Championing Multilateralism In a World of Contradictions
2019-11-27
At a time when humanity confronts various global challenges， Chinese President Xi Jinping has been leading a spirited defense of multilateralism and economic globalization. A Xinhua News Agency report highlights Xis role in searching for answers to the many problems plaguing the world. The following is an edited version of the report：
Global challenges from regional conflicts and terrorism to widening income gaps and climate change have nudged humanity to a crossroads： globalization or anti-globalization， multilateralism or unilateralism， integration or isolation.
While some are retreating to the easier option of unilateralism and isolationism， Chinese President Xi Jinping has been leading a spirited defense of multilateralism to make economic globalization more invigorated， inclusive and sustainable.
This commitment featured in Xis state visit to Greece and his trip to Brazil for the 11th BRICS Summit in mid-November， where he called for global efforts to uphold multilateralism and steer the world toward the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity.
“We are meeting at a time when crucial developments are taking place in the world economy and international landscape，” Xi told the BRICS summit， an emerging-market bloc of Brazil， Russia， India， China and South Africa.
While leaders of five of the biggest emerging economies met in Brasilia， trade tensions and policy uncertainties were taking a toll on the world economy， some politicians were ignoring the fact that the globe is warming up， Britain was still divorcing the EU and Syria was mired in an eight-year war.
It was not the fi rst time for the Chinese president to sound the alarm on the crucial situation.
“What has gone wrong with the world？”Xi asked at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos in January 2017， a big question the whole world was refl ecting on.
The world has been going through profound changes unseen in a century， Xi said.
He expounded his observation at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation （APEC） Economic Leaders Meeting held in Papua New Guinea （PNG） in November 2018.
While economic globalization surges forward， global growth is shadowed by protectionism and unilateralism； a new revolution in science， technology and industry is in the making， but the old driving forces are yet to be replaced by new ones； the international landscape is undergoing profound changes， but imbalance in development is yet to be addressed； and the reform of the global governance system is gathering momentum， but improving its effi ciency remains a major challenge.
To highlight the ever critical situation faced by humanity， Xi has repeatedly used the analogy of a crossroads.
“Mankind has once again reached a crossroads，” he said.
Which direction to choose？ Cooperation or confrontation？ Openness or closing ones door？ Win-win progress or a zero-sum game？
Amid the myriads of changes one thing is certain： It is as impossible to reverse the trend of globalization as to channel the waters of the ocean back into isolated lakes and creeks. In todays world no country could possibly stay aloof and develop alone.
At the APEC meeting in PNG， convened on board a cruiser anchored by Port Moresby， Xi said， “We are all indeed fellow passengers in the same boat.”
In the same boat
In order to help the world sail forward through wind and waves together， Xi has put forward the Belt and Road Initiative and the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity， two important components of what is known as Xiplomacy.
In a show of their growing global popularity， more than 160 countries and international organizations have signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with China， and Xis grand vision is being incorporated into more and more UN resolutions.
“I came up with the proposals of building a community with a shared future for humanity and the Belt and Road Initiative while pondering on how countries around the world can achieve joint consultation and shared benefits， harmony in diversity and cooperation for win-win results in the face of divergent interests and concerns，”Xi told UN Secretary General António Guterres on the sidelines of the G20 Summit held in Buenos Aires， Argentina， in November 2018.
There is no better choice for countries than strengthening multilateral cooperation in the face of one global challenge after another， Xi said.
In this line of thought， Xi sees Chinas development inseparable from that of the rest of the world. “China will do well only when the world does well，” he said.
Accordingly， experts have observed that China is pursuing an ever more engaging foreign policy， striving for a stable international environment to enable its development as well as recognizing its global responsibilities as it moves toward center stage.
