CGTN: China's voices at Boao: Multilateralism, openness and BRI
AsiaNet 89117
BEIJING, April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --
With the world in the midst of a coronavirus-induced economic and health
crisis, China has called on all countries in Asia and beyond to uphold
multilateralism, embrace openness, and enhance Belt and Road cooperation.
video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC7-jZPJWZw
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered the messages in a keynote speech via
video link at the opening plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual
Conference 2021 on Tuesday morning.
The theme of the conference — "A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen
Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Initiative Cooperation" — is most
opportune and relevant under the current circumstances, said Xi.
Justice not hegemony
The Chinese president noted that the call for upholding multilateralism has
grown stronger as we live in an age rife with challenges.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech via video at the opening
plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2021, April 20,
2021. /Xinhua
"The future of the world should be decided by all countries working together.
We must not let the rules set by one or a few countries be imposed on others,
or allow unilateralism pursued by certain countries to set the pace for the
whole world."
"What we need in today's world is justice, not hegemony. Big countries should
behave in a manner befitting their status and with a greater sense of
responsibility," he underscored, calling for all countries to safeguard the
UN-centered international system.
China has been demonstrating its role as a responsible major country in
international affairs. On April 13, it paid in full all assessed contributions
to the UN regular budget and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal
Tribunals for the year 2021. Over the past 30 years, China has sent over 40,000
peacekeepers to 25 UN peacekeeping missions.
Openness
"Openness holds the key to post-COVID economic recovery," Xi pointed out. "We
need to promote trade and investment liberation and facilitation, deepen
regional economic integration, and enhance supply, industrial, data and human
resources chains, with a view to building an open world economy."
The economic integration in Asia has been accelerating since the signing of the
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) in November 2020.
The trade dependence of Asian economies among each other was about 50 percent
in 2019, with bilateral trade volumes continuing to grow, said Lin Guijun, vice
president of the University of International Business and Economics.
Attempts to "erect walls" or "decouple" run counter to the law of economics and
market principles. They would hurt others' interests without benefiting
oneself, Xi noted.
People's lives above anything else
"We must put people and their lives above anything else, scale up information
sharing and collective efforts, and enhance public health and medical
cooperation," Xi said.
He called for boosting international cooperation on the R&D, production and
distribution of vaccines and increase their accessibility and affordability in
developing countries so that everyone in the world can access and afford the
vaccines they need.
So far, China has provided anti-epidemic materials to more than 160 countries
and international organizations around the world and is providing urgently
needed vaccines to more than 100 countries and international organizations.
BRI a public road open to all
The Belt and Road Initiative is a public road open to all, not a private path
owned by one single party, Xi noted, adding that all interested countries are
welcome aboard.
Vowing to build a closer partnership to promote health cooperation, Xi said
Chinese businesses have already started joint vaccine production in BRI
participating countries.
Xi added that China will build a closer partnership for green development and
build the BRI into a pathway to poverty alleviation and growth.
A total of 126 countries, including developed and developing nations, and 29
international organizations have signed cooperation documents with China on the
BRI.
China's foreign trade with countries along the Belt and Road went up by one
percent to settle at 9.37 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) in the past year,
according to China's Ministry of Commerce.
SOURCE: CGTN
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