Working Together to Build a Better World

Leaders of political parties from around the world,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Good afternoon! Today, I am delighted to have you, leaders of political parties and organizations of other countries, with us at the Communist Party of China in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. We are all busy as the year is drawing to an end. Yet we still gather in Beijing for this important meeting to enhance our cooperation, and this fully demonstrates that we share a common interest in the development of mankind and the future of the world.

On behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and in my own name, I extend our warm welcome to all of you who have traveled long distance to China. I also take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to all the political parties, organizations and their leaders for sending letters and messages of congratulations when the 19th National Congress of the CPC was convened.

At its 19th National Congress, the CPC drew up a blueprint for China’s development from now through the middle of this century and reaffirmed China’s genuine desire to work together with the rest of the world to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Political parties play an important role in the political life of our countries and progress of human civilization. Here, I would like to share with you, leaders representing nearly 300 political parties and organizations of various countries, our view on this issue.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Throughout the ages, to live a better life has always been the longing of mankind. Mankind has created splendid civilizations over the past several thousand years. However, wars and conflicts have never ceased. They have, together with various natural calamities as well as diseases and plagues, inflicted untold sufferings on us mankind and cost us dearly. Today, thanks to the rapid development of the internet, big data, cloud computing, quantum satellite and artificial intelligence, we the human beings are connected as never before. On the other hand, we also face global challenges unprecedented in terms of number, dimension and severity. The destiny and future of all of us across the world are increasingly intertwined.

This presents mankind with two choices. One is vicious competition or even armed conflict for power and self-interest, which may well lead to disastrous crisis. The other is for us to go along with the tide of the times and rise to challenges through global collaboration. This, in turn, will create favorable conditions for building a community with a shared future for mankind. We must seize the historic opportunity and make the right choice so as to deliver an even brighter future for mankind.

The Chinese nation has a long history and a splendid civilization, yet it was ravaged by turmoil and upheaval of blood and fire since modern time began. But we Chinese never yielded to fate. We rose up and fought our way ahead with perseverance and, after protracted struggles, we have embarked on the broad road to national rejuvenation.

History shows that it is the cultural genes in our blood that have sustained the growth of this ancient nation to this day and the uninterrupted development of its civilization over 5,000 years. Since ancient times, we Chinese have always held these beliefs dear: “All people under the heaven are of one family”, “all the people are my brothers and I share the life of all creatures” and “all nations should live in harmony”. We have always aspired to create a better world in which “a just cause is pursued for the common good”.

Countries may have differences and even encounter problems with each other, which is to be expected. But we should not forget that we all live under the same sky, share one and the same home planet and belong to one and the same family. People across the world should be guided by the vision that all the people under the heaven are of one family, embrace each other with open arms, enhance mutual understanding, and seek common ground while setting aside differences. Together, we should endeavor to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

In 2013, I first made the call to build a community with a shared future for mankind. I am gratified to see that thanks to continued growth of friendship and cooperation between China and other countries, this call has gained increasing support, and more steps are being taken to pursue this initiative.

As a matter of fact, the Belt and Road Initiative that I have proposed aims exactly to bring about a community with a shared future for mankind. Over a span of four years, the Belt and Road Initiative has grown into a major platform of cooperation for countries concerned to attain common development. Numerous tiny streams converge to make a vast ocean, and countless radiant stars illuminate the Galaxy. I am convinced that so long as we share this goal, plan together, work together, move toward it step by step, day by day, we will surely succeed in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

As the term suggests, a community with a shared future for mankind means that the destiny and future of each and every nation and country are interlocked. So we should stick together through thick and thin and endeavor to build this planet of ours into a harmonious big family and realize mankind’s longing for a better life.

We should endeavor to build a world of universal security free from fear. The evolution of human civilization shows that despite our longing for durable peace for thousands of years, the specter of war has never traveled far and has continued to haunt us. As all of us human beings live on the same planet, no country should maintain its own security at the cost of others’ security. A threat to another country may turn out to be a challenge of your own. Unilateral action or blind belief in the use of force cannot cope with increasingly complex and multifaceted security threats.

Instead, we should adopt a new thinking on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and our goal should be to build together a new security architecture that is equitable, fair and beneficial for all. We should jointly remove the root causes of war, reach out to those displaced by fighting, and protect women and children from the scourge of war so that the sunshine of peace will radiate across our land and everyone can live in tranquility and harmony.

We should endeavor to build a world of common prosperity free from poverty. Despite the level of material and technological development achieved in the world today which would be unimaginable to our ancestors, unbalanced and inadequate development still presents a major issue. There is a huge gap of development between the North and the South, poverty and hunger remain widespread, a new digital divide is emerging, and people in many countries are still living under harsh conditions. If one still sticks to the logic of zero-sum game or winner takes all, or resorts to practices of wheeling-and-dealing or beggar-thy-neighbor, one would only end up blocking his own way forward while shutting the door on others. Such practices can only serve to erode the foundation of one's own development and imperil the future of mankind.

We should work to deliver benefits to all, and promote win-win economic globalization that is more open, inclusive and balanced, thus creating enabling conditions for common development of all mankind. Doing so will enable us to pursue common prosperity for all countries, eradicate poverty and backwardness plaguing people in many countries and make sure that all our children are well taken care of. It will enable all countries to benefit from development and all people to lead decent lives.

We should endeavor to build an open and inclusive world free from isolation. As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “All living things should flourish without harming each other; all ways of life should thrive without hindering each other.” The prosperity of civilization and human progress will not be possible without enhancing common ground, openness and inclusiveness as well as exchange and mutual learning among civilizations and reserving differences among them.

Different civilizations should blossom and coexist harmoniously, draw on each other’s strength to inspire and nourish human development: this is the call of history. We should always bear in mind that the world is a colorful place and that civilizations are diverse; and we should see that different civilizations enrich each other and add to the beauty of our world. We should work together to bring down cultural barriers on the ground, reject prejudices that stand in the way of human interactions, and eliminate cultural bias that prevents people from engaging with one another. We should see that different civilizations coexist in harmony and that all people enjoy cultural nourishment.

We should endeavor to build a green, clean and beautiful world. The earth is the only shared home for us mankind. Despite efforts made by some people, finding a new home for mankind in the outer space remains a distant dream. The fact is that mankind still needs to live on this planet in the foreseeable future. We should jointly protect our planet, not only for the sake of ourselves, but also for the sake of future generations. We should ensure harmony between human and nature, and cherish the environment as dearly as we cherish our own lives. We should revere nature, respect it, follow its ways and protect it. We should protect the earth, our irreplaceable home, heal wounds inflicted on the ecosystem and environment, and build a harmonious and livable home for mankind. This will enable the natural ecosystem to recover and regenerate itself and everyone to live in a good environment with lucid waters and lush mountains.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Today, the world is undergoing changes, so is the way in which development is pursued. All the political parties should move with the tide of the times, gain a keen appreciation of the underlying trend of human progress, meet people’s common aspirations, and grow ourselves while promoting the development of our countries, our nations and mankind. We should aim high and look far, fulfill our responsibilities and, in doing so, base ourselves on the realities of both our respective countries and the world.

We should keep in mind both the overall and long-term interests, and shoulder the mission placed on us by the times. We should keep in mind people’s aspirations and turn them into the guiding thoughts, purposes and goals of our political parties, and adopt concrete and practical execution plans accordingly.

The building of a community with a shared future for mankind requires the participation of people from all countries. We should pool the strength of all by building consensus among people of different nations, with different beliefs and cultures and from different regions to advance this great cause.

To realize a great dream, it is imperative to draw on the vision and strength of all those involved. We should do so by approaching things from multiple dimensions and different perspectives, draw on best practices, explore new ways and thinking, and build momentum. We political parties in various countries should strengthen mutual trust, dialogue, and coordination. On the basis of a new form of international relations, we should explore the building of a new type of party-to-party relations that seeks to expand common ground while reserving differences and enhances mutual respect and mutual learning, and we should build a multi-form, multi-level international network for party-to-party exchanges and cooperation. With these efforts, we can create a mighty force for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Only by taking steps can we blaze a trail; and only by taking actions can we achieve success. Obviously, as a historical process, efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind cannot be completed overnight, nor will such a process be a smooth sailing. Persistent and arduous efforts are called for. To build such a community, we must be ready to work for the long haul. We should not give up on our dream when the reality around us is too complicated; nor should we stop pursuing our ideals when they seem out of our reach.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

The CPC strives for both the wellbeing of the Chinese people and human progress. It is the largest political party in the world. As I once remarked, the CPC must act in a way as a big party should. Everything we Chinese communists are doing is to better the lives of the Chinese people, renew the Chinese nation, and promote peace and development for mankind. We must run our own house well, which in itself is a contribution to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. We must also see that China’s development will create more opportunities for the world. We will draw on our own practices to explore the law governing the evolution of human society, and share with other countries what we have learned. We do not want to “import” models from other countries, nor do we want to “export” the Chinese model, still less will we ask other countries to copy the Chinese practice. We Chinese communists will stay true to the following commitments:

First, we will continue to uphold global peace and tranquility.

Nearly a hundred years ago, the CPC was born while the country was ravaged by intense upheavals. One of the CPC’s founding missions was to put an end to the misery caused by turmoil and wars and suffered by the Chinese people since the mid-19th century. From 1921 to 1949, to realize peace and stability in China and secure a better life for its people, the CPC rallied the Chinese people and led them in an armed struggle for 28 years, making an enormous sacrifice.

Having gone through such ordeal, we Chinese communists know only too well how precious peace is; hence we are resolved to uphold peace. China remains committed to promoting peace, development, cooperation and delivering win-win outcomes. We will continue to pursue peaceful development, build global partnerships and take an active part in efforts to seek political settlement of international hotspot issues.

China, a major troop and funding contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, has dispatched over 36,000 peacekeepers on a cumulative basis. As I speak to you, more than 2,500 Chinese peacekeepers, braving hardships and dangers, are on active duty in eight mission areas to safeguard peace and security.

China will continue to actively engage in the reform and development of the global governance system so as to make the international political and economic order more just and equitable. No matter what stage of development it reaches, China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion. We call on the political parties in all other countries to work with us to advance world peace, contribute to global development, and uphold international order.

Second, we will continue to promote common development for all.

As a party that has its origin in the people and has grown in strength with the support of the people, the CPC has always cared deeply about the people, both in China and around the world. We are committed to bettering the lives of both the Chinese people and people of all other nations.

Over the years, China has provided a huge amount of grants and concessional loans as well as technical, personnel and intellectual assistance to other developing countries. It has launched numerous projects in these countries to support their economic and social development and improvement of the lives of their people. In these countries, thousands of Chinese scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, technicians, doctors and nurses, teachers, workers and volunteers are working hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder with the local people to help them change their lives for the better.

As envisaged by the CPC at its 19th National Congress, a moderately prosperous society in all respects will take shape in China by the year 2020. Socialist modernization will be basically realized in China by the year 2035 and, by the mid-21st century, China will turn itself into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful. This will deliver a better life not only to us Chinese, but also to the people of other countries. We call on the political parties in other countries to work with us to create more cooperation opportunities for the world and promote common development and prosperity for all.

Third, we will continue to promote mutual enrichment among civilizations.

As a Chinese saying goes, a stone taken from another mountain may serve as a tool to polish the local jade. The CPC values the importance of developing a global perspective for itself. We are eager to draw on the achievements of other cultures and apply them in the Chinese context. Indeed, Marxism is the scientific truth we have learned from other countries. We have adapted Marxism to China’s conditions, kept it up to date and enhanced its popular appeal. As a result, Marxism has become the scientific theory guiding the CPC as it leads the Chinese people on the march forward.

The CPC will embrace and approach the achievements of other cultures with an open mind and a broad perspective. We stay committed to engaging in dialogue, exchanges and cooperation with the people and political parties of other countries and supporting cultural and people-to-people exchanges between countries.

Over the next five years, the CPC will invite political parties from around the world to send to China exchange visitors totaling 15,000 for more interactions. We propose that the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting be institutionalized as a platform for high-level political dialogue with broad representation and international influence.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Over two thousand years ago, the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius observed that one should make friends with people who are upright, sincere and well-informed. The CPC is ready to make more friends across the world. Over the years, we have maintained regular contacts with more than 400 political parties and organizations in 160-plus countries and regions, and our circle of friends continues to grow.

Going forward, the CPC will enhance exchanges with political parties of other countries to share practices of party-building and enhancing state governance, and conduct more exchanges and dialogue among civilizations so as to improve our strategic mutual trust. Let all of us, people of various countries, join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind and a better world.

In closing, I wish the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting every success!

Thank you all.