Uphold Multilateralism in Stormy Times

IN an era fraught with challenges and risks, the whole world is struggling to find an efficient way to tackle the rising tide of global problems and forge a more stable and prosperous future.

At the World Economic Forum (WEF)virtual event of the Davos Agenda held on January 25, Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a solution. He elaborated on his vision on what kind of multilateralism the world really needs in the new era and how to avoid multilateralism being used as the pretext for unilateral acts.

Xi’s answer has arrived at a critical moment when the world community is bewildered by what will come following the still-raging pandemic, and how humanity should respond to a raft of pressing global challenges.

After infecting nearly 100 million and killing more than 2 million people worldwide, the coronavirus is still spreading at a stunning speed and continues to in flict massive loss on the world economy. Worse still, the rising protectionism, unilateralism, and bullying practices have severely disrupted international efforts in shoring up global recovery.

Under such circumstances, countries across the world need to stay committed to international law and rules that have been jointly formulated and widely accepted by the global community.

From the four purposes and seven principles enshrined in the UN Charter to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence,those guidelines should serve as the basic norms governing state-to-state relations and their authority should be well preserved. Any practice of exercising double standards or applying international rule of law in a selective way is a departure from the nature of genuine multilateralism.

Meanwhile, the international community needs to adhere to the spirit of extensive consultation. That means global affairs should be jointly addressed through everyone working together, instead of being dominated by just one or a handful of major powers.

Emerging economies and developing countries, which account for the majority of the world population and have made growing contributions to the global growth, should be given stronger representation on the world stage and more opportunities to be listened to.

Given the gap between the rich and the poor, the international community should provide necessary support for developing countries and safeguard their legitimate rights of development. In the “Global Risks Report 2021” issued on January 19,the WEF warned of the increasing disparities and social fragmentation due to the pandemic.

What’s more, the world needs to maintain an open and inclusive attitude and firmly uphold the philosophy of winwin cooperation so as to achieve common development and prosperity for the interests of all. As President Xi proposed in his speech, differences in history, culture, and social system should not be an excuse for antagonism or confrontation, but rather an incentive for cooperation.

In the economic field, an open, transparent, inclusive, rule-based, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading regime is essential to expand the global market,keep the global industrial and supply chains running steadily, and boost highquality and sustainable development. Any attempt to pursue “de-globalization” or any clamor for “economic decoupling”will bene fit no one.

Last but not least, to uphold multilateralism in the new era, countries across the world need to work together to reform global governance in line with the call of the times.

The roaring pandemic has revealed once again that the evolution of the global governance system lags far behind the transformations unfolding in the international community. The human race,to have a better future, needs to seize every minute to make it keep pace with the times.

China, as a responsible major country,has been actively engaged in global cooperation to improve global governance so that the world community as a whole can better handle such global challenges as climate change and the pandemic.

Beijing will continue to work with the rest of the world to promote common development and preserve the international order that can serve the common interests of all.

In an age overshadowed by crises and uncertainties, multilateralism will shine as a torch that can light up humanity’s way towards a peaceful, prosperous, and shared future. And it is the human race’s task to hold this torch high, and hold it firm together.

(Source: Xinhua)

China’s Speed in Vaccine Development

China Economic Weekly

Issue 1, 2021

On December 31, 2020, Chinese officials announced at a press conference that the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) had granted conditional approval to domestically-produced inactivated vaccines against the novel coronavirus. The vaccines have met both the WHO and NMPA standards in terms of efficacy. The authorities also said that the vaccines would be made free for the public. At present, many provinces and cities have started large-scale vaccination drives.

It only took less than one year from the isolation of the novel coronavirus strain to the approval of the vaccine, which is an unprecedented speed in the history of vaccine development.

So far, there have been 18 Chinese firms ramping up COVID-19 vaccine production capacities.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized, China will honor its commitment of giving assistance and support to other developing countries, and work to make vaccines a global public good accessible and affordable to people around the world.

The Founding of the CPC in 1921

Global People

Issue 1, 2021

The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). It is also the turning point for the Chinese nation from a downward trajectory to the journey of rejuvenation.Founders of the CPC blazed a new trail in troubled times and pushed historic changes one after another. With contributions by several generations, the country has reached this current stage of growth, stability, and progress.

Today, the world is undergoing momentous changes unseen in over a century. The changes can be seen from the international order, and the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by different countries. It is foreseeable that China will embrace an even more grand scenario that is unimaginable by the CPC founders.

Global People launches this special issue to pay tribute to the pioneers of the CPC and remember the founding mission of the CPC.

A New Phase in China-U.S.Relations: Competition and Cooperation

China Newsweek

Issue 3, 2021

On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States. Despite his current focus on U.S. domestic affairs,China-U.S. relations have also attracted much attention. How will the new administration deal with issues concerning China? Can the two countries build sound relations featuring competition and cooperation?

In this issue, China Newsweek works to find answers to these questions by releasing a series of articles by experts on China-U.S. studies.

At present, China-U.S. relations are facing unprecedented challenges since the establishment of their diplomatic ties in 1979. It is unavoidable that competition will remain a prominent theme of bilateral relations between the two countries.

Now, the bilateral relations are at a stage of adjustment. No matter how the U.S. administration adjusts its strategies and policies, China will stay committed to its established strategy, resolve differences with wisdom and tactics, and make active moves on the global stage to promote the healthy development of China-U.S. relations.

Digital Economy as a New Engine

People’s Tribune

Issue 1, 2021

The digital economy has been upending economic activities and people’s daily lives across the world.

In recent years, China’s digital economy has maintained rapid growth and become an important engine for its economic development. According to the Report on the Development of China’s Internet, the valuation of China’s digital economy has reached RMB 35.8 trillion, accounting for 36.2 percent of the GDP. China leads the world in both the volume and growth rate of the digital economy.

The current progress of digitalization is juxtaposed upon a vast background of globalization. The ongoing information technology revolution has advanced globalization toward a new phase. As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, the robust advancement of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, as well as fast growing digital economy have profoundly changed people’s way of production and life, and brought far-reaching influence to the economic and social development of countries,global governance, and progress of human civilization.