Carrying Forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and Joining Hands to Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind -- Xi Jinping's Speech at the Commemorative Meeting of the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence

Distinguished guests and envoys,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends:
Seventy years ago, the five principles of peaceful coexistence were officially published, which became a great pioneering work in the history of international relations and was of epoch-making significance. Today, we are gathered here to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. It is to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence under the new situation, work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and provide a strong impetus for the progress of human civilization.
First of all, on behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, and in my own name, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all distinguished guests and friends!
In the historical process of the development of modern human society, it has always been a major proposition for all countries to deal with state-to-state relations, jointly safeguard world peace and tranquility, and promote the development and progress of all mankind.
The establishment of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence is the call of the times and the choice of history. After the end of the Second World War, national independence and liberation movements surged and the world colonial system collapsed. At the same time, the clouds of the cold war were hanging over the world, and "power is right" was rampant. The newly independent country is eager to safeguard its national sovereignty and develop its national economy. New China adheres to independence, actively seeks peaceful coexistence with other countries in the world, and strives to improve the external environment, especially the surrounding environment. In this context, for the first time, Chinese leaders put forward 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, and incorporated them into the China-India and China-Myanmar joint statements, and jointly advocated The five principles are established as the basic norms guiding relations between countries.
The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were born in Asia and quickly spread to the world. In 1955, more than 20 Asian and African countries attended the Bandung Conference and put forward ten principles for handling relations between countries on the basis of the five principles, advocating the Bandung spirit of unity, friendship and cooperation. The Non-Aligned Movement, which emerged in the 1960 s, adopted the Five Principles as its guiding principles. The "Declaration on Principles of International Law" adopted by the 25th UN General Assembly in 1970 and the "Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order" adopted by the Sixth Special UN General Assembly in 1974 clearly adopted the five principles. The five principles have been enshrined in a series of important international documents and have been widely recognized and followed by the international community.
Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have transcended time and space, transcended barriers, and have become an open, inclusive, universally applicable basic norms of international relations and basic principles of international law, and have made indelible historical contributions to the cause of human progress.
First, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have set a historical benchmark for international relations and the international rule of law. The five principles fully embody the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, conform to the trend of the times in the development of international relations and serve the fundamental interests of the people of all countries in the world. At the same time, it emphasizes the practical requirements of mutual and equal relations between countries, highlighting the spirit of the international rule of law that unifies the rights, obligations and responsibilities of all countries. The five principles cover the basic norms of peaceful coexistence between countries in politics, security, economy and diplomacy, and provide accurate, clear and effective codes of conduct for countries to practice the spirit of international rule of law and establish correct ways of getting along with each other.
Second, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence provide correct guidance for countries with different social systems to establish and develop relations. Countries that follow the five principles can establish and develop relations of mutual trust and friendly cooperation even if they have different social systems and ideologies, different historical cultures and religious beliefs, and different levels of development and size. The Five Principles have opened up a new path for the peaceful settlement of historical issues and international disputes between countries, transcending outdated and narrow concepts such as "group politics" and "sphere of influence" and antagonistic thinking.
Third, the five principles of peaceful coexistence have brought together a strong joint force for the unity, cooperation and self-improvement of developing countries. The five principles condense the profound thinking of developing countries on changing their own destiny and pursuing reform and progress. Inspired and inspired by the five principles, more and more countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America have stood up to resist foreign interference and successfully embarked on an independent development path. The five principles have also promoted South-South cooperation and promoted the improvement and development of North-South relations.
Fourth, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have contributed historical wisdom to the reform and improvement of the international order. The starting point of the five principles is to safeguard the interests and demands of weak and small countries in a powerful political environment, take a clear-cut stand against imperialism, colonialism and hegemony, and abandon the jungle law of militarism and bullying the weak with the strong. it has laid an important ideological foundation for promoting the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.
After 70 years of baptism, the five principles of peaceful coexistence have become the common wealth of the international community, which is worth cherishing, inheriting and carrying forward. Here, I would like to express my deep memory for the leaders of the older generation who jointly advocated the five principles of peaceful coexistence, and to pay high tribute to the insightful people of all countries who have persisted in carrying forward the five principles of peaceful coexistence for a long time!
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
The relay of history runs forward one stick after another, and the cause of human progress moves forward one after another in answering the questions of the times. Seventy years ago, in the face of the tragic catastrophe of the hot war and the division and confrontation of the Cold War, that generation gave the historical answer to the five principles of peaceful coexistence in order to maintain peace and defend sovereignty. This answer has withstood the test of the changing international situation, not only did not fade out of date, but glowed with a more eye-catching light. Today, 70 years later, facing the major issue of "what kind of world to build and how to build this world", China has given the answer to the era of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Now, building a community with a shared future for mankind has expanded from China's initiative to international consensus, transformed from a beautiful vision to rich practice, and effectively promoted the world to a bright prospect of peace, security, prosperity and progress.
The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind is in the same line as the five principles of peaceful coexistence. They are all rooted in the excellent traditional Chinese culture of kindness, benevolence, good neighborliness, and harmony. They all demonstrate China's diplomatic self-confidence and self-reliance, uphold justice, and support the weak and promote the good. Spiritual character embodies the world feelings of the Chinese Communists to make new and greater contributions to mankind, and demonstrates China's firm determination to adhere to the path of peaceful development, it is the best inheritance, promotion and sublimation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence under the new situation.
This concept is based on the objective reality of intertwined destinies and shared weal and woe between countries, and sets a new model of equality and symbiosis. China advocates that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community. In international affairs, interests are shared, rights are shared, and responsibilities are shared. All countries work together to meet challenges, achieve common prosperity, and build lasting peace, universal security, and A prosperous, open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world will promote a safer and more prosperous peaceful coexistence in human society.
This concept conforms to the trend of the times of peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, and opens up a new realm of peace and progress. China calls on all parties to be mindful of the future of mankind and the well-being of the people, adhere to the original aspirations of equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence, promote the common values of all mankind, promote global governance through consultation, joint construction and sharing, build a new type of international relations, and implement global development initiatives. The Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" will enhance the common interests of all peoples.
This concept focuses on the historical trend of world multipolarization and economic globalization, and enriches the new practice of development and security. China has united all parties to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind, and has achieved historical leaps from bilateral to multilateral, from regional to global, from development to security, and from cooperation to governance. It has effectively led and promoted an equal and orderly multi-polar world., Inclusive and inclusive economic globalization, bringing the prospect of peace and stability to the international community, and adding prosperity and development to the people of all countries.
Looking back on the past and looking forward to the future at the critical moment of history, our exploration of human civilization will not be exhausted, and our efforts to build a better world will not stop. No matter how the world develops, it can not change a basic fact, that is, there is only one earth in the universe, and human beings share a home. We should cherish and care for the earth in the spirit of solidarity with the ball, leaving a paradise for future generations.
The future is worth looking forward to, and the challenges must be met. In the face of the historical choice of peace or war, prosperity or recession, unity or confrontation, we need more than ever to carry forward the spiritual connotation of the five principles of peaceful coexistence and make unremitting efforts towards the lofty goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
-- We must uphold the principle of sovereign equality. The essence of the five principles of peaceful coexistence is that all countries are sovereign and equal. On this basis, we should promote equal rights, equal opportunities and equal rules of all countries. We should not use the big to overpower the small, bully the weak and bully the poor with the rich. To advocate an equal and orderly multipolarization of the world is to ensure that all countries can find their place in the multipolar system, play their due role under the premise of abiding by international law, and ensure that the process of multipolarization of the world is generally stable and constructive.
-- We need to lay a solid foundation for mutual respect. In dealing with each other, countries should first put equality, mutual respect and mutual trust in the forefront. We must respect the different historical and cultural traditions and development stages of each country, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and respect the development path and system model independently chosen by the people of all countries. We must jointly uphold the "golden rule" of not interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, jointly oppose the imposition of one's own will on others, oppose camp confrontation and various "small circles", and oppose forcing other countries to choose sides.
-- We want to realize the vision of peace and security. History and reality tell us that all countries must share the responsibility of maintaining peace, follow the path of peaceful development, seek peace, protect peace, and share peace. Today, when countries are interdependent, it is not feasible to pursue their own so-called absolute security and exclusive security. The global security initiative put forward by China is to advocate the implementation of a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, promote development through cooperation, promote security through cooperation, and build a more balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.
-- We need to pool the momentum for common prosperity. There is an old Chinese saying, "The benevolent love others, and the wise benefit others." There is also a philosophical saying in Latin America that "only by benefiting the world can we benefit our own country", while an Arab proverb says that "the hearts of the people are United, and the flames are dense; the hearts of the people are scattered, and the fire does not burn." In the era of economic globalization, what is needed is not to create a divide, but to build a bridge of communication; not to raise the iron curtain of confrontation, but to pave the way for cooperation. We advocate inclusive economic globalization, promote high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", and implement the global development initiative. The purpose is to achieve inclusive growth opportunities, promote inclusive development paths, and allow people of all countries to share the fruits of development. Countries in the "global village" seek common development and prosperity, and let the concept of win-win become a consensus.
-- We must uphold the concept of fairness and justice. Without justice, power politics will run amok and the law of the jungle will prevail. In the face of the new situation and new challenges, the authority and core position of the United Nations can only be strengthened, not weakened. The purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations have never become obsolete, but have become even more important. To advocate the concept of global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and to practice true multilateralism is to insist that international rules be written and maintained by all countries. The affairs of the world should be discussed and handled by all countries, and whoever has "thick arms" cannot be allowed to listen to them.
-- We must show an open and inclusive mind. All countries in the world are like riding on the same ship with a common destiny. This ship carries not only peace expectations, economic prosperity, and technological progress, but also the diversity of civilizations and the dream of sustainable human development. In history, multiple civilizations have met each other and achieved mutual achievements, jointly promoted the great development and prosperity of human society, and wrote a splendid chapter of sharing beauty and beauty, exchanges and mutual learning. China's Global Civilization Initiative is aimed at promoting mutual understanding among people of all countries and promoting tolerance and mutual learning among civilizations. The world is fully tolerant of common development and progress for all countries. Different civilizations can treat each other equally and learn from each other.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
The 70-year historical development has repeatedly proved that strengthening unity and cooperation and enhancing communication and understanding are effective ways for all countries to meet challenges and create a better future. Looking around the world, the "Global South" has grown in momentum and has played a pivotal role in promoting human progress. Standing at a new historical starting point, the "Global South" should work together in a more open and inclusive manner and be at the forefront of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
We must work together as a stabilizing force for maintaining peace, promote the peaceful resolution of differences and disputes between countries, and constructively participate in the political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues; work together as the backbone of open development, and promote development back to the center of the international agenda. Revive the global development partnership, deepen South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue; work together as a building force for global governance, and actively participate in the reform and construction of the global governance system, efforts should be made to expand the common interests of all parties, promote a more balanced and effective global governance structure, work together to promote mutual learning among civilizations, enhance communication and dialogue among different civilizations around the world, strengthen exchanges in governance and administration, and deepen exchanges in education, science and technology, culture, local, non-governmental, youth and other fields.
In order to better support the "Global South" cooperation, China will set up a "Global South" research center. In the next five years, China will provide 1000 "Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Excellence Scholarships" and 100000 research and training places to the "Global South" countries. And launched the "Global South" Youth Leader Program. China will continue to make good use of the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, and the Climate Change South-South Cooperation Fund, and jointly establish a tripartite cooperation demonstration center for the implementation of the Global Development Initiative with relevant parties to support the economic development of countries in the "Global South. China will continue to establish the South-South and Tripartite Cooperation Fund in the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and increase the RMB equivalent contribution of US $10 million to support the agricultural development of the "Global South. China is willing to negotiate free trade arrangements with more "Global South" countries, continue to support the Aid for Trade Initiative launched by the World Trade Organization and continue to inject capital into the "China Project", and welcome more "Global South" countries to join the "Digital Economy and Green Development International". Economic and Trade Cooperation Framework Initiative. Between now and 2030, China's cumulative imports from developing countries are expected to exceed $8 trillion.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have long been enshrined in the Chinese Constitution and have become the cornerstone of China's independent foreign policy of peace. At present, China is comprehensively promoting the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization. On the new journey, China will continue to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, join hands with other countries to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and make new and greater contributions to maintaining world peace and promoting common development.
China's determination to follow the path of peaceful development will not change. We will never follow the old path of colonial plunder, nor will we follow the crooked path of national hegemony, but the right path of peaceful development. When it comes to peace and security, China has the best record in the world. We have worked hard to explore solutions to hot issues with Chinese characteristics and played a constructive role in the Ukraine crisis, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and issues involving the Korean Peninsula, Iran, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. Every time China's strength increases, the hope for world peace increases.
China's determination to cooperate with other countries will not change. We actively expand the global partnership of equality, openness and cooperation, and strive to expand the convergence of interests with other countries. China promotes coordination and positive interaction among major powers, and promotes the establishment of a pattern of major-country relations featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development. China adheres to the concept of friendship, sincerity, benefit and tolerance and the diplomatic policy of being good and partnering with neighboring countries, and deepens friendship, mutual trust and interest integration with neighboring countries. China upholds the concept of true affinity and sincerity and the correct concept of justice and interests to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with developing countries and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. China practices genuine multilateralism and actively participates in the reform and improvement of the global governance system.
China's determination to promote the common development of the world will not change. China's high-quality economic development has provided strong impetus for world economic growth. More than 1.4 billion Chinese people have entered modernization as a whole, which means the formation of a huge market that exceeds the total scale of the existing developed countries. China's door will only open wider and wider and will never be closed. We are planning and implementing major measures to further comprehensively deepen reform, continue to expand institutional opening up, and form a more market-oriented, rule-of-law, and international business environment. To engage in "small courtyards and high walls" and "decoupling and breaking the chain" is to go against the trend of history and will only harm the common interests of the international community.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends!
"the road of history is not all peaceful, and sometimes it comes to the realm of difficulties and obstacles, which can only be overcome by a strong spirit." This is what the pioneer of the Chinese revolution said 100 years ago. Today, the baton to promote the cause of peace and development of mankind has historically fallen into the hands of our generation. Let us take the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as the starting point, shoulder the historical mission, and work together to promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind and create a better future for human society!
Thank you all.

Source: Xinhua News Agency