By Mark Longyen
Beijing (China) Prof. Qu Bo, Director, Institute of International Studies, China Foreign Affairs University, Beijing, says China aims to build a global community with a shared future through strategic foreign policy initiatives.
The don stated this in a presentation delivered at a seminar on “Exchange of China’s Experience in Reform and Opening-Up for Developing Countries,” in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-week seminar is themed: “China’s Reform and Opening-up Experience for Developing Countries.”
The foreign policy expert spoke on the topic: “Four Global Initiatives and Building a Global Community with Shared Future.”
He highlighted China’s four diplomatic initiatives to include global development, security, civilisation, and governance initiatives.
Qu outlined the initiatives’ goals to include stable and balanced relationship among major countries, leading global governance system reforms, and ensuring a shared future towards regional neighbours, and developing countries.
He explained that the initiatives were deliberately aimed at developing global partnerships, advancing diplomatic agenda, and leading the reform of the global governance system with the concept of fairness and justice.
According to him, China has strategically pivoted from its erstwhile diplomacy of keeping a low global profile to a major power diplomacy, especially under current President Xi Jinping.
Qu said that the policy has been encapsulated in what he described as ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy,’ which underscores China’s path of peaceful development on the basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
President Xi Jinping of China.
“Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics, economic affairs, diplomacy, rule of law, ecological civilisation, and strengthening the Red Army for a new era.
“It is also the inheritance and development of the fine tradition of New China’s diplomacy and a major leap forward in the theoretical innovation of past leaders Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping.
“It is the fundamental guideline and action guide for China’s foreign work in the new era that answers a series of major theoretical and practical questions, such as what kind of world and international relations China should promote and pursue,” he said.
The don noted that, in line with these strategic objectives, China was following the path of global peaceful development on the basis of mutual respect and south-south win-win cooperation.
He also said that China was developing global partnerships, simultaneously advancing its diplomatic agenda, and leading the reform of global governance system, with the concept of fairness and justice.
Qu said China clearly understood the current global crises, which has never been witnessed in a century, but deliberately stayed calm, was seeking opportunities, and strategically coordinating the strategy for China’s rejuvenation.
He described China’s Belt and Road initiative as a major platform for international development cooperation, infrastructure development, trade, people-to-people connectivity, prosperity, opening up, innovation, green development, and clean government, among others.
Qu said China’s leaders had succeeded in making China a prosperous, great modern socialist country in all respects by adopting a two-step strategic plan from 2020 through the middle of this century.
He disclosed that President Xi, in an amazing feat, achieved his target of pulling 100 million Chinese out of poverty by the year 2030 in 2020 — 10 years ahead of schedule.
Qu said that China has been an active contributor to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and urged world leaders to join hands and build a global community for development.
“From the outset, even though China was itself short of funds, it started offering assistance to needy countries in support of their fight for national independence and liberation, and their effort to promote economic and social development.
“China has been assisting other developing countries to reduce poverty, boost agricultural progress, support equal access to education, improve infrastructure, and speed up industrialisation,” he said.
The don added that this laid a solid foundation for long-term friendship and cooperation with the beneficiary countries.
He stressed that peace and development were the main theme of the times, adding: “There are two real big problems or global strategic issues in the world nowadays. One is peace issue and the other is economic or development issue.
“Peace issue is about East-West relations, while economic issue is about North-South relations,” Qu added, quoting former Chinese President Deng Xiaoping, who is widely regarded as the architect of modern China’s reforms.
Qu pledged that China would continue to support the growth of developing countries by promoting technology transfer and sharing, planning and building skills under multilateral framework, among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.com)
