Arduous efforts to realize a shared future

Editor's note: This year marks the 10th anniversary of proposal to help build a community with a shared future for mankind. The endeavor to build a community with a shared future for mankind has made progress across the world, from the Belt and Road Initiative to a Global Community of Health for All. The vision helps expand the convergence of interests in win-win cooperation. Four experts share their views on the issue with China Daily.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's proposal to help build a community with a shared future for mankind. During his visit to Russia in March 2013, Xi, who is also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, proposed that countries are linked with and dependent on one another at a level never seen before, and that mankind, living in the same global village, has increasingly emerged as a community with a shared future in which everyone's interests are closely intertwined.

Over the past decade, with the foresight of a statesman and strategist, Xi has pondered over the unprecedented challenges facing human society.

Xi came up with other very important ideas which have gone into making Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy into a scientific theoretical system to pursue peaceful development, build a new type of international relations, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, deepen and expand global partnerships based on equality, openness and cooperation, follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance, and uphold justice while pursuing shared interests. All these have enriched our vision for a community with a shared future for mankind and provided practical pathways toward it. They are part of China's response to the changes of the world, of our times, and of the historic trajectory.

Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy provides fundamental guidelines for China's diplomacy and pursues inclusive growth. In the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping stressed that: "For its part, China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future."

Enumerating the basic principles of building a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said that from the principles of equality and sovereignty established in the Peace of Westphalia more than 370 years ago to the international humanitarianism affirmed in the Geneva Convention 150-plus years ago, from the four purposes and seven principles enshrined in the UN Charter over 70 years ago to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence championed by the Bandung Conference more than 60 years ago, many principles have emerged in the evolution of international relations and become widely accepted. These principles should guide us in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi has emphasized that we should stay committed to building a world of lasting peace through dialogue and consultation, a world of common security for all through joint efforts, a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation, an open and inclusive world through exchanges and mutual learning, and make our world clean and beautiful by pursuing green and low-carbon development.

To achieve this goal, Xi has urged the international community to promote partnerships, safeguard security, and facilitate growth and inter-country exchanges. He also underlined that China remains committed to promoting world peace, pursuing common development; fostering partnerships and upholding multilateralism.

Xi has repeatedly stressed that all civilizations have their unique features and symbols, which combine to make a colorful garden of civilizations. Every civilization has accumulated rich experiences through historical explorations and development, which provide guidance for them to survive and thrive. To jointly build a human community with a shared future, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of the origins and rich contents of different civilizations and let the essence of all civilizations benefit all humankind.

The Belt and Road Initiative is an important platform for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past decade, more than 150 countries and international organizations have joined the Belt and Road Initiative. More important, the initiative has brought obvious and tangible benefits to the Belt and Road countries which, along with international organizations, have embarked on a road of mutual benefits and win-win results.

While the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative proposed by Xi have become part of the foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Global Civilization Initiative he proposed on March 15 is aimed at seeking "progress for humanity and harmony for the entire world" in order to deliver benefits to not only the Chinese people but also promote the common development of the world.

The GDI and the building of a global community of development with a shared future echo the strong aspirations of the people of all countries to lead a better life, promote solidarity and common development, and provide guidelines for revitalizing international development cooperation with the United Nations at its core.

On the other hand, the GSI is a blueprint for global security governance, demonstrating China's commitment to promoting world peace and development. More than 100 countries and many international organizations, including the United Nations, have supported the GDI and the GSI, and nearly 70 countries have joined the "Group of Friends of Global Development Initiative".

To build a community with a shared future for mankind at the domain-specific, and regional and bilateral levels, all countries should provide mutual assistance for each other to overcome the risks and challenges, so as to accumulate energy for building a better world.

Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is at the core of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. So China's diplomacy must adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and its diplomatic efforts should be aimed at realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, promoting the common values, and helping improve global governance.

"Though the road ahead is dangerous and difficult, we can only achieve our goals with constant efforts. We must press ahead with a sense of perseverance to expect a better future."

Yu Jiang is a full-time deputy secretary-general of the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Studies Center and vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies.

Jia Ding is an assistant research fellow at the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Studies Center.

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