Make the Prospect of Peaceful Development More Promising

——Speech by Li Yuanchao, Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, at the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Commemoration for the International Day of Peace



Make the Prospect of Peaceful Development More Promising

——Speech by Li Yuanchao, Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, at the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Commemoration for the International Day of Peace

(September, 21st, 2016, Yinchuan, Ningxia)

Your Excellency Ms. Jennifer Simons, Chairperson of the National Assembly of the Republic of Suriname,

Your Excellency Lord Tu’ivakano, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Kingdom of Tonga,

Your Excellency Ms. Rosana Alvarado, First Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Ecuador,

Distinguished guests, dear friends,

The grand opening of the 2016 Commemoration for the International Day of Peace will be held today in the ancient city of Yinchuan. On behalf of the Chinese Government and the Chinese people, I would like to extend the warm welcome to all the guests and friends present here!

The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations 35 years ago, which reflects the common aspiration of the international community for peace and development. The theme of the Commemoration, “People Long for Sustainable Peace and Development”, speaks volumes. As pointed out by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the human society is evolving into a global community of shared future where everyone is interdependent, mutual respect, co-existence on an equal-footing, and peaceful development and common prosperity represent the right path to take. Here I would like to offer three observations to echo President Xi’s initiative and on the implementation of today’s theme:

First of all, resolving disagreements and disputes through dialogue and consultation. Peace and stability are precious, while the lessons of wars and conflicts have been painfully learned. Nearly 50 million children around the globe have been displaced because of conflicts and violence. In the conflict-ravaged African region, the picture of an emaciated child being stalked by a vulture is profoundly disturbing. In 2015, the image of the lifeless body of the three-year-old migrant toddler Aylan washed ashore on a Turkish beach pricks the conscience of the international community. Inevitable as disagreements and disputes are in human society, we should always resort to dialogues rather than confrontation. Using force will get us nowhere and there are no winners in conflicts. Over the past 50 years, China has completely solved issues concerning land boundaries around 20000 kilometers with 12 of its neighboring countries through friendly consultations. China has been actively fulfilling its international responsibilities and obligations and participating in the political settlement of international hotspot issues in a constructive manner. Countries, regardless of their size, wealth and strength, should respect each other and treat each other on an equal footing. They should not resort to forces to interfere into the domestic affairs of other countries, nor provoke conflicts willfully. Countries should respect and accommodate each other, have friendly consultations, and work together to safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, so as to create a peaceful and stable international environment and a bright future.

Secondly, achieving common prosperity through win-win outcomes. Development is of paramount importance to developing countries. Over 800 million people are still living in extreme poverty and nearly 60 million children have no access to education. Meanwhile, developed countries are faced with the dual challenges of the international financial crisis and the new scientific and technological revolution, and the dual tasks of economic recovery and reindustrialization. Development is the pressing task confronting the humankind, thus a community of development should come before the community of shared future. The “Belt and Road Initiative” proposed by China includes around 4.4 billion people in more than 60 countries and regions, and this grand vision featuring win-win cooperation is booming and yielding fruits. Up to this June, China has signed industrial cooperation agreements with 20 countries along the Belt and Road and established 46 overseas cooperation zones with 17 countries. China has also helped to establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank with an authorized capital of 100 billion U.S. dollars and invested 40 billion U.S. dollars to set up the Silk Road Fund. These measures have vigorously promoted international interconnection and industrial cooperation, and improved the employment and livelihood of local people. Since the 1950s, the Zhongwei city of Ningxia has been actively engaged in the prevention and control of sand erosion by creating techniques such as “Straw Checkerboard Barriers” and the “Five Belts Sand Prevention System”. Many countries and regions have come to learn from Zhongwei in order to find out the solution to desertification. Only common prosperity can make this world a better place. We hope all the countries can strengthen the global partnership featuring win-win cooperation, promote South-South cooperation and South-North dialogue, and make sure the pie keeps getting bigger and better so as to benefit the people.

Thirdly, rising to common challenges of the humankind by innovation-driven global governance institution. Global challenges such as sluggish recovery, terrorism, climate change and migrant crisis are growing in number. Global issues ask for global governance, while global governance is in urgent need of institutional innovation. The G20 established in 1999 with the aim of preventing the resurgence of financial crisis was a ministerial-level meeting mechanism, which coordinated macroeconomic policies. The G20 Leaders Summit mechanism set up after the 2008 global financial crisis has helped to pull the global economy from the edge of cliff back to the track of steady recovery. The G20 Hangzhou Summit has facilitated the transition of G20 from a crisis response mechanism to a long-term governance platform. The Hangzhou Summit has invited 6 developing countries as guest states and pushed forward the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement to come into force at an early date. Thus, this Summit has become a vital platform for developed countries and developing countries to engage in full consultations on international economic issues. We hope all the countries can take equality as the basis, cooperation as the driving force and sharing as the goal, promote global governance to reflect more evenly the interests and appeals of all the countries especially the developing countries, and jointly establish a global governance structure that is more just, sound and efficient.

Currently, the Chinese people are striving to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realize the Chinese Dream of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. China’s economy has remained steady. In 2015, China’s GDP grew at 6.9%, contributing to more than 25% to the global economic growth. In the first half of the year, the growth rate reached 6.7%. Holding high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win, China stands ready to work with other countries to build a world economy that is innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive, promote lasting peace and development, so as to make the prospect of peaceful development more promising.