Wang Yi Delivers Remarks Titled "Opposing Division Through Solidarity, Promoting Development Through Cooperation" at the Global Town Hall

2021-11-20 19:13

On November 20,  2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, upon invitation, delivered  video remarks titled "Opposing Division Through Solidarity, Promoting  Development Through Cooperation" at the Global Town Hall on "Managing  Competition, Conflict, and Cooperation in a Pandemic World".

Wang Yi said, one year on, thanks  to the concerted efforts of the international community, important progress has  been made in the fight against the coronavirus, and the world economy is  gradually recovering. At the same time however, the pandemic is still raging,  the world is far from being tranquil, and risks of group politics and cold-war  confrontation are on the rise. Countries must join hands together to build  consensus and form synergy. Wang Yi said, we need to stay committed to opposing  division through solidarity. In face of global challenges, only solidarity can  bring hope, whereas division would lead to a dead end. China does not want to  have conflict or confrontation with any country. Instead, we stand ready to work  with all countries to advocate the common values of humanity, practice true  multilateralism, uphold the UN-centered international system, safeguard  international order based on international law, and together, build a community  with a shared future for mankind who all live in this one and same global  village.

We need to stay committed to the  win-win approach instead of a zero-sum mentality. First and foremost, countries  need to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and seek common development  and prosperity. While competition may exist in the process of cooperation, it  should be positive and benign in nature, and should be guided by the principle  of seeking mutual benefit and win-win results. No country should arbitrarily  start vicious competition such as decoupling or severing industrial and supply  chains. Still less should one force any third party to take sides in  competitions. China will continue to work with all countries to build a new type  of international relations featuring win-win cooperation.

We need to stay committed to  boosting development through cooperation. The Global Development Initiative put  forward by President Xi Jinping has been welcomed and endorsed by the United  Nations and a large number of countries. China will work with all countries to  strengthen policy communication and coordination, keep the global industrial and  supply chains stable and smooth, and provide more impetus to world economic  recovery in the post-COVID era.

We need to stay committed to  managing differences through dialogue. China has been committed to increasing  mutual trust, resolving disputes and promoting security through dialogue. China  will continue to follow this principle, properly handle and manage differences  with other countries, in particular its neighboring countries with outstanding  territorial disputes, and jointly maintain peace and stability in the  region.

Wang Yi said, whether China and  the United States can manage their relations well bears on the future of the  world. It is a "question of the century", and the two countries must come up  with a good answer together. On November 16, President Xi Jinping and President  Joe Biden had a constructive meeting that was in-depth, candid, wide-ranging and  substantive. The Chinese leader stated China's position and bottom line, and  also expressed our sincerity about cooperation and proper management of the  differences. Both sides believe that the bilateral relationship is extremely  important and must not be messed up, and that the two countries need to respect  each other and coexist in peace. President Xi Jinping underscored the three  principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation  between the two countries, and identified four priorities for China and the  United States to focus their efforts on. These important remarks reflected the  Chinese leader's deep thinking on the evolution of the China-U.S. relations, and  they also outlined the framework for its development in the future.

Mutual respect is a basic  precondition for state-to-state relations. All countries should understand and  respect each other in the spirit of inclusiveness, rather than act  condescendingly or even impose their will on others. Peaceful coexistence is an  inherent principle in state-to-state interactions. No conflict, no  confrontation, and maintaining peaceful coexistence should be a sensible choice  that both China and the United States must firmly uphold. This is also the right  way for big countries with different social systems to get along with each  other. Win-win cooperation is the right direction of history. With their  interests deeply intertwined, China and the United States will both lose in any  zero-sum game. Only by pursuing mutual benefit can the two countries achieve  steady and sustained growth.

Wang Yi said, in response to  Taiwan authorities' attempt to seek U.S. support for their independence agenda  and some Americans' move to use Taiwan to contain China, President Xi Jinping  sounded a warning bell and made clear the firm position of China. There is but  one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. We will strive for the  prospect of peaceful reunification with utmost efforts. But we will absolutely  not tolerate any "Taiwan independence" moves that aim to separate the country  and will absolutely not accept any attempt to create "two Chinas" or "one China,  one Taiwan" in the world. Wang Yi emphasized, the more unequivocal the  opposition against "Taiwan independence" is, and the more resolute the actions  against "Taiwan independence" are, the more hopeful that peaceful reunification  will be achieved, the more possible that the Taiwan Strait will be peaceful and  stable, and the more guarantee that peace and prosperity in Asia and the Pacific  will enjoy.

Wang Yi said, President Xi  Jinping compared China and the United States to two giant ships that are  breaking waves and forging ahead. He pointed out that the two sides must keep a  steady hand on the tiller to make sure that the two ships will not deviate from  the route, lose speed, or even collide with each other. We hope that the United  States will match its important statements including not fighting a new Cold  war, not seeking conflict or confrontation, and not supporting "Taiwan  independence" with specific policies and real actions. Only in this way can the  China-U.S. relationship achieve steady and long-term growth and benefit both  countries and the whole world.

Wang Yi said, as we speak,  against the backdrop of evolving international landscape, the Asia-Pacific  region faces two very different trends. One focuses on mutually beneficial  cooperation, and advocates joint efforts for shared development, revitalization,  peace and stability in the region. And the other seeks to stoke estrangement and  division, incite conflict and confrontation, and build political and military  blocs. The first trend meets the shared aspiration of the region and common  interests of all countries. The latter will severely undermine the hard-won  peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific, and therefore should be firmly  resisted by us all.

The Asia-Pacific, in particular  the most dynamic East Asia, is already blessed with a regional cooperation  platform with ASEAN at its center and largely supported by ASEAN's partnerships.  Among those partnerships, China's dialogue partnership with ASEAN has all along  been a pioneer and a good example in regional cooperation. China supports  ASEAN's community building, supports ASEAN centrality in regional architecture,  and supports ASEAN in playing an even bigger role in the Asia-Pacific region. We  have taken note that ASEAN has independently put forth its own Outlook on the  Indo-Pacific, highlighting that it will uphold the concepts such as openness,  transparency, inclusivity, equality, mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual  benefit, and keep to the important principles of respect for sovereignty and  non-intervention. These concepts and principles are compatible with the purposes  of the UN Charter, and align with the thinking behind China's foreign  policy.

Wang Yi said, in two days, China  and ASEAN will convene a special summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of  their dialogue relations. The meeting will be an important milestone. President  Xi Jinping will attend in person and together with leaders of ASEAN countries,  review the major achievements and useful experience in China-ASEAN relations  over the past three decades. The leaders will make plans and chart the course  forward for future progress. The summit will further help strengthen and upgrade  China-ASEAN relations, making new strides to build a closer China-ASEAN  community with a shared future. It will also make new and greater contributions  to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Wang Yi emphasized, the sixth  plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee reviewed the major  achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century. It  clearly pointed out that China champions opening up over isolation, pursues  mutual benefit instead of zero-sum games, and stands up for fairness and  justice. We will contribute to world peace through our development, and keep the  wheels of history rolling toward a brighter future. As China embarks on a new  historic journey, we will work hand in hand with the whole world and open up an  even brighter future for humankind!

The Global Town Hall was held by  the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia via video link.