On March 15, General Secretary Xi Jinping introduced the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. As another important public good China has shared with the world in the new era after the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the GCI will inject strong impetus into advancing humanity’s modernization process and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
In a world of turmoil and transformation, humanity is faced with unprecedented challenges. Division and confrontation cast a shadow to the hard-won environment of peace, decoupling and severing of supply chains contribute nothing to economic recovery and development, and global challenges such as climate change are overwhelming. Amid the momentous shifts where uncertainty abounds, the GDI, GSI and GCI proposed by China not only contribute China’s solution to global governance, but inject China’s strength to improve the common well-being of all mankind.
Development is the master key to addressing all problems. President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, calling on the international community to accelerate implementation of the 2030 SDGs for more robust, greener and more balanced global development, and foster a global community of development with a shared future. The GDI embraces the people-centered core concept, follows the guidelines of practical cooperation and advocates the spirit of open and inclusive partnership. Focusing on the development agenda, the GDI meets the needs of various countries and attracts nearly 70 countries joining the Group of Friends to work together on poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 and vaccines, financing for development, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy, and connectivity.
Peace is the common aspiration shared by people of all countries. Facing multiple security dilemmas, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which stays committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, peacefully resolving differences, and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, and maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains. The GSI pursues the long-term objective of building a security community, and advocates a new path to security featuring dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance and win-win over zero-sum. Over 80 countries and regional organizations have expressed their appreciation and support.
Civilization is the foundation of modernization. As the future of all countries are closely connected, tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernization process and making the garden of world civilizations flourish. The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), warmly received in the international community, advocates the respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. China is ready to work together with the international community to open up a new prospect of enhanced exchanges and understanding among different peoples and better interactions and integration of diversified cultures. Together we can make the garden of world civilizations colorful and vibrant.
In the first quarter of 2023,Chinese national economy made a good start, wtih the gross domestic product (GDP) up by 4.5 percent year on year at constant price. Besides, employment and prices were kept generally stable, with the consumer price index (CPI) rising 1.3 percent year on year. As China's foreign trade in the first quarter reached $1.44 trillion, up 4.8 percent year-on-year,market expectation saw significant improvement. The IMF projected the Chinese economy will grow "quite strongly" by 5.2 percent this year, which is assumed to contribute about one third of global growth.
It is under the CPC’s strong leadership that China has embarked on the great journey of independently building a modern country. Especially after the 18th CPC National Congress, the “acceleration button” was pressed in China’s modernization drive. The two major miracles — fast economic development and long-term social stability — continued. Absolutely there is no fixed model of, or single solution to, modernization. Any country can achieve modernization, as long as the path suits its conditions and answers the need of its people for development. China will defend the right to development of all countries with greater determination and respect the modernization path chosen by the people of other countries. We would like to share helpful experience with other countries, so as to add more positive energy to global peace and create new opportunities for global development.
China and Pacific Island Countries (PICs) enjoy long-lasting friendly exchanges. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in the 1970s, China has always treated PICs as equals and sincerely helped them to pursue development, revitalization and take control of their own development path. The two sides have continued to expand exchanges and cooperation in more than 20 areas, including trade, investment, ocean affairs, environmental protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, poverty alleviation, health care, education, and tourism. On the basis of forming greater synergy between the GDI and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, we have also established other bilateral and multilateral dialogue mechanisms, including Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting and Forum on Fishery Cooperation and Development, and a series of cooperation mechanisms, including Climate Action Cooperation Center and Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation Center. For PICs, China has provided economic and technical assistance without any political strings attached, implemented more than 100 aid projects to help accelerate the connectivity, including the Independence Boulevard in PNG and Port of Honiara in Solomon Islands. In addition, China has dispatched 600 medical staff to PICs, benefiting more than 260,000 local residents, and provided nearly 600,000 doses of vaccines and more than 100 tons of anti-epidemic supplies since the start of COVID-19.
China and Samoa also enjoy a time-honored friendship. Samoa is one of the first Pacific Island Countries to establish diplomatic relations with China. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties for nearly half a century, the two sides have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries has brought benefits to the two peoples. Samoa is the first Pacific Island country to sign the memorandum of understanding on Belt and Road Initiative with China, and shows high appreciation to the GDI and the GSI. The Samoa-China Agricultural Technical Aid Project has been operating for 12 years,with the demonstration farm established. China dispatched more than 140 medical experts in 8 batches, treating more than 80,000 patients in Samoa. We are willing to further align the GDI, the GSI, the GCI with the Pathway for the Development of Samoa, strengthen the cooperation in areas of agriculture, medical care, education, infrastructure, poverty reduction, climate change, and disaster prevention, to better benefit the two peoples.
By H.E. Chao Xiaoliang, Chinese Ambassador to Samoa