Guide
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The current world order, which is based on the principles of the UN Charter, has been challenged by Western powers, and chaos and fragmentation have deepened on a global scale. In this context, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are all the more relevant. In recent years, China has put forward global initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative, which are the inheritance and development of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Although China's economic strength and comprehensive national strength are no longer what they used to be, it is still an important force committed to win-win cooperation and opposing hegemonism.
作者:马尔科斯·科尔德伊罗·皮雷斯 (Marcos Cordeiro Pires),巴西圣保罗州立大学国际政治经济学教授
Seventy years ago, in order to build a new type of international relations in the new era and build a better world, China put forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, namely, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. At that time, China was in the midst of three major transformations, seeking ways to recover from the wounds of the anti-imperialist war, in addition to the challenge of the Sino-Indian border issue. In other parts of the world, the struggle against colonialism is still ongoing.
In the turbulent situation at the time, China's foreign policy was based on the assumption that China must deal with all international issues independently and autonomously, and must not be subservient to any interests other than its own people. Another important benchmark of China's diplomacy is to oppose hegemonism and safeguard world peace. China undertakes not to participate in any military bloc or arms race.
Over the past 70 years, the world has changed dramatically. When the United Nations was founded in 1945, there were only 51 member states, most of which were European and Latin American countries. Some African and Asian countries are still under colonial rule. Today, the United Nations has 193 member states, and developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America occupy an important position in this global governance body.
Image source: China Daily
Nowadays, in the face of challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are even more relevant.
The world order, based on the rules established in the Charter of the United Nations, is being torn apart. The main reason is that there is such a country, while it keeps saying that it wants to uphold these rules, but on the other hand, it is systematically ignoring these rules, such as interfering in the internal affairs of other countries in various ways to achieve regime change, brazenly invading other countries without the approval of the United Nations Security Council, vetoing the draft resolution of the United Nations General Assembly that seeks to protect the rights of Palestinians, imposing various sanctions and boycotts on other countries at every turn, using the dollar as a political weapon, and establishing alliances such as AUKUS and QUAD to squeeze out third countries...... The list is endless.
Fortunately, the international order is being rebuilt on the basis of South-South cooperation. In the framework of South-South cooperation, the principles of non-interference in each other's internal affairs, win-win cooperation, safeguarding peace and extensive consultation and joint contribution are gradually taking root in the hearts of the people. In this sense, frameworks for communication and cooperation between China and other developing countries, such as BRICS, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the China-CELAC Forum, are crucial.
It is also worth emphasizing that the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Belt and Road Initiative are the inheritance and development of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence put forward at the beginning of the founding of New China in the 50s of the last century.
Image source: Xinhua News Agency
Of course, critical reflection is also necessary. Seventy years ago, China was still in the reconstruction phase, industrialization was just beginning, and the level of education and technological development was low, and in many ways other countries that had just overthrown colonial rule faced similar problems. But today, China has a strong capacity to invest in industrial technology. Does this change in status mean that China will alienate its former "poor friends" and instead seek to associate itself with the rich countries?
No! China will continue to be a partner that does not impose any strings attached, will never impose its own system of government on other countries, but will continue to seek win-win cooperation and position itself as a political force against hegemonism.
The late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping addressed the United Nations in 1974, the first time a Chinese leader had addressed the United Nations. His remarks are still worth recalling: "China is not and will not be a superpower. If China one day changes color and becomes a superpower, and also dominates the world, bullying, invading, and exploiting others everywhere, then the people of the world should put on the hat of social-imperialism on China, expose it, oppose it, and work with the Chinese people to defeat it. ”
Image source: China Daily
Producer: China Daily, China Watch Think Tank
Editor-in-charge: Song Ping Xin Xin
Editor: Zhang Zhao
Intern Li Shuyu also contributed
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