Keynote Speech by State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang at the Opening Ceremony of ＂Chinese Modernization and the World＂ in lanting forum
CCTV News:On April 21st, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued "New Opportunities for the Chinese Modern World — — Keynote Speech by State Councilor Qin Gang and Foreign Minister at the Opening Ceremony of "Chinese Modernization and the World" in lanting forum. The details are as follows:
New opportunities in the Chinese-style modern world
— — Keynote Speech by State Councilor Qin Gang and Foreign Minister at the Opening Ceremony of "Chinese Modernization and the World" in lanting forum
(April 21, 2023, Shanghai "World Meeting Room")
Dear Secretary Chen Jining, President Wu Hailong, distinguished envoys, distinguished guests and friends,
Good morning everyone! I am very happy to meet you in the "World Meeting Room" on the Huangpu River. This is lanting forum’s first visit to Shanghai. I sincerely thank Secretary Chen Jining and the Shanghai Municipal Government for their great assistance in this activity.
The theme of this forum is "Chinese modernization and the world". The location of the event in Shanghai is very suitable. As the saying goes, China has seen Shanghai for a hundred years. More than a hundred years ago, the Communist Party of China (CPC) set sail from here. For more than a century, Shanghai has witnessed not only the ups and downs of the Chinese nation, but also the vicissitudes of China. From the former "ten-mile foreign exchange" to the vanguard of reform and opening up today, from the pre-liberation to the present prosperity. Today’s Shanghai, as the largest economic center, innovation and development center and world economic and trade shipping hub in China, is in the forefront of the times, standing at the forefront of development and becoming a bright business card of Chinese modernization.
Dear friends,
The height of a tree must have roots in thousands of feet, and the water in Wan Li always has sources. The success of Chinese modernization did not fall from the sky, nor did it emerge from the ground. It was the Communist Party of China (CPC) who took the initial mission and led the people of the whole country step by step, which has profound history, practice and theoretical logic.
Chinese modernization is the inevitable choice of China’s century-long development. China’s modernization has come a long way, which explains the glory of suffering and carries a glorious dream. Since modern times, countless people with lofty ideals have sought a way out of modernization from the west in order to save the nation from extinction, but they have all suffered setbacks and failed to save the nation from danger. Only after the birth of the Communist Party of China (CPC) did China’s modernization have a backbone and a leader. It is under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) that we embarked on the great journey of independent modernization. From poverty to poverty, we have grown into the world’s second largest economy, the largest country in goods trading, the largest country in foreign exchange reserves, and the largest country in manufacturing. We have built the world’s largest compulsory education system, social security system and medical and health system, and completed hundreds of years of industrialization in western developed countries in just a few decades, and made great strides to catch up with the times.
Chinese modernization is an inevitable requirement for comprehensively promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with the Supreme Leader as the core, Chinese modernization has pressed the "acceleration button", continued to write two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, completed the historical task of getting rid of poverty and building a well-off society in an all-round way, achieved the goal of the first century, achieved the great leap of the Chinese nation from standing up, becoming rich and becoming strong, and pushed the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation into an irreversible historical process. At the National People’s Congress held last month, the Supreme Leader General Secretary was re-elected as president by unanimous vote, which was a historical choice and a choice of the people. With the feeling and responsibility of "I will lose myself and live up to the people", the Chairman of the Supreme Leader led the Chinese modernization at the helm and led us out of an increasingly broad human path.
Chinese modernization is the inevitable result of the scientific law of human development. Modernization is the common cause of all mankind. Although the west is the first to enjoy the fruits of modernization, it does not mean the end of history. As early as more than 140 years ago, Marx put forward the idea of crossing the "Cafudin Canyon", which provided an important theoretical basis for opening up a road different from western modernization. Over the past 100 years, China has found a Chinese-style modernization road through independent practice and created a new form of human civilization. Facts have eloquently proved that there is no fixed model for modernization, and it is not a single choice. Any country can realize its dream of modernization as long as it conforms to its own national conditions and is conducive to the development of its people. On the contrary, cutting one’s feet to suit one’s shoes and blindly copying foreign models are not only diametrically opposed, but may even lead to disastrous consequences.
Dear friends,
"the trip to the avenue, the world is public." As the largest developing country in the world, China has always been mindful of the world. We have not realized modernization for the sake of narcissism, let alone "national priority". Instead, we have injected more positive energy into world peace and brought more new opportunities for global development while realizing our own development. I believe,
A modernization with a huge population will surely inject stronger momentum into the global economic recovery. Over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, the government of China has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty and made more than 400 million people enter the middle-income group. Today, China has become a major trading partner of more than 140 countries and regions. Every day, 320 million US dollars of China’s direct investment goes to the world, and more than 3,000 foreign-funded enterprises settle in China every month. In the past decade, China has driven more global growth than the Group of Seven combined.
With the overall modernization of China’s population of more than 1.4 billion, this scale will exceed the total population of existing developed countries, and China will certainly provide more powerful impetus to the world economy. Last month, the China Development Forum and the Boao Forum for Asia were successfully held, attracting political and business people from all over the world. During this period, the most common voice we heard was to seize the new opportunities brought by China’s high-quality development and high-level opening up. The most consistent view we heard was to oppose decoupling from China and look forward to traveling with China.
A modernization of common prosperity for all people will surely open up a broader path for the common development of all countries. It is not modernization that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, nor is it modernization to serve a few countries and a few people. The common prosperity of people all over the world requires the common development of all countries. Building the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative are public goods provided by China to the international community, and also an open platform for common development and common prosperity. In the ten years since the "One Belt, One Road" initiative was put forward, more than 3,000 cooperative projects have been formed, which has boosted the investment scale of nearly one trillion US dollars, created 420,000 jobs for countries along the route, and realized the "railway dream", "bridge dream" and "poverty alleviation dream" for people in many countries.
The global development initiative has also been widely welcomed by the international community. At present, it has been supported by more than 100 countries and international organizations, and nearly 70 countries have joined the "Group of Friends of Global Development Initiative", which has provided important assistance for accelerating the realization of the United Nations sustainable development goals in 2030. China attaches great importance to solving the debt problem of developing countries, actively and comprehensively implements the G-20 debt relief initiative, and contributes 63% of the debt relief amount. It can be said that Chinese-style modernization has ignited the confidence of all countries in realizing modernization. To borrow the words of an African leader, the China Road inspires all developing countries, and every country can achieve development from scratch.
A coordinated modernization of material civilization and spiritual civilization will surely create a better prospect for the progress of human society. While some countries are highly developed in economy, science and technology, they are caught in the dilemma of capital-centered, materialism flooding, spiritual emptiness and loss of morality and order. Chairman of the Supreme Leader emphasized that the ultimate goal of modernization is to realize the free and all-round development of human beings. All-round development of human beings means not only being rich materially, but also being rich spiritually.
"The granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace." Chinese civilization has always looked forward to a world of great harmony in which material life is full and carefree and moral realm is fully sublimated, putting people’s spiritual value above material pursuit and incorporating it into social ideals. As early as 2,500 years ago, in the Axial Age, from Confucius and Mencius in China to Plato in Greece, all major civilizations began to explore the lofty spiritual world. Modernization is by no means the decline of ancient civilization, but the rebirth of traditional culture. The Chairman of the Supreme Leader solemnly proposed the global civilization initiative, advocated attaching importance to the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, advocated respecting the diversity of world civilizations, and adhered to equality, mutual learning, dialogue and tolerance of civilizations. Although Zhou was an old state, his life was reformed. Chinese-style modernization has given new vitality to the profound Chinese civilization and contributed more China wisdom to world peace and prosperity and human development and progress. We look forward to such a wonderful picture of the world, where major civilizations are passed down from generation to generation, returning to their roots and opening up new ones, buildings of human material civilization are everywhere, and the stars of spiritual civilization shine in the sky.
A harmonious and symbiotic modernization between man and nature will surely provide a more feasible scheme for building a clean and beautiful world. Chairman of the Supreme Leader pointed out that Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. China consciously shoulders the responsibility of protecting the ecological environment and coping with climate change, creating a number of firsts in the world: the scale of artificial afforestation ranks first in the world, accounting for a quarter of the world; The scale of renewable energy development and utilization ranks first in the world, and the installed capacity of wind power and solar energy accounts for more than one third of the world; The production and sales of new energy vehicles rank first in the world, and half of the world’s new energy vehicles drive in China. China has made a solemn commitment to the world to be peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutral. It will take only 30 years from peak to neutral, which will be ten to forty years less than that of the United States and Europe. We also took the lead in setting up the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, contributing to the conclusion of the Paris Agreement. Just at the beginning of this month, the Chairman of the Supreme Leader and President Macron agreed to build a Sino-French carbon neutral center, adding new impetus to the global low-carbon transformation.
A modernization that follows the path of peaceful development will surely bring more certainty to world peace and stability. The purpose of China’s development is not to dominate the country. In the dictionary of China culture, there is no national power that will dominate, and the strength of China’s diplomacy is not afraid of hegemony. Up to now, China is the only country in the world that has enshrined the principle of "adhering to the path of peaceful development" in its Constitution, the permanent member of the Security Council that has sent the largest number of peacekeepers, and the only country among the five nuclear powers that has promised not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. We have joined more than 20 multilateral arms control treaties and promoted the five nuclear powers to reach a joint statement on preventing nuclear war. For international disputes, we advocate consultation and dialogue and peaceful settlement.
The global security initiative put forward by the Chairman of the Supreme Leader points out the correct direction of common security and universal security. Friends should be reconciled, but not married. Under the impetus of China, Saudi Arabia and Iran resumed diplomatic relations. We are pleased to see that more countries are shaking hands and making peace. In the face of the delay of the Ukrainian crisis, instead of pouring fuel on the fire and taking advantage of it, China upholds justice, persuades peace and promotes talks to "decompress" the crisis and "cool down" the situation. Facts have proved that China’s modernization is the growth of the forces of peace and justice.
Dear friends,
The The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China（CPC） held in October last year drew a blueprint for China’s future development, and clearly proposed to comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation with Chinese modernization. In order to accomplish this central task, China’s diplomacy is duty-bound. We will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, unswervingly promote the building of a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and work with other countries to build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, tolerance, cleanliness and beauty, and build a community of human destiny.
We will more firmly defend the right to development of all countries. Modernization is an inalienable right of every country, not a monopoly privilege of a few countries. We should not burn down the bridge just because we have reached the other side of modernization, and set up roadblocks for other countries to realize modernization, let alone suppress, contain and block it just because other countries take different modernization paths. China does not engage in any competition among big countries. We resolutely safeguard our own development interests and the right of the people of China to pursue a better life. China respects the modernization road independently chosen by the people of all countries, and opposes creating ideological confrontation, engaging in a "new cold war" and interfering in internal affairs and imposing on others. China upholds the correct direction of globalization, and opposes "building walls and barricades" and "decoupling and breaking chains", as well as unilateral sanctions and extreme pressure. China spared no effort to maintain a stable and smooth production and supply chain, so that economic globalization and modernization of various countries can be driven by two wheels and complement each other.
We will more actively promote high-level opening up. China’s modernization achievements were achieved in the process of opening up, and it will certainly rely on opening up to the future. We will take the opportunity of holding the "Belt and Road" international cooperation summit forum and China International Import Expo to further deepen the integration of interests with all countries in the world. We will also increase investment in global development cooperation, do our best to help developing countries alleviate their debt burdens, free international financial and monetary circulation from the nightmare of speculative manipulation and sanctions, and return to the source of serving the real economy and promoting modernization.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Ms. Rousseff once again on her appointment as the president of the BRICS New Development Bank. I believe that the New Development Bank will provide greater assistance to the modernization process of developing countries.
We will be more proactive in promoting civilized exchanges. We actively advocate that all countries in the world carry forward the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and persist in transcending the barriers between civilizations, the mutual learning of civilizations, and the coexistence of civilizations. We resolutely oppose racial discrimination, national discrimination and civilized discrimination in international relations. We are willing to explore with other countries to build a global network of dialogue and cooperation among civilizations, and strive to create a new situation of cultural exchanges, cultural integration and people’s hearts in all countries of the world, so as to make a hundred gardens of civilization colorful and fragrant.
We will build a community of life on earth more consciously. We will accelerate the establishment and improvement of a green, low-carbon and circular economic system and promote a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. We adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, actively participate in international cooperation in addressing climate change, marine governance, global biodiversity protection and other fields, promote the construction of a fair, reasonable and win-win global environmental governance system, and make contributions to meeting global challenges such as climate and environment and building a clean and beautiful world.
We will be more determined to protect the international order. Recently, we have often heard some strange remarks, claiming that China is challenging the "rules-based international order", "trying to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion" and "undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait". These remarks violate the minimum international common sense and historical justice, their logic is absurd and their consequences are dangerous. As one of the anti-fascist allies who suffered the most casualties in World War II, and as the first founding member to sign the UN Charter, China regards defending the authority of the UN and maintaining the international order after World War II as its sacred duty. China has the best record in observing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, international law and the basic norms of international relations. We don’t need to be reminded by any country or group of countries. It is a matter of public opinion who uses the United Nations together or abandons it if it disagrees, who is undermining the international order and who is engaging in hegemony and bullying.
Dear friends,
Taiwan Province has been an inalienable part of China since ancient times, and both sides of the strait belong to the same China. This is the history of Taiwan Province and the present situation of Taiwan Province. Taiwan Province’s return to China is an integral part of the international order after World War II. The Cairo Declaration is written in black and white, and the Potsdam Proclamation is clearly printed. Today, it is not Chinese mainland that breaks international rules, unilaterally changes the status quo and undermines the stability of the Taiwan Strait, but the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and a few countries that attempt to use the "Taiwan independence". In essence, the rules, status quo and stability they defined are to put up an China and "peacefully split" China, that is, to tamper with the history of World War II, subvert the post-war order and trample on China’s sovereignty. 1.4 billion people in China will not agree. When the land in China is recovered, it will never be lost again. Once the post-war international order is established, it will never be allowed to be subverted.
It is only natural to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. We should tell those forces who are doing activities that undermine international justice under the banner of international order: the Taiwan Province issue is the core of China’s core interests, and we will never be vague about who wants to make a fuss about the one-China principle; We will never give in to anyone who wants to make moves on China’s sovereign security. Those who play with fire on the Taiwan Province issue will set themselves on fire.
Dear friends,
Looking back at Qian Shan on the journey, looking ahead at Wan Muchun. The copyright of Chinese modernization belongs to China, and the opportunity belongs to the world. We are willing to help each other in the same boat, work hand in hand, promote the modernization with different characteristics, and create a better tomorrow for the world.
Finally, I wish this forum a complete success! thank you