BEIJING, Sept. 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The upcoming October 1 marks the 75th anniversary of the
founding of the People's Republic of
China and it beckons with anticipation. The city of
Beijing has been geared up as a
vibrant giant flower basket gracefully rose in Tian'anmen Square
and workers wove a colorful tapestry of flowers decorations along
Chang'an Avenue to welcome guests from across China and the world. Children laughed with
their joyous giggles weaving through the air, and adults captured
cherished moments with cameras in hand, sending heartfelt blessings
to the homeland.
Over the past 75 years, China
has transformed from a poor and backward country into a moderately
prosperous society in all respects. Today, China ranks among the world's leading economic
powers and is the largest manufacturing, goods trading, and foreign
exchange reserve country globally.
Over the past 75 years, China's
circle of friends has also expanded, with diplomatic relations
established with a total of 183 countries as of September,
contributing to global stability. In September, leaders from
China and Africa successfully convened the 2024 Summit
of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, setting forth plans to enhance
China-Africa cooperation in the new era. And more
events are anticipated to be held between China and other members of the Global South nations in the upcoming
months to address development and other global challenges.
Firm commitment to peace,
stability
While delivering a speech at the conference marking the 70th
anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in June
this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that "China's resolve to stay on the path of
peaceful development will not change. We will never take the
trodden path of colonial plundering, or the wrong path of seeking
hegemony when one becomes strong. We will stay on the right path of
peaceful development."
Chinese civilization is
characterized by its unique continuity, inclusiveness, and
openness. Since ancient times, China has upheld the principles of valuing
harmony and being kind to others. The Chinese nation has
consistently pursued diplomatic engagement and trade rather than
aggression and expansion, said Wang Yiwei,
a professor at China's Renmin
University in Beijing, told the
Global Times.
Moreover, historically, China
has endured significant suffering from colonialism. These
experiences have left an indelible mark on the Chinese psyche,
fostering deep sympathy for other groups that face exploitation and
oppression. From the challenging early years following the founding
of the PRC to its subsequent development, China has continuously strived to support
other developing regions, advocating for a more equitable global
order, said Wang Yiwei.
From working with African countries under the Belt and Road
Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, China is expanding cooperation with other
countries worldwide, particularly developing nations and those in
the Global South, to promote global development, said Wang Youming,
senior research fellow and director at Department for Developing
Countries Studies, China Institute of International Studies.
According to the latest data released by China Central
Television, currently, China is a
major trading partner for over 150 countries and regions. The scale
of goods traded has surged from $1.13
billion in 1950 to $5.9
trillion in 2023, with the share of its total volume of
imports and exports in the international market increasing from
less than 1 percent in 1978 to 12.4 percent in 2023.
A force to safeguard global stability
The development over the past 75 years has significantly
enhanced China's national
strength, making it an indispensable cornerstone for maintaining
global security, analysts said.
Since 2008, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has sent
46 escort task groups to the Gulf of Aden and waters off
Somalia, providing escort for some
7,300 Chinese and foreign vessels and conducting diverse tasks
including anti-terrorism, anti-piracy, joint search and rescues as
well as evacuations.
Moreover, China has actively
participated in UN peacekeeping operations. China is a main contributor to both UN
peacekeeping assessments and the UN's regular budget, and the
largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members of
the UN Security Council.
In recent years, the PLA has earnestly implemented the purposes
and principles of the UN Charter, built an 8,000-strong standby
peacekeeping force, and sent more than 50,000 peacekeepers to UN
peacekeeping missions in over 20 countries and regions. More than
1,700 PLA peacekeepers are, as of May
2024, performed their duties in 6 mission areas, including
South Sudan, Lebanon and the Abyei region, making positive
contributions to world peace and common development.
Lawrence Freeman, a political
economic analyst for Africa, told
the Global Times at the security and defense forum in Beijing in September that China's major initiatives, which are to
modernize and develop the economy, expand agriculture, and improve
the standard of living, are essential goals that all human beings
on this planet, regardless of ethnicity, religion or geographic
location, strive for.
Advocating for multilateralism
For the past 75 years ago, China has remained a builder of world peace, a
contributor to global development and a guardian of the
international order. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the
PRC, China is also voicing its
commitment to promoting the establishment of a new type of
international relations centered on cooperation and mutual benefit,
and fostering a community with a shared future for mankind, making
new contributions to global development, analysts said.
On Monday, while attending the UN Summit of the Future, Member
of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign
Minister Wang Yi talked about
China's proposals in addressing
global challenges.
"All countries, regardless of their size and strength, are equal
members of the international community … We need to strengthen the
authority of international rule of law, reject the law of the
jungle where the strong bully the weak, oppose acts of hegemonism
such as unilateral sanctions, protect the legitimate rights and
interests of developing countries, promote greater democracy in
international relations, and uphold international fairness and
justice," said Wang Yi.
For the past decades, China has
put forward a series of important proposals and initiatives,
including Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, the concept of
building a community with a shared future for humanity, and three
major global initiatives, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions
to maintaining world peace and security and receiving positive
responses and support from leaders of various countries, Wang
Youming said.
In the face of international issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Palestine conflict, China's initiatives demonstrate their
vitality, said the expert, noting that China is also seeking to resolve disputes
through dialogue and political means, said Wang Youming.
Moreover, China's pragmatic
cooperation with other countries has encouraged the international
community to focus on development issues and fosters high-quality
growth for the future, offering Chinese solutions to bridge the
development gap for Global South countries, promoting the
development of the Global South and injecting positive impetus to
global stability, according to the expert.
Analysts also noted that in response to unprecedented global
changes, China and developing
countries in the Global South are joining forces with a proactive
approach, committed to maintaining genuine multilateral mechanisms
to achieve common development and share progress with more
nations.
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SOURCE Global Times