China Has Worked Energetically to Build a New Type of International Relations Oriented Toward Win-Win Cooperation

China not only advocates but also actively pursues the new type of international relations. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, under the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the General Secretary, we have been making steady progress in building the new type of international relations of win-win cooperation, thus advancing our major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Politically, we are exploring a new path for state-to-state relations. China took the lead among major countries in making the establishment of partnerships as a guiding principle for state-to-state relations. Committed to having dialogue rather than confrontation and forming partnership rather than alliance, we have forged partnerships of various kinds with more than 80 countries, regions and regional organizations. As a result, China’s global partnership network is taking shape. It does not have any hypothetical enemy and is not targeted at any third party, thus keeping our relations with other countries peaceful, equal-footed and inclusive. We are working to set up a framework for major-country relations featuring overall stability and balanced development. Solid efforts have been made in building a new model of major-country relations with the United States. Our comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination with Russia has maintained high-standard performance. China-EU partnerships of peace, growth, reform and inter-civilization dialogue have yielded fruitful results. Solidarity and cooperation among BRICS countries have been deepened. We are committed to a neighborhood diplomacy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and working with other countries in Asia to build a community of shared future. Cooperation has been unfolding at different levels in various fields and has broadened our converging interests. We have developed an enlightened view of moral responsibility and national interests, strengthened solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, built a cooperation framework that covers all developing countries and regions, and elevated our cooperation with them to a new level.

Economically, we are forging a new framework for inclusive development. China actively advocates fair, open, all-round and innovative development across the world, and calls on all countries to improve the capacity, environment, partnership and coordination mechanism for development and contribute their share to the strong, sustainable and balanced growth of the world economy. We have taken an active part in the discussions and cooperation on sustainable development within the UN frameworks as well as the formulation and adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. On the basis of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit, we are advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (i.e. the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road) and aligning our development strategies with countries along the route so as to inject a strong impetus to the development of the Eurasian continent and the world at large. To improve connectivity, we are working on major mutually beneficial projects as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, with important "early harvests" already achieved. We are vigorously deepening production capacity cooperation with other countries and extending such cooperation across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas so that other parts of the world will benefit more from China’s development. We initiated the founding of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund and the BRICS Development Bank to improve the global economic governance architecture. We will take the G20 Hangzhou Summit as an opportunity to encourage all G20 members to advance reform, innovation and coordination. This will be China’s contribution to the building of an innovative, invigorated, interconnected and inclusive world economy.

On the security front, we have actively contributed our ideas to safeguarding international and regional security. Faced with the complex international and regional hotspots and global challenges, we have championed an outlook featuring common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, put forth the "three principles for settling hotspot issues" and followed the approach with distinctive Chinese features in seeking solutions, thereby making important contributions to the political settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue, issues of Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan and the Korean nuclear issue. We call for a dual-track approach to handle the South China Sea issue to firmly uphold territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and at the same time commit to joint efforts with other countries in the region in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. We take an active part in international counter-terrorism cooperation, call for addressing both the symptoms and root causes ofterrorism, and oppose double standards. China has been deeply engaged in the UN peacekeeping operations. China is the largest troop contributing country among the permanent members of the UN Security Council and the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping missions. China is in the process of joining the new UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System, building a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops and establishing a permanent peacekeeping police squad. Chinese naval ships have provided escort services to over 6,000 Chinese and foreign vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast in the past seven years. China has also played an active part in promoting international cooperation on cyber security and climate change and offered a growing number of public goods in the interest of world peace and security, fulfilling its responsibility as a major country.

On the cultural front, we have worked hard to boost exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. Exchanges and mutual learning add to the diversity and richness of civilizations. China has all long stood for protecting the diversity of civilizations. It believes in respecting the choices countries make of their own social systems and development paths and replacing confrontation and conflict among civilizations with exchanges and mutual learning. China has pushed for exchanges, mutual learning and integration among ethnic groups, cultures and religions for them to seek common ground and live in harmony. China has established mechanisms for cultural and people-to-people exchanges with the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, the European Union, Indonesia and other countries and regional organizations to enhance exchanges and cooperation in science and technology, education, culture, health, tourism, sports and among youth and women. We have initiated the Tai Hu World Cultural Forum with the mission of strengthening cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world, inviting eminent people from various countries to discuss ways to promote dialogue and cooperation among civilizations. China has proposed to hold the Asia Civilization Dialogue Conference to increase interactions among the youth, civil groups, local communities and the media and to form a network of think-tank cooperation so that civilization exchanges will serve as a bridge to greater mutual understanding among Asian peoples and a platform for promoting regional peace and cooperation.

China Is Committed to Working with Other Countries to Pursue Win-win Cooperation and Write a New Chapter of International Relations in the 21st Century

Great truth is often expressed in a simple way. The vision of building a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation echoes the trend of the times and answers the need of reality. It embodies rich and profound dimensions, and is expressed in a simple and down-to-earth way. It has born distinctive Chinese features and high relevance to the whole of the world. In a nutshell, realizing win-win cooperation in international relations requires that we expand common interests instead of pursuing our own interests at the expense of others’, strengthen dialogue and cooperation instead of having antagonism and confrontation, pursue win-win benefits and all-win outcomes instead of zero-sum game, and build a community of shared future instead of sowing dissension and discord. This vision is a major innovation in the theory and conduct of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and its value and significance are increasingly coming to the fore.

The vision of building a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation has received high appreciation and warm response from the international community. It is widely believed that this vision advocated by China is designed to promote cooperation underpinned by shared interests, avoid conflicts and settle disputes or reach agreement through dialogue. Hence, it is a highly positive and progressive vision. This vision can also be put into practical operation and it is a vision that the whole world needs to have. China’s firm commitment to this vision will inspire other countries to join hands in advancing the progress of mankind. As the idea of win-win cooperation is embraced by more people, the international relations featuring equality, inclusiveness and sustainability will prevail.

As an old Chinese saying goes, "Great truth meets the aspiration of all." China is ready to work with other countries to apply the vision of win-win cooperation, write new chapters in international relations in the 21st century, and create a brighter future of dignity, progress and security to be enjoyed by all.