Algerian ambassador praises extensive diplomatic ties

Ahcene Boukhelfa, Algerian ambassador to China, hailed China's prominent contributions to the international community over the past 50 years on Wednesday, saying that it is the biggest actor defending a world away from unipolarity.

Speaking at the online Vision China event, Boukhelfa said that since the People's Republic of China regained its seat in the United Nations in 1971, it has supported many just causes and sided with many oppressed peoples, and it prefers to stand on the side of values and principles rather than pursue narrow, temporary political interests.

This is rare, at least for many other major powers in the world, he said.

Boukhelfa described the five principles of peaceful coexistence, such as respecting the sovereignty of countries regardless of their power－on which Chinese foreign policy is based－as "noble".

"These principles, which derive their spirit from the great civilizational accumulation of thousands of years, have undoubtedly contributed to building trust between China and many countries," he said.

As for pluralism, Boukhelfa said that China is a prominent contributor to many international organizations. For example, Chinese funding has contributed to the success of programs run by UN organizations, in addition to its contribution of human resources.

He noted that China's contributions to UN peacekeeping forces in various parts of the world have played a prominent role in the management of conflicts and the prevention of further aggravation.

"We must stress that these contributions never came with a desire to control or direct policies in favor of specific political or ideological gains," he said.

According to the ambassador, China's contributions to international peace and security also extend without exception to multilateralism through partnerships linking it to many parts of the world.

Boukhelfa commended the level of cooperation between China and African and Arab countries, saying that these partnerships represent a valuable opportunity for developing nations to build their capabilities and benefit from the great development that China is experiencing in fields varying from poverty alleviation to the fight against COVID-19.

"I express my appreciation for China's contributions toward the eradication of the COVID-19 pandemic and its valuable cooperation with various countries, including my own country, Algeria, in the sharing and local production of vaccines," Boukhelfa said.

This indicates the attention China attaches to the challenges facing humankind and its willingness to work with partners to maintain sustainable development and safeguard the common destiny of humanity, he added.

As Algeria's top envoy in China, Boukhelfa also mentioned the historical friendship and the strong relationship between the two countries as reflected by UN Resolution 2758, which allowed the PRC to regain its seat in the General Assembly.

That draft resolution was submitted by Algeria and supported by 22 other developing countries.

In addition to their historical relationship, the two countries are considered exceptional partners at all levels, he said, noting that Algeria was the first Arab country to conclude a comprehensive strategic partnership with China in 2014, reflecting the high level of trust between the political leaderships of both countries.

Algeria and China also agree on many important issues, and the two countries maintain a high degree of coordination and periodic political consultation, he said.

In the economic field, the ambassador said that his country officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, which he believes can contribute to "better levels of development and infrastructure construction and linking national economies with the global economy, (and) allowing the elimination of the causes of internal and external wars and conflicts".

The ambassador added that his country is counting on its Chinese partner to jointly build capacities and harmonize development in a way that continues mutual benefit.