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Government Documents
Special> Coping With the Global Financial Crisis> Government Documents
UPDATED: October 13, 2009 NO. 37 SEPTEMBER 17, 2009
Uphold World Peace and Promote Common Development
Speech by Yang Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China at the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations in Geneva, August 12, 2009
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President Murphy,

Your Excellencies diplomatic envoys and representatives of international organizations and institutions,

Faculty members and students of the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

It is a distinct pleasure to meet you in the beautiful city of Geneva. Let me begin by expressing sincere thanks to the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations (GSD) for awarding me this honorary doctorate. The GSD, with its rigorous scholarship, is a world-renowned institution and I am truly honored to receive an honorary doctorate from such a prestigious school. I see this as a manifestation of President Murphy's goodwill towards the Chinese people. I also want to take this opportunity to pay high tribute and extend heartfelt thanks to all those friends who have long been committed to enhancing the friendship and cooperation between China and Switzerland, Europe and the whole world.

We live at a time when the world is undergoing major changes and adjustments. The ever deepening globalization has brought both rare opportunities to mankind and extensive challenges to the international community. The international financial crisis is spreading to every corner of the world and affecting the development agenda of all countries. New uncertainties have emerged in regional hotspot issues, impacting the evolution of the international security situation. Global issues such as climate change, energy security, environmental degradation, worsening poverty, spread of communicable disease and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are becoming increasingly acute. They already have and will continue to make a profound impact on international relations.

All this shows that our world is becoming smaller and countries and peoples are getting closer to one another. We all live in a "global village" and are like passengers in the same boat. As countries are more than ever interdependent with their interests closely interconnected, no one can expect to achieve true development and prosperity in isolation, or secure durable peace and stability on one's own. Our only choice is to confront challenges together and pursue mutual benefit and win-win progress.

Dear friends,

Thirty years of reform and opening up have brought historic changes in China's relations with the world, and China's future and destiny are now closely tied to those of the world. No matter how the international situation may evolve, China will always stand for peace, development and cooperation, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, and stick to its diplomatic vision of upholding world peace and promoting common development.

—We are committed to following the path of peaceful development. The Chinese people love peace. Our endeavor to rejuvenate the Chinese nation is not a threat to the world. Rather, it represents an opportunity and our contribution to the world. We maintain that all countries, big and small, strong and weak, rich and poor, are equal, and we respect the right of people of all countries to independently choose their own development path. We seek peaceful settlement of international disputes and hotspot issues and greater international and regional security cooperation. China's development is peaceful in nature, and it will not harm or threaten anyone. China does not seek hegemony now, nor will it do so in the future.

—We are committed to pursuing a win-win strategy of opening up. China will continue to push forward regional and global development through its own development. We will work to broaden converging interests with other countries and, while pursuing our own development, we will accommodate the legitimate concerns of others, especially those of developing countries. We will continue to engage in international economic cooperation and trade in accordance with the international trading rules. We support the international community in channeling more assistance to developing countries and helping them improve people's well-being and enhance capacity for self-development. We support efforts to improve the international trade and financial systems and resolve frictions and differences through consultation and collaboration. China will never seek to advance its interests at the expense of others.

—We are committed to building a harmonious world. Enduring peace and common prosperity are the defining features of a harmonious world. To build such a world, all countries should uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, abide by international law and universally recognized norms governing international relations, and embrace a spirit of democracy, harmony, collaboration and win-win progress in international relations. Politically, we should respect each other and conduct consultations on an equal footing. Economically, we should cooperate with each other and draw on each other's strengths. Culturally, we should learn from each other and seek common ground while shelving differences. On the security front, we should trust each other and bolster cooperation. And on the environmental front, we should help each other and make joint endeavors to protect the planet Earth, our common home.

—We are committed to developing friendly relations and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. As you may know, China and the United States have agreed to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship for the 21st century, and the first meeting of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue held last month produced important common understanding between the two sides on a host of bilateral and major global issues. China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination has maintained sound momentum of growth, and the two countries have made new headway in advancing cooperation in energy, economy and trade, science and technology, culture and other fields. China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership has been forging ahead. The two sides have built greater strategic consensus, conducted fruitful business cooperation and fostered greater mutual understanding. China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit has, on the whole, enjoyed sound growth and practical cooperation between the two countries is getting stronger. Following the policy of building amicable relations and partnerships, we will further strengthen good-neighborliness and practical cooperation with our neighboring countries, and work in concert with them to foster a peaceful and stable regional environment featuring equality, mutual trust and win-win cooperation. We will, as always, enhance solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries and deepen our traditional friendship with them.

—We have taken an active part in the international efforts to address global issues. China has been actively involved in the international cooperation on tackling the financial crisis. We call on all countries to intensify coordination on macroeconomic policies, advance the reform of the international financial system, pay greater attention to the issue of development and scale up input in development. China attaches great importance to and has actively participated in the international cooperation on addressing climate change. We believe that the international community should uphold the basic framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol, adhere to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", and jointly tackle climate change in the broader context of sustainable development. China has played an active role in the international food cooperation and provided assistance to other countries to the best of its ability. China holds that the international community should foster and follow a new concept of energy security featuring diversified forms of development and common energy security through coordination, and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in energy development and utilization. China supports the World Health Organization (WHO) in promoting global public health programs, and will continue to work with the WHO and its member states to enhance cooperation in this regard. China actively supports international arms control, disarmament and nonproliferation. We have always stood for the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and firmly opposed the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery. We are ready to work with other countries for the early realization of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

—We have worked vigorously for the proper settlement of hotspot issues. China is committed to upholding the international nonproliferation regime, and safeguarding peace and development on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. We maintain that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through diplomatic negotiations and that efforts should be made to pursue a long-term solution to the issue. China supports parallel progress in both the political process of the Darfur issue and the deployment of the peacekeeping operation. We urge the various factions in Darfur to come to the negotiating table and conclude a peace agreement at an early date. We strongly support and actively participate in all international efforts that are conducive to peace in the Middle East. We hope that the parties concerned will seize the opportunity and take concrete steps to move the situation in that part of the world toward relaxation and stability.

Dear friends,

Geneva is home to many UN specialized agencies and important international organizations, and it is the birthplace of many important international rules. China values the role of relevant international organizations and supports them in playing an active part in addressing major global issues facing today's world. We look forward to enhanced friendship and cooperation with these organizations.

As a Chinese saying goes, "Amity between people holds the key to sound relations between states." As envoys of friendship among our peoples, we, the diplomats, and all the men and women who are preparing themselves for a diplomatic career, shoulder the important mission of promoting world peace and common development. Let us work together and make even greater contribution to world peace and stability and common progress of mankind.

Thank you.

Source: www.fmprc.gov.cn



 
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