Shared future in the new era

Ten years ago, bearing in mind the wellbeing of all humanity, President Xi Jinping propounded the idea of building a global community of shared future, answering a question raised by the world, by history, and by the times: ‘Where is humanity headed?’ It introduces a new approach for international relations, provides new ideas for global governance, opens up new prospects for international exchanges, and draws a new blueprint for a better world.

During the past decade, to put this significant idea into practice, China proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), guiding the advance of human society across these three dimensions. To turn people’s longing for a better life into reality, China also promotes the endeavour to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity. The past ten years have seen the vision of a global community of shared future increasingly enriched, implemented and supported.

To improve understanding and expand consensus in the international community, the Chinese government published the white paper, ‘A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions’, on September 26 to introduce the theoretical base, practice and development of the idea.

As highlighted in the white paper, throughout history, peace and development have been the primary aspirations of humanity. All countries, neighbouring or distant, large or small, developed or developing, are members of an emerging community of shared interests, responsibility and destiny, whose wellbeing and security are interrelated. Only when appropriate attention is paid to the collective future of humanity is it possible that the wishes of every country, people and individual come true. Whatever we may encounter on our journey ahead, the only right choice is to work together for the benefit of all.

Among the earliest and living practices in implementing the idea, and exemplary in terms of universal and shared benefit, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has been fruitful along its 10-year journey, cementing the solid foundation of our ironclad friendship. According to statistics, CPEC has brought a total of $25.4 billion in direct investment, 155,000 direct jobs, 510 kilometers of expressways, 8200MW of power capacity and 886 km of core power transmission grid to Pakistan, injecting strong momentum into Pakistan’s economic and social development. Pakistani leaders and all sectors of society applaud the achievement and speak highly of the project.

October, as the most beautiful month in China’s golden autumn, features some great events. China will soon host the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, to bring more development opportunities to the world with our latest achievement. China, with the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, is ready to take this opportunity to promote the world’s earliest realization of GDI, GSI and GCI with Pakistan, so as to provide more stability and positive energy to regional and world peace and development.

I strongly believe that as long as we are guided by the important consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and Pakistani leaders, focus on building a closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the New Era with a faster pace, and take high-quality construction of CPEC, the all-weather strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan will constantly deepen and strengthen, allowing us to better protect our mutual interests and benefit both peoples amid change of a scale unseen in a century.

May China and Pakistan enjoy lasting prosperity. Chin-Pak Dosti Zindabad!

The writer is China’s ambassador to Pakistan.