The Promise of a Better Future for the World

By GUO JIPING

TWO paintings， interactive World and Com- mon homeland， hang in the China Hall of the UN Headquarters in New York. They reflect， in UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moons opinion， Chinas important role in the worlds peaceful development.

“In promoting mutually beneficial cooperation， we should raise awareness about human beings sharing a community of common destiny. A country should accommodate the legitimate concerns of others while pursuing its own interests； and it should promote common development of all countries when advancing its own development. Countries should establish a new type of global development partnership that is more equitable and balanced， stick together in times of difficulty， share rights and shoulder obligations， and boost the common interests of humankind.” This paragraph from the Report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in November 2012 polarized global attention.

“All countries in the world have more contact and are more mutually dependent than in any other period of time in history. As such， humankind lives in a global village – a space where history and reality converge – that is increasingly a community of common destiny， in which the members are closely interconnected.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping made these remarks in March 2013 during his speech at Moscow Institute of International Relations. It marked the first expression of Chinas appraisal of the human civilization trend.

In recent years， President Xi has on 62 occasions made public mention of the concept of “a community of common destiny.” It is an expression of hope that the Chinese people， together with people of all other countries in the world， will build a better world on Earth.

Win-win Cooperation Centered on New International Relations

“We should not counteract but rather help one another through joint efforts.” This signifies “a new path of having dialogue without confrontation and making partners without forming alliance.” President Xis frequent interpretations of “a community of common destiny” grasp the commensurability between human interests and val-ues， and also pinpoint the greatest common divisor amid country-to-country relations.

Seeking common points while reserving differences， we should respect every countrys independent choice of social system and development road， and respect one anothers major concerns and core interests. All nations， big or small， strong or weak， should take counsel together on common affairs. Great power signifies greater responsibility to uphold regional and world peace and development， and not a greater monopoly on regional and international affairs.

In a framework of win-win cooperation and joint development， one countrys development should complement that of another， thus bringing positive influence on a wider scale to cope with risks and challenges in the world economy.

In todays world， no country can realize its own security in isolation from that of the rest of the world， and no security can be based on other countries insecurity. Taking all things into consideration， and bearing in mind the history and practical conditions of security issues， a combination of measures and comprehensive strategies should be adopted to coordinately promote security governance. In international relations we promote peace and safety through cooperation， and oppose the threat or use of force. We should promote sustainable security through sustainable development， and eliminate safety hazards through development.

Civilizations may be different， but no civilization is superior to any other. The dialogue among civilizations is based on equality rather than condescension， mutual appreciation rather than derogation， tolerance rather than mutual repulsion. By learning from one another through competition and achieving joint development through exchanges， civilization can enhance friendship among peoples throughout the world， promote social progress， and safeguard world peace.

Implicit in the correct view on justice and benefits to which China adheres， “a community of common destiny”signifies the pledge that Chinas development will never be at the cost of other countries benefits.

From inter-state common destiny to regional common destiny， to a community of common destiny of humankind， President Xi has thoroughly elaborated Chinas proposition. Transcending national state and ideology， this global perspective expresses Chinas aspiration to pursue peaceful development， embodied in the concept of win-win cooperation， and put forward the “Chinese strategy” for the future of humankind.

Jointly Build a “Better World”

If we say that national competition since the age of exploration is the 1.0 version of international order， and that the superiority the Western world gained is the 2.0 version， then the current stage is that of formulating the 3.0 version–the new world order. The preface to the United Nations Charter states that， to protect humankind and respect for human rights， it is necessary “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors.” This is the seed of human peace， and the principle on which to reconstruct new world order.

As economic globalization has merged peoples interests， “a community of common destiny” offers seven billion people the chance of joint development. Having broken away from the monopoly of a single country， the world economy has become an organic whole. To build “a community of common destiny” is to find a pivot of interests， so letting more people share a better future via common development.

As the informatization society enables the world as a whole to share danger and safety， so “a community of common destiny” offers the possibility of sustained prosperity.

As world multipolarization makes national relations rise and decline， a community of common destiny offers the possibility for more than 200 countries and regions to advance towards lasting peace. According to U.S. World-Systems theorist and political scientist Immanuel Wallerstein， we are now in the polycentric post-American era. Since the outbreak of the international financial crisis， the G20 has replaced the G8 as the main platform of global economic governance. Various countries have jointly participated in a growing number of international affairs， and many developing nations have achieved rapid development along their own development roads， so objectively realizing the diversification of world development patterns. “A community of common destiny” means finding the equilibrium through which to reach political mutual trust and harmonious coexistence in the new age.

In an age where even an electronic map can display real-time images， a community of common destiny enables us to transcend the constraints of time and space to achieve holistic awareness， global thinking and human concepts.

China has established different forms of partnership with 70 or more countries and many regional organizations， and this friendly network is expanding. Facts have proved that a community of common destiny has taken root and is thriving in surrounding countries， inviting the whole world to join in.

Following Chinese Culture

Johan Galtung， known as “father of peace studies，”holds that China observes reality via its unique perspective. The equilibrium between yin and yang， and the concept of respect for wisdom and equality of all beings are taken as read. The saying， “Its a delight to have friends coming from afar” signifies the traditional ideology of maintaining faith and promoting good will which shapes Chinese peoples honest， natural disposition. “Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you，” is the inclusive traditional philosophy that exemplifies the consideration for others that is a main feature of Chinese culture. “All people of the world are brothers” echoes the theory of universal harmony that fosters the spirit whereby Chinese people treat everyone as equal. The world outlook that seeks harmonious coexistence is a far cry from the Western notion of “the end of history” or “the clash of civilization.”

Eliminating warfare and realizing peace are of profound practical significance to China. From the Opium Wars to the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression， Chinas modern history is a history of the Chinese nations blood and tears. Its struggle against oppression and safeguarding peaceful development is deeply embedded in the spiritual inner world of the Chinese nation. From the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to the“Chinese voice” at the Bandung Conference， from the road of peaceful development to win-win cooperation with various countries， China has never forgotten history– Chinese people fear turmoil， seek stability， and hope for a harmonious world.

The concept of a community of common destiny will be raised to a higher level during the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This consciousness has permeated every aspect of Chinas diplomacy， evident in the Shanghai Spirit， the spirit of the Silk Road and the sustainable Asian security concept.

“Now China the lion has awakened， but it is a peaceful， amicable and civilized lion.” “The realization of the Chinese Dream needs a peaceful and stable international and surrounding environment.” “Work with the international community to realize the global dream of sustained peace and joint prosperity.” President Xis declarations reflect Chinese peoples long-held thoughts on building a community of common destiny. In their pursuit of the Chinese Dream， Chinese people also hope that people of various countries too may fulfill their dreams.

Chinas Action

China has stuck together with African countries to combat the Ebola virus. “Other people left due to Ebola， while Chinese people come to fight Ebola，” the Liberian folk song so extols the profound China-Africa friendship and Chinas sense of responsibility.

During its rescue operation of Chinese citizens in Yemen， the Chinese Navy also evacuated 279 foreign nationals from such countries as Pakistan， Sri Lanka， Germany， Japan， and Singapore. “Chinese action has once more confirmed the saying that ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed，” Chairman of the Pakistan Senate Defence Committee Mushahid Hussain observed.

Chinas Belt and Road Initiatives are a “symphony” for 4.4 billion people in more than 60 countries. As of April 15， 2015， a total of 57 countries have become founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank（AIIB）.

“Last month， I visited formerly remote areas of China that are now prosperous as a result of the improved connectivity – and thus the freer flow of people， goods， and ideas – that such investments have delivered，” Nobel laureate in economics Joseph Stiglitz said in his article“Asias Multilateralism.”

In recent years， by improving cooperation platforms such as China-ASEAN， The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation， and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization， China， the promoter of mechanism innovations， has led the international order toward a fairer， more rational direction. Through Free Trade Agreement （FTA） negotiations with Iceland， Switzerland， Australia， and South Korea， China， the engine accelerating openness and cooperation， has made unremitting endeavors to boost powerful， sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy. By actively participating in the resolving of issues on the Korean Peninsula， the nuclear issue in Iran， the Ukraine crisis， the Israeli-Palestinian conflict， and counter terrorism， China， contributor to global governance， has made great efforts to assume its due responsibility. Together with various countries， China has endeavored to create a community of common destiny and of mutual development and prosperity.

President Xi said in his keynote speech at the Boao Forum last March in south Chinas Hainan Province that， to build a community of common destiny， we need to make sure that all countries respect one another and treat each other as equals. To build a community of common destiny， we need to seek win-win cooperation and common development. To build a community of common destiny， we need to pursue common， comprehensive， cooperative， and sustainable security. To build a community of common destiny， we need to ensure inclusiveness and mutual learning among civilizations. From politics and economy to security and culture， this core lexicon that declares Chinas standpoint and showcases Chinas action is extensive in scope and penetrating in thought.