ABOVE: Solar photovoltaic power in Shanghai, China. (PHOTO:iSTock)
by Cong Peiwu, Chinese Ambassador to Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging for more than one year, reshaping the world in profound ways. In communication with Canadian friends, we often talk about what kind of world we will usher in in the Post-COVID-19 era.
The Chinese side believes that we can find the answer from the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind which was put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The most important thing we can learn from the sudden attack of COVID-19 is that our world still faces many global challenges, traditional and non-traditional security challenges intertwined, and the well-being of people in all countries has become increasingly connected. The international community should stay united and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, which is the right path in the post-COVID-19 era. This concept, which is of great practical significance, has been written into many documents of the United Nations and has won support and approval from all over the world.
We need to firmly uphold true multilateralism and build a world of lasting peace and universal security. What is true multilateralism? That is to safeguard the UN-centered international system and maintain the international order underpinned by international law. Building small exclusive circles or creating isolation and estrangement will only push the world into division and even confrontation. In the face of the pandemic, we must comprehensively strengthen global public health security governance and jointly build a global community of health for all. Political manipulation will not be conducive to COVID-19 response on the domestic front. It would only disrupt international cooperation against the virus and bring greater harm to people around the world.
Faced with COVID-19, China is upholding multilateralism with concrete actions and mounting a massive global humanitarian operation. For example, China will provide an additional $3 billion US in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries; China has already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world and will provide more vaccines to the best of its ability; China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them, and so on.
We should pursue win-win cooperation and jointly build a prosperous world. Economic globalization is an unstoppable historical trend. Attempts to “erect walls” or “decouple” run counter to the law of economics and market principles, which is the behavior of the dog in the manger. It will be a ill wind that blows nobody good. We must stay committed to the right direction of economic globalization and work together to make it more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all.
While developing itself, China has been making important contributions to global economic growth. Over the past 20 years since its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China has contributed an average of nearly 30 percent to global growth annually. At present, China is actively applying the new development philosophy and fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, which promises more development opportunities and broader cooperation prospects for all countries. Total import into China is estimated to top $22 trillion US in the coming decade.
We must join hands to cope with climate change in order to build a clean and beautiful world. The international community needs to come up with unprecedented ambition and action, and work together to foster a community of life for man and Nature. We need to comply with the objectives and principles laid out in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, and strive to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the same time, we must be committed to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. China pledged to stride from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality within a far shorter period of time than developed countries. Guided by new development philosophy, China will promote greener economic and social development in all respects while pursuing high-quality development, so as to contribute even more to tackling the global climate challenge.
China will prosper only when the world prospers, and vice versa. The Communist Party of China strives for both the well-being of the Chinese people and the advancement of humankind. The CPC will, as always, continue to contribute to world peace, common development, exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. China and Canada share extensive common interests in upholding multilateralism, promoting free trade and addressing climate change. We look forward to strengthening cooperation with Canada in relevant fields, jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind and working together to create a more prosperous and better world.