vaccine R&D and production with foreign partners. More African and developing countries are expected to benefit from Chinese vaccines.

Economic reconstruction is a key step going forward. We need to focus on both immediate relief and long-term resilience building, and deliver the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Despite the impact of the epidemic, China has fulfilled its commitment to poverty alleviation under the current standards by 2020, and successfully attained its sustainable development goal for poverty alleviation 10 years ahead of schedule.

China's economy has bounced back to growth. China's GDP growth rate in 2020 was 2.3 percent, making it the only major economy to register positive growth. China relieved the debt of developing countries by $1.3 billion, the biggest debt relief among the G20 countries. China signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with imports set to reach $22 trillion over the next decade.

China has stepped up its efforts to build a high-quality Belt and Road Initiative. The accumulated funding commitment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has increased from $1.69 billion to over $22 billion, with the number of approved projects expanded from eight to 108. China's higher level of economic openness and higher quality growth is in itself a contribution to the world economy and offers great opportunities for the shared prosperity of all countries.

Greener reconstruction is an inevitable choice. The pandemic somehow alerted us to an adjusted relationship between man and nature. It also offers us an opportunity for green recovery in the post-pandemic era, in which addressing climate change and protecting biodiversity must be prioritized. All countries should take concrete actions to implement the Paris Agreement and make joint efforts to achieve a substantive outcome at the rescheduled 26th Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change due to be held in November.

China will make every effort to implement the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and strive to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality before 2060. China is ready to work with all countries and make the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15), to be held in Yunnan province this year, a successful event that will contribute to the efforts to conserve biodiversity.

Continued efforts to improve global governance are the long-term solution. The role of the UN in leading international cooperation must be re-enforced. According to the latest UN survey, 90 percent of respondents worldwide believe that international cooperation is essential to address global challenges such as COVID-19, and 74 percent acknowledged the UN's essential role.

President Xi Jinping offered a vision and set out the goal to improve global governance in his recent speech at the World Economic Forum virtual event of the Davos Agenda in January. We should take action to withstand this unprecedented test. Countries should uphold the principle of achieving shared growth through extensive consultation and collaboration to ensure that all countries enjoy equal rights and opportunities and follow the same set of rules. The global governance system should adapt to the changing dynamics, meet global challenges, and embrace the underlying trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China's restoration of its legal seat in the United Nations. Over the past 50 years, China has achieved rapid development through reform and opening-up, as the world has moved forward together with China's development.

Standing at the new starting point, China will stay true to its core mission and continue marching forward. China will uphold the principle that there is only one system and one set of rules in the world by safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core, and it is the basic norms of international relations with UN Charter as its cornerstone. And China will join hands with all other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

The author is the ambassador and the permanent representative of China to the United Nations. The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.