On the morning of June 28, 2024, the Conference Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence was grandly held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. President Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered an important address entitled “Carrying Forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”.

In the midsummer, the sky stretches high and the clouds spread wide. The Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People stands in solemn magnificence, graced with distinguished guests.

At around 10 a.m., with the grand tune of “Peace - a Community with a Shared Future”, Xi Jinping walked into the Golden Hall.

Xi Jinping shook hands with each of the foreign dignitaries attending the conference, engaging with them warmly.

Amidst the warm applause, Xi Jinping delivered an important address.

Xi Jinping pointed out that in the course of the modern history of human society, handling well state-to-state relations, jointly maintaining world peace and tranquility, and promoting development and progress for humanity have always been big topics on the minds of all nations. 70 years ago, national independence and liberation movements swept across the globe, and the colonial system around the world crumbled and collapsed. The world was overshadowed by the dark clouds of the Cold War and menaced by the rampant clamors that “Might is right”. Newly independent countries aspired to safeguard their sovereignty and grow their national economy. The Chinese leadership specified the Five Principles in their entirety for the first time, namely, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. They included the Five Principles in the China-India and China-Myanmar joint statements, which jointly called for making them basic norms for state-to-state relations. It marked a groundbreaking and epoch-making achievement in the history of international relations.

Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have transcended time and space and overcome estrangement, showing robust resilience and everlasting relevance. They have become open, inclusive, and universally applicable basic norms for international relations and fundamental principles of international law. They have set a historic benchmark for international relations and international rule of law, have served as the prime guidance for the establishment and development of relations between countries with different social systems, have been a powerful rallying force behind the efforts of developing countries to pursue cooperation and self-strength through unity, have contributed historic wisdom to the reform and improvement of the international order, and have made indelible historic contributions to the cause of human progress.

Xi Jinping stressed that 70 years later today, challenged by the historic question of “what kind of world to build and how to build it”, China has answered the call of the times by proposing a community with a shared future for mankind. The Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind carries forward the same spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Both are rooted in traditional Chinese values such as “Be kind to your neighbor”, “Seek amity through integrity”, and “Promote harmony among all nations”. Both attest to China’s diplomatic tenets of self-confidence, self-reliance, justice, protection of the disadvantaged, and benevolence. Both demonstrate the broad vision of the Communist Party of China to contribute more to humanity. Both manifest China’s firm resolve to follow the path of peaceful development. The Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind is the most effective move to sustain, promote and upgrade the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in the new circumstances. The Vision captures the reality that all countries have a shared future and intertwined interests, and sets a new model of equality and coexistence for international relations. The Vision responds to the world’s prevailing trend of peace, development, cooperation and win-win, and opens up new prospects for peace and progress. The Vision keeps pace with the historic trend toward multipolarity and economic globalization, and inspires new ways to achieve development and security.

Xi Jinping pointed out that at this historic moment when mankind have to choose between peace and war, prosperity and recession, unity and confrontation, countries must champion more than ever the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and all countries must always strive tirelessly for the lofty goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Countries need to uphold the principle of sovereign equality. An equal and orderly multipolar world means every country can find its place in a multipolar system and play its due role pursuant to international law, so that the process of multipolarization is stable and constructive on the whole.

Countries need to cement the foundation of mutual respect. Countries should show respect for each other’s core interests and major concerns, and for the development paths and systems independently chosen by people of all countries. Countries must jointly uphold the “golden rule” of non-interference, and jointly oppose acts of imposing one’s will on others, stoking bloc confrontation, creating small circles, and forcing others to pick sides.

Countries need to turn the vision for peace and security into reality. All countries must shoulder their common responsibility for peace, and commit to a path of peaceful development. They must work together to seek peace, safeguard peace, and enjoy peace. Countries need to practice the Global Security Initiative, strive to achieve development and security through cooperation, and put in place a more balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.

Countries need to unite all forces to achieve prosperity. All countries need to advocate a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and endeavor to deliver on the Global Development Initiative so that all nations can share development fruits, and seek common development and prosperity.

Countries need to commit to fairness and justice. China advocates the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and China believes in true multilateralism. Its goal is that international rules should be made and observed by countries, and world affairs should be handled through extensive consultation.

Countries need to embrace an open and inclusive mindset. All countries should implement the Global Civilization Initiative, increase understanding and friendship among peoples, and promote inclusiveness and mutual learning among civilizations. The world is big enough to accommodate the common development and common progress of all countries. It is entirely possible for different civilizations to prosper together and inspire each other through mutual learning on an equal footing.

Xi Jinping stressed that the past 70 years have proved time and again that an effective way for countries to meet challenges together and create a better future is to enhance unity, cooperation, communication and understanding. The Global South stands out with a strong momentum, playing a vital role in promoting human progress. Standing at a new historical starting point, the Global South should be more open and more inclusive, and join hands together to take the lead in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Together, all countries should be the staunch force for peace. They should promote peaceful settlement of international disputes, and participate constructively in the political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues. Together, all countries should be the core driving force for open development. They should restore development as the central international agenda item, reinvigorate global partnerships for development, and deepen South-South cooperation as well as North-South dialogue. Together, all countries should be the construction team of global governance. They should actively participate in reforming and developing the global governance system, expand the common interests of all sides, and make the global governance architecture more balanced and effective. Together, all countries should be the advocates for exchange among civilizations. They should enhance inter-civilization communication and dialogue, and strengthen experience sharing on governance. They should deepen exchanges in education, science, technology and culture as well as subnational, people-to-people and youth interactions.

Xi Jinping announced that to better support Global South cooperation, China will establish a Global South research center. It will provide 1,000 scholarships under the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence Scholarship of Excellence and 100,000 training opportunities to Global South countries in the coming five years. It will also launch a Global South youth leaders program. China will continue to make good use of the China-U.N. Peace and Development Fund, the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, and the Climate Change South-South Cooperation Fund, and will work with interested parties to set up a tripartite center of excellence for the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, and renew the China-IFAD South-South and Triangular Cooperation Facility. China is ready to discuss free trade arrangements with more Global South countries, continue to support the WTO’s Aid for Trade initiative, and renew its contribution to the WTO’s China Program. It welcomes more Global South countries to join the Initiative on International Trade and Economic Cooperation Framework for Digital Economy and Green Development.

Xi Jinping stressed that the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence has been written into China’s Constitution long before. They are the bedrock of China’s independent foreign policy of peace. China’s resolve to stay on the path of peaceful development will not change. Its resolve to develop friendship and cooperation with all countries will not change. Its resolve to promote common development across the world will not change. China will continue to champion the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, work with all countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make new and greater contributions to safeguarding world peace and promoting common development.

Xi Jinping finally pointed out that today, the historic baton of advancing world peace and development has been passed to our generation. Let us take the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as a starting point, shoulder the historic missions, and forge ahead together to build a community with a shared future for mankind and usher in an even better future for humanity.

Li Qiang chaired the conference.

Cai Qi, Wang Yi, Li Shulei and Jiang Xinzhi, among others, were present.

Around 600 people attended the conference, including such foreign dignitaries as former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nong Duc Manh, former President of Myanmar Thein Sein, former President of Brazil and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, former President of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of Ethiopia Mulatu Teshome, former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Italian Prime Minister Massimo d’Alema, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Hae-chan, as well as responsible officials of the CPC Central Committee, the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee and other relevant departments, representatives of international and regional organizations, diplomatic envoys from more than 100 countries, Chinese and foreign experts and scholars, friendly people, media and business representatives.