Opinion | China's new challenges await President Xi Jinping
By Augustus K. Yeung
Introduction
With the historic proposal resolutely passed by the Chinese Communist Party, President Xi Jinping is now the third monumental Chinese leader—after Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping—whose unprecedented achievements and unparallel leadership have been enshrined in the history of the party, destined for greatness.
With this great recognition and honour comes great responsibilities. To put the matter simply, President Xi now has three overriding goals ahead of him: How to build an ideal global village; how to pursue long-term prosperity; and, how to advance human civilization.
With the hope of less rivalry and the fulfilment of a more Sino-US cooperation, Chinese nationals and global citizens should find Xi's vision of a world exciting and encouraging: The world now has a clearly mapped out unified goal, and the way forward is what catapults human destiny to yet another level of prosperity and peace--rather than the past US-led missions, resulting in a chaotic world. Such is China's new challenge of the century!
How to Build an Ideal Global Village
"China's recipe is making international relations more democratic and rules-based." Wrote Mr. Liu Guangyuan, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in Hong Kong (SAR) in his recent article.
"To this end, we will work with all parties to uphold the international system with the UN at its score the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
"In the face of emerging global challenges, all countries need to advance peace, development and win-win cooperation under the UN framework."
How to Pursue Long-Term Prosperity
China's solution is making development more balanced, coordinated and inclusive. Not long ago, Xi proposed a Global Development Initiative to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and build a global community of development with a shared future, according to Mr. Liu.
"It is high on our priority list to join all countries to build an open world economy, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and scale up global cooperation against epidemics, poverty and climate change."
How to Advance Human Civilization
"China believes the right way is strengthening equal-footed exchanges and mutual learning. Chinese civilization values inclusiveness, harmony without uniformity and mutual respect between civilizations," continues Mr. Liu.
"China adheres to the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but rejects criticism in the name of "universal values". We should advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity." Mr. Liu said.
"Democracy and human rights are not a monopoly of any individual country or countries but a right for all people to enjoy. All countries should development paths and models suited to their national conditions. No one civilization is superior to another, and a country's path should be judged by whether it can improve people's livelihoods.
"As long as the path is correct, the destination will eventually be reached," Mr. Liu believes, "Let's move forward on the right track, with the UN playing a central role in international affairs and everyone pitching in for world peace and development. The time to act is now."
("China is a force for global peace and harmony." By Liu Guangyuan, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in HK (SAR). South China Morning Post, Tuesday, November 2, 2021.)
Conclusion
It is encouraging to see that China is doing well not only economically, but also getting along well with various countries in the world, especially in Central Asia where the Afghan Taliban has paid several visits to China, inviting it to be their "mediator" and help their war-torn country mend fences amid the hasty retreat of the United States. It is also mood enhancing to hear that China has come up with plans to build a better world, after it has lifted 888 million of Chinese people out of poverty.
China has now planned to go one step further, to help the world's underdeveloped regions to combat poverty, to fight Coronavirus-19 and its Delta variants and has pledged to take more responsibilities serving the UN apart from its existing peacekeeping functions.
Unfortunately, the United States is domestically divided. That is dividing the incumbent US President Joe Biden's attention: up to now, the president must keep an eye on his predecessor Donald Trump, whose supporters' violent attack on the Capitol on January 6 is keeping Joe Biden constantly looking over his shoulders.
In stark contrast, China does not have this problem of domestic division, thanks to the Communist Party of China--which democratically consults with its social scientists. It also relies on this ever-important Academy of Social Sciences, a well-recognized think tank in a variety of ways.
When the specter of Donald Trump and his supporters is gone, let us hope that the US can whole-heartedly join China to cooperatively fulfill the three goals specified by Liu Guangyuan, the nation's Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong. Will the US oblige?
The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
Read more articles by Augustus K. Yeung:
Opinion | What should we do, when the world is divided on China?
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