Xi Jinping leads China on new journey

The vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, which proposes building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity, was enshrined in the Party's Constitution and the country's Constitution, and was incorporated into important documents of the United Nations and other international organizations or multilateral mechanisms.

Xi's vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity is "the only future for humanity on this planet," said Peter Thomson, president of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.

Xi likes to use analogies to illustrate the relationship between China and the world. Xi said China is a "peaceful, amiable and civilized lion," and a "big guy," but not "Mephisto." "All countries are welcome to get on board the express train of China's development."

According to Xi, China is always a builder of world peace. "Only when we all cherish and uphold peace and never forget the painful lessons of war can there be the hope of peace," he said. An active participant of and important contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, China is the largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

After the Ukraine crisis erupted, Xi spoke with leaders of relevant countries via phone at the earliest time to promote peace. He also actively promoted the settlement of regional flash points such as the Palestine-Israel conflict and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi has engaged in intensive "cloud diplomacy." In 2021, he had more than 100 diplomatic activities conducted via phone, letter or video link. He attended anti-pandemic virtual meetings including the Extraordinary G20 Leaders' Summit and the 73rd World Health Assembly. Following Xi's instruction, China has sent anti-virus supplies to more than 150 countries, and its homegrown vaccines — a global public good as was promised by Xi — reached many places around the world.

An even greater global public good is the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi. About three-quarters of the countries in the world have signed cooperation documents with China to jointly build the Belt and Road. The Belt and Road Initiative has become a widely welcomed international cooperation platform in the world today.

Xi is seen as a key figure in pushing forward some initiatives and measures for dealing with global issues, climate change included.

"Had it not been for President Xi Jinping's initiative, we would not have the Paris Agreement. Not even now," said Ban Ki-moon, former secretary-general of the United Nations.

Xi said China has the ability and responsibility to play a bigger role in global affairs.

Championing the shared human values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, Xi proposed the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. The two initiatives call for more cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, climate change, food security and green development, receiving positive responses from more than 100 countries.

China has a wonderful opportunity to take on the leadership role in the respect of creating a shared future, said British sociologist Martin Albrow. "This isn't leadership in a military sense. This is leadership in a moral and value sense."

Arif Alvi, president of Pakistan, said he agreed with the messages Xi conveys, that the world needs better cooperation, better understanding and more peace.