China contributes to world peace, order and growth

As Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC on July 1, to build a community with a shared future for mankind is one of the major tasks of the Party.

This shows the CPC has stayed true to its original mission, and will continue to promote world peace, defend the international order, and contribute to global development.

China remains committed to win-win cooperation with the rest of world as part of its peaceful rise. In particular, in the face of the pandemic, China not only managed to largely contain the spread of the novel coronavirus within the country but also stepped up efforts to help other countries in their fight against the virus. So far, it has donated 500 million doses of vaccines and large amounts of medical supplies and medical equipment to other countries and international organizations through bilateral channels and the World Health Organization.

Since viruses know no borders, every single member of the international community is equally vulnerable to the coronavirus. That's why China imposes no conditions when it comes to medical aid, nor are its supplies influenced by trade and economic partnerships with other economies. No wonder despite the border clashes with India, China exported large amounts of medical supplies to the neighboring country to help it contain the pandemic.

In opposition to the zero-sum game or the "America first" policy of the United States, China has always been guided by shared values of humankind such as peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and kept promoting win-win cooperation around the world.

Moreover, China has been upholding fairness and justice in diplomacy, and promoting world peace. Since economic growth is the foundation of a peaceful world, China's rise will increase the weight of the pacifists in the international community.

Since it suffered aggression, occupation and exploitation at the hands of the colonial powers in the first half of the 20th century, China cherishes equity and justice in the process of building more equitable international relations. Hence, fairness and justice, and the spirit of building a community with a shared future for mankind have been the guiding principles of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

Rather than a patron-client relationship, as in the organizations dominated by Western powers, the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative enjoy equal status. The initiative is open and inclusive. And the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank welcomes anyone to become a member including developed countries, although the US and Japan have opted to stay away from the bank.

The AIIB is different from many West-led international development banks and financial institutions, which force those countries and organizations wanting to become members to take sides by taking advantage of their leading high-tech and advanced financial systems.

The principle of cooperation and sharing is evident in the Belt and Road projects, which take into consideration all factors including people's livelihoods, economic growth and environmental protection, and respect member states' sovereignty and never interfere in their internal affairs.

The developing countries do need the support of the international community, especially the developed world, to boost their economic and social development. Yet they will resist the West's attempts to use aid as a tool to interfere in their internal affairs.

Also, given that the Belt and Road Initiative involves a large number of countries and has abundant capital, it is committed to better serving the developing world than the "Build Back Better World" program launched by G7 leaders, as the latter's funds are directed more toward environmental protection, human rights protection and urgent humanitarian aid and less toward improving and building infrastructure.

As the Belt and Road Initiative moves forward with the spirit of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the world will come to view China as a builder of world peace, a defender of international order, and a major contributor to global economic growth.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

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