Huanyuping | Promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and promote the building of a new type of international relations

In the face of unprecedented changes in the world, the times and history, all countries should uphold and carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, promote the building of a new type of international relations, and transcend bullying with mutual respect, bullying and hegemony with fairness and justice, and beggar-thy-neighbor with win-win cooperation

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have been widely accepted and recognized by all countries in the world and have become important norms governing modern international relations. At present, the international situation is turbulent and the risks and challenges facing the international relations system have increased significantly, and the necessity for the international community to jointly uphold and promote the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has become more prominent. As the proposer of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, China will, as always, work with other countries to firmly implement the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, promote the building of a new type of international relations, and add stability and positive energy to a world of chaos and turmoil.

(a)

The establishment of an equal, just and rational international order is the common aspiration of the majority of countries and peoples in the world. Seventy years ago, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were promulgated, which was a major innovation in the history of international relations and made a historic contribution to promoting the establishment of a new type of international relations.

After the end of the Second World War, the cause of national independence and liberation in Asia, Africa and Latin America flourished, and the new countries were eager to establish equal international relations. Against this historical background, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence came into being. Seventy years ago, Premier Zhou Enlai put forward for the first time the five principles of "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". Drawing on the wisdom of the East and conforming to the trend of the times, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have accumulated widespread international recognition and support once they have been proposed. Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have been expanded from the norms governing the coexistence of countries with different social systems to the basic principles guiding international relations in general, and from the bilateral category to the multilateral sphere.

The essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is that all countries have equal sovereignty and oppose any country's monopoly on international affairs. This conforms to the common aspirations of all countries for a more just and rational international political and economic order, and provides a powerful ideological weapon for the vast number of developing countries to defend their national sovereignty and independence. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence contain four words for "mutuality" and one word for "common", which embodies the spirit of the international rule of law in which the rights, obligations and responsibilities of all countries are unified. Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression and non-interference in each other's internal affairs are the basic norms for the establishment of a new international political order. Equality and mutual benefit are the basic norms for the establishment of a new international economic order; Peaceful coexistence is the basic goal. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence vividly reflect the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and give them visible, feasible and followable connotations.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence incisively embody the essential characteristics of a new type of international relations, and are applicable to relations between countries of various social systems, levels of development, and sizes. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence abandon the law of the jungle and embody the essential characteristics of a new type of international relations, such as equality, peace, and mutual benefit, and not only provide guiding principles for countries to properly handle their differences, but also point out the direction for countries to develop normal state-to-state relations when relevant disputes are difficult to resolve for the time being. In the history of international law, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were the first to advocate the concept of "mutual benefit", which not only led developing countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and strengthen themselves through unity, but also promoted the improvement and development of North-South relations, promoted the common interests of all countries, and brought a new atmosphere to the world.

The 70-year history has fully proved that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, as an open and inclusive principle of international law, embody the values of sovereignty, justice, democracy and the rule of law, and have played an important role in leading the development and evolution of international relations and promoting world peace and development.

(b)

At present, the international landscape is undergoing profound changes, and world peace and development are facing multiple challenges. President Xi Jinping pointed out that under the new situation, the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is not outdated, but timeless. The significance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is not diluted, but enduring and profound; The role of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has not been weakened, but has been endured.

Only by upholding and promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence can we make the world more peaceful and tranquil. Looking around the world today, the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have dragged on, and some major countries have reverted to the Cold War mentality, cobbled together geopolitical "small circles" in an attempt to provoke bloc confrontation, and the regional and global peace and security deficits have been intensifying. In the face of severe challenges, the international community should inherit and carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, uphold sovereign equality, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and respect the right of all countries to independently choose their social systems and development paths. Adhere to common security, practice the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue and consultation, enhance mutual trust, resolve disputes and promote security through dialogue, and oppose the resort to force or the threat of force.

Only by upholding and promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence can the world develop and prosper even more. Some countries have attempted to monopolize their development advantages, intensified their politicization of economic issues and made them securitization, and unilateral sanctions and scientific and technological barriers have continued unabated. With more than 100 million people displaced and nearly 800 million starving, the North-South divide is widening, and there is still a long way to go to achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that global development has reached a "decisive moment". Under such circumstances, the international community should adhere to mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, jointly advocate inclusive economic globalization, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and work together to maintain an open world economy. It is necessary to promote South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue, enhance the capacity of developing countries for independent development, encourage developed countries to shoulder more responsibilities, strive to narrow the gap between the North and the South, and jointly build a global development partnership that is united, equal, balanced and beneficial to all, so that no country or person will be left behind.

Only by upholding and promoting the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence can we make the world more just and equitable. Certain major countries are keen to engage in hegemonism and power politics, openly resist UN Security Council resolutions, and erode the authority of multilateral mechanisms. At a critical moment when the world is faced with the choice between unity or division, peace and conflict, and justice or hegemony, it is of more important practical significance to better inherit, promote and practice the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The international community should jointly advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, promote democracy in international relations, practice true multilateralism, and abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. At present, the "Global South" has grown in momentum and has become a key force in upholding international fairness and justice. It is necessary to further promote the expansion of the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs, and promote the development of the global governance system in a more just and reasonable direction.

Only by conforming to the trend of the times can we win the hearts of the people and benefit the world; Only by adhering to the basic norms governing international relations can we move steadily and far. In the face of unprecedented changes in the world, the times and history, all countries should uphold and carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, promote the building of a new type of international relations, and work together to build a better world through mutual respect and freedom from bullying, with fairness and justice.

(c)

President Xi Jinping solemnly pointed out: "China is an active advocate and staunch practitioner of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence are enshrined in China's constitution and are the cornerstone of China's foreign policy. "Over the past 70 years, China has adhered to the development of friendly cooperation with all countries in the world on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and has played an important role in promoting world peace and human progress.

China has always adhered to the concept of peaceful development and is determined to be a builder of world peace. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, China has pursued an independent foreign policy of peace, adhered to the path of peaceful development, never took the initiative to provoke a war, never invaded an inch of other countries' land, never engaged in proxy wars, and never participated in or formed any military blocs. China is the only country in the world that has enshrined the principle of "adhering to the path of peaceful development" in its constitution, and it is also the only country among the nuclear powers that has pledged not to be the first to use nuclear weapons.

China has always been committed to openness and inclusiveness, and has consolidated and expanded its global partnership network. On the premise of adhering to the principle of non-alignment, China has made many friends and formed a global network of partnerships. China proposes to adhere to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, pointing out the root cause of the correct coexistence between China and the United States in the new era. deepen China-Russia strategic mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation, and consolidate the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries in the new era; Strengthen high-level exchanges and strategic communication between China and the EU, and promote the steady and long-term development of China-EU relations; Adhere to the concept of amity, sincerity, benefit and tolerance and the policy of goodwill and partnership with neighbors in neighborly diplomacy, and enhance friendship, mutual trust and integration of interests with neighboring countries; Uphold the concept of sincerity, sincerity, amity and sincerity and the correct concept of justice and shared interests, and work hand in hand with developing countries to rejuvenate in unity.

China has always pursued a mutually beneficial and win-win strategy of opening-up and shared its development opportunities with other countries. Opening up to the outside world is China's basic national policy and the only way for the country to prosper and develop. With the continuous expansion of the breadth and depth of opening up to the outside world, China's position in the world economy will continue to rise, its ties with the world economy will become closer, and the market opportunities provided to other countries will be broader. In the face of the "headwinds" and headwinds encountered by economic globalization in recent years, China adheres to the principle of "tearing down walls" instead of "building walls", opening up rather than isolation, taking a clear stand against unilateralism and protectionism, and striving to eliminate trade, investment and technological barriers to global development. China is comprehensively promoting Chinese-style modernization with high-quality development, and all parties will gain more new opportunities from China's new development.

China has always practiced true multilateralism and upheld international fairness and justice. China stands on the side of justice in international affairs, adheres to sovereign equality, opposes interference in internal affairs, and opposes hegemony and power. Stand on the side of justice, adhere to objectivity and fairness, oppose geopolitical competition, and oppose gangs; Stand on the side of peace, adhere to a political solution, oppose the use of force, and oppose unilateral sanctions. On issues such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has been a force for peace and justice by upholding an objective and fair position and persisting in promoting peace talks.

China has always adhered to extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and promoted the improvement of global governance. Since the beginning of the new era, China has put forward important concepts and major initiatives such as building a new type of international relations, building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting the common values of all mankind, and jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, giving new connotations to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and injecting positive energy into an unstable and uncertain world. China leads the international community in equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and works with all parties to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and inclusive economic globalization, contributing solutions and strength to improving global governance and solving human development problems.

The way of all benefits is to walk with the times. China will work with all parties to uphold and carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, shoulder the responsibilities of the times, work together to address challenges, and push the world towards a better and brighter future.

Editors: Li Xinyi, Liu Ge