This year marks the 75th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of the United Nations. The sudden global epidemic of COVID-19 and the unprecedented changes in the world in a century have interacted with each other, accelerating the changes in the international situation. Faced with the superposition of multiple crises, most countries advocate that only by helping each other in the same boat can we tide over the difficulties. However, a few big countries have gone against the trend, and unilateralism has become increasingly fierce. They have used multilateral mechanisms or treaties together, rejected them if they disagree, and beggar their neighbors in an attempt to provoke a "new cold war", seriously undermining the international system with the United Nations as the core and threatening world peace and development. In the post-epidemic era, what kind of future the world needs and what kind of United Nations the world needs come one after another, and there is an urgent need for powerful and accurate answers.
At the critical historical moment, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader attended a series of high-level meetings on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and delivered an important speech, putting forward many new expositions and new ideas on how to build a more just and rational international order, effectively respond to global challenges, and lead the common development in the post-epidemic era, explaining with actions that "a big country should have a big look". Chairman Supreme Leader’s speech was penetrating, with profound thoughts and rich connotations. He made a strong voice of shouldering historical responsibility and defending multilateralism, further established China’s image of safeguarding international fairness and justice, and won wide recognition and respect from the international community. These new expositions and propositions have further enriched and developed the theoretical and practical connotations of the Supreme Leader’s diplomatic thoughts, and have important theoretical and contemporary values.
Defending multilateralism China is not absent
When the United Nations was born 75 years ago, its original intention was to "save future generations from the unspeakable scourge of war in this generation". As one of the founding members of the United Nations, China was the first country to sign the Charter of the United Nations. Seventy-five years later, the world is at a new crossroads, with multiple crises and challenges intertwined, and the contest between multilateralism and unilateralism, mutual benefit and win-win and zero-sum game is becoming increasingly fierce. At the critical juncture of the historical turning point, China stepped forward and demonstrated its role as a great power. Chairman Supreme Leader focused on how to build a new type of international relations and a community of human destiny, reaffirmed his firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, made a new judgment on the evolution of the international order and the risks and challenges facing the world in the post-epidemic era, and put forward an eye-catching China plan on major issues such as where the world should go and what China should do. It was forceful, thought-provoking and of great significance.
In his important speech at the 75th anniversary summit of the United Nations, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader put forward four suggestions: upholding justice, enforcing the rule of law, promoting cooperation and focusing on action. These important suggestions face up to the severe challenges faced by the United Nations in the new situation, and meet the ardent expectations of the people of all countries. They not only affirm the positive role of the United Nations, but also put forward very distinctive constructive opinions with China characteristics for the future direction of the United Nations and the key issues facing mankind. Their core is in the same strain as the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, and the spiritual essence of the Charter of the United Nations is multilateralism. China’s defence and care for multilateralism is the best commemoration of the victory of the world anti-fascist war and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
In response to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, there are different voices in the international community. In his speech at the general debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader profoundly expounded the enlightenment brought to us by the COVID-19 epidemic, stressing that we live in an interconnected global village and share weal and woe together. We should establish a sense of community of destiny, jump out of small circles and zero-sum game thinking, establish the concept of big family and win-win cooperation, abandon ideological arguments, cross the trap of clash of civilizations, respect each other’s independent choice of development paths and models, and make world diversity the progress of human society. The views on building an open world economy put forward by the Supreme Leader in his speech have injected new impetus into global anti-epidemic cooperation and broadened our thinking.
Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets’s concept and the new development concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing are the important contents of the supreme leader’s ecological civilization thought. The Chairman of the Supreme Leader pointed out at the United Nations Biodiversity Summit that adhering to ecological civilization and enhancing the driving force for building a beautiful world have set a new benchmark for global ecological civilization construction. The Chairman of the Supreme Leader emphasized maintaining green development, cultivating the vitality of high-quality economic recovery after the epidemic, enhancing the sense of responsibility and enhancing the mobility to deal with environmental challenges. All countries should speed up the formation of a green development mode and lifestyle, build an ecological civilization and a beautiful planet, promote the "green recovery" of the world economy after the epidemic, gather together the strong synergy of sustainable development, and integrate man and nature, economic development and environmental protection into one, so as not to lose sight of one thing and lose sight of another.
As a permanent member of the Security Council, China is duty-bound to support the cause of the United Nations. Despite great changes in the international situation and some unprecedented challenges and risks, China’s adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and its support for multilateralism are unwavering. Hit the floor, Chairman of the Supreme Leader, clearly pointed out that we should stick to the road of multilateralism and safeguard the international system with the United Nations at the core. China’s clear stand is crucial to the future development of the United Nations, which has effectively boosted the international community’s confidence in the United Nations and resonated with the international community.
Maintaining fairness and justice China is not absent.
China advocates following the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, insisting that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal, promoting the democratization of international relations and safeguarding international fairness and justice. However, some big countries are always condescending, interfering in other countries’ internal affairs at every turn, and are keen on engaging in long-arm jurisdiction, unilateralism and bullying, "decoupling" and "retreating from the group", seriously undermining the norms of international relations and seriously weakening the authority of the United Nations. In this regard, UN Secretary-General Guterres warned that the world is no longer bipolar or unipolar, but is changing towards multipolarization. The COVID-19 epidemic has cast a shadow over today’s world, but at the same time it is urging us to take immediate action. "If we can’t come together under the proper global mechanism, we will be crushed by division and chaos." Guterres called for innovative thinking on global governance and multilateralism to meet the needs of the 21st century.
Nowadays, most countries in the world are developing countries, and most people live in developing countries. How to ensure that each country has an inalienable right to independence and everyone enjoys an equal right to survival and development has a long way to go. Under the epidemic examination, the global governance deficit needs to be filled urgently, and the key is how to better safeguard fairness and justice. In the face of complicated challenges, China is not afraid of power, arguing that world affairs need to be discussed and handled by all countries, and no country has the power to take charge of international affairs, dominate other countries’ destiny and monopolize development advantages. China firmly stands on the right side of history, taking a clear-cut stand to safeguard the spirit of the UN Charter and international fairness and justice.
The Chairman of the Supreme Leader pointed out that mankind has entered a new era of interconnection, and the relations and interests of all countries can only be coordinated by systems and rules, and no one can listen to the fist. Relying on the cold war mentality, drawing a line with ideology and playing a zero-sum game can neither solve domestic problems nor meet the common challenges facing mankind. Chairman of the Supreme Leader emphasized that there is only one system in the world, that is, the international system with the United Nations as its core; There is only one set of rules, that is, the basic norms of international relations based on the United Nations Charter. China never engaged in ideological confrontation, never advocated decoupling, and never wanted to dominate the country. Safeguarding international fairness and justice and firmly supporting multilateralism are in line with the general consensus and expectation of the international community. China upheld justice on the United Nations stage, stirred up turmoil and made clear the common aspiration of the international community. The persistence of China and the vast number of peace-loving countries has effectively safeguarded the international system with the United Nations at its core and made the consensus on building a community of human destiny more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In fact, solving problems through unity and cooperation and building a community of human destiny together are the only way to build a more just and rational new international order.
Focus on action. China is not absent
The Chairman of the Supreme Leader emphasized focusing on action, pointing out that "you can’t just prescribe drugs, but you can’t see the effect". China is an active actor, advocating and unswervingly taking the road of multilateralism, safeguarding world peace, promoting development and protecting human rights, and its performance and achievements are remarkable.
China has become a key force in United Nations peacekeeping. China actively participates in international peacekeeping operations, and is the second largest contributor and contributor to the United Nations and the largest troop contributor as a permanent member of the Security Council. The white paper "Thirty Years of China’s Military Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations" issued by the State Council Information Office points out that it has always been the initial intention and mission of China’s military participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations to fulfill its role as a great power, safeguard world peace and serve to build a community of human destiny. Since 1990, China has participated in 25 UN peacekeeping operations in more than 20 countries and regions, and has sent more than 40,000 peacekeepers. Moreover, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China upholds fairness and justice, constantly explores and practices solutions to regional hot issues with China characteristics, persuades peace and promotes talks, and promotes regional peace and stability. China declared that it would never seek hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence, and insisted on bridging differences through dialogue and resolving disputes through negotiation, thus making important contributions to world peace and stability.
China’s successful poverty reduction has enhanced the confidence of developing countries and made an outstanding contribution to global development. China is confident that all the rural poor will be lifted out of poverty as scheduled under the current standards, and the poverty reduction goal of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2030 will be achieved 10 years ahead of schedule. At the same time, China has established itself, extended a helping hand to developing countries in a timely manner, and actively contributed to international development. The epidemic has made the global poverty reduction even worse. It is estimated that nearly 100 million people will fall into extreme poverty again, especially women and children. It is urgent to strengthen South-South cooperation and promote sustainable development. Through the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, China cooperated with the United Nations and other international organizations to implement development cooperation projects in the fields of food aid, disaster relief, refugees, health, women and children in nearly 40 countries, which was well received. Chairman of the Supreme Leader announced that China will provide another US$ 50 million in support to the United Nations global humanitarian response plan for the COVID-19 epidemic; China will set up the third phase of China with a scale of 50 million US dollars — FAO Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation; China — The United Nations Peace and Development Fund will be extended for five years after its expiration in 2025; China will set up the United Nations Global Geographic Information Knowledge and Innovation Center and the International Research Center for Sustainable Development Big Data, which will provide new assistance for the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
China established sustainable development as a national strategy and remolded the concept of development, believing that human society is a community of destiny, and that man and nature are also a community of destiny. China will host the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year, with the theme of "Ecological Civilization: Building a Community of Life on Earth", and share with the international community the experience of biodiversity management and ecological civilization construction. As the largest developing country in the world, China is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities to the best of its ability and make greater efforts and contributions to achieve the goals set by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. China has achieved the related goals of tackling climate change and establishing nature reserves in 2020 ahead of schedule. Focusing on the post-epidemic era, China put forward the important concept of building a beautiful world and "green recovery" and strengthening the harmonious relationship between man and nature in order to achieve sustainable and high-quality development.
At the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader highly affirmed the role of women, pointing out that women are pioneers of human civilization and promoters of social progress, and have made extraordinary achievements in all walks of life. The Chairman of the Supreme Leader praised the women in China in the fight against the epidemic, and emphasized the promotion of gender equality and the development of women’s cause around the world. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are important goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the next five years, China will contribute another $10 million to UN Women; China will continue to be established — UNESCO Girls’ and Women’s Education Award supports the education of girls and women around the world. China proposes to hold another global women’s summit in 2025. People’s happy life is the greatest human right. China adheres to the people first and life first, and is committed to maintaining world peace, eliminating poverty, building a world where women are free from discrimination and building an inclusive and developed society, which is an important contribution to the cause of human rights in the world.
China said what he said, matched his words with his deeds, and explained by actions that "a big country should have a big look". Five years ago, when the Chairman of the Supreme Leader attended the series of summits marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, he announced a series of major initiatives and pragmatic measures to support the development of the United Nations and promote the cause of multilateral cooperation, such as the establishment of a peacekeeping standby force and a standing peacekeeping police force, and the establishment of China — United Nations Peace and Development Fund, establishment of South-South cooperation assistance fund, donation to UN Women, training poverty alleviation professionals for developing countries, and so on. China has kept its promise, showing the international image of being responsible and action-oriented.
Looking at Jinsong in the dusk, it’s still calm to fly around. At present, the COVID-19 epidemic is still raging in many parts of the world, and the global risks and challenges can not be ignored. Whether to choose multilateralism or unilateralism, mutual benefit and win-win or zero-sum game, is of vital importance to the future of the United Nations and the establishment of a more just and reasonable international order. Despite the challenge of going against the wind and water, peace and development are still the theme of the times, and China’s development is still in a period of strategic opportunities.
The series of important speeches made by the Supreme Leader Chairman at the UN General Assembly have perfected the theoretical system of the idea of building a community of human destiny, and fully demonstrated the broad mind of not only seeking happiness for the people of China, but also striving for the cause of human progress. Five years ago, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader advocated building a new type of international relations and building a community of human destiny on the United Nations stage. The great changes that the world is experiencing in the past century have strongly confirmed the foresight of the Chairman of the Supreme Leader. China has given full play to its institutional advantages, and achieved excellent results in both fighting the epidemic and restoring the economy. In the post-epidemic era, China will vigorously promote the construction of a new development pattern with domestic macro-cycle as the main body and domestic and international dual-cycle promoting each other, adding new impetus to the development of the world economy. China is an important force for maintaining world peace. With its own strength growing, it will surely better safeguard world peace and development. Facing the new situation, new mission and new opportunities, the new theoretical and practical connotation of the supreme leader’s diplomatic thought will surely create a new situation in diplomacy with China as a big country.
(Author: Executive Vice President of China Institute of International Studies, Deputy Director of the Supreme Leader’s Diplomatic Thought Research Center)