China intends to use its position on the global stage to work with partners to promote peace and hedge against rising uncertainties, according to members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
These members, mostly officials and scholars focused on foreign policy, are gathered in Beijing to attend the two sessions, the annual meetings of China's top legislature and top political advisory body.
They noted that China will host a range of international events this year and how it can navigate its ties with major countries, including the United States, and help shore up global peace and development.
The political advisers said efforts should be made to advance the world's multipolarity and economic globalization, reject bloc confrontation and protectionism, boost public diplomacy and build on the Belt and Road Initiative.
This year, China holds the rotating presidency of the intergovernmental Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and will host the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO.
China will also celebrate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
Through these events, Beijing will send out the "common voice of the SCO member states on major international and regional issues", said Zhang Hanhui, a member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee and Chinese ambassador to Russia.
In the 20 years between 2001 and 2020, the total value of annual trade between China and SCO member states rose 20-fold to $245 billion.
"China is the one who empowers the SCO's pragmatic cooperation," Zhang wrote in an article published in Russian media on Feb 28.
The annual trade volume between China and Russia reached $244.8 billion last year, showcasing an impressive potential for development, he said.
"China promotes the in-depth synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative with SCO countries to boost the sense of gain of the people of those countries in terms of SCO cooperation," he said.
China is also set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in 2026, after receiving support and endorsement from other APEC economies in November.
China has hosted the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting twice, in 2001 and 2014.
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for one-third of the world's population, more than 60 percent of the world's total economic output and nearly half of global trade.
This makes it the most dynamic region in the global economy, contributing 70 percent of the world's economic growth.
Liu Xianzhong, director of the Department of Russian History and Culture at the Institute of Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a member of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, said the outlook for the Asia-Pacific is optimistic.
"In the context of the world economy's overall downturn, the economy of the Asia-Pacific region has maintained a good momentum of growth," he said
According to a report from the International Monetary Fund in November, the Asia-Pacific's economic growth rate was expected to reach 4.2 percent in 2024, much higher than the global growth rate of 2.9 percent.
As of November, China was the largest trade partner of 13 APEC economies, contributing 64.2 percent to Asia-Pacific economic growth, according to the Foreign Ministry.
"The momentum of economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region also adequately proves that: only through solidarity and collaboration can we overcome difficulties together, only through mutually beneficial cooperation can we develop together, and only through openness and sharing can we benefit the mankind," Liu said.
At the same time, this momentum "is also a response to unilateralism, protectionism and the increasing fragmentation of the world economy", he added.
President Xi Jinping put forward a slew of proposals at the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru, in November, such as making green innovation a catalyst for the Asia-Pacific.
Liu said, "This demonstrates China's sense of duty as a responsible major country in deepening Asia-Pacific cooperation, jointly addressing the challenges it faces and promoting common development in the face of various challenges to Asia-Pacific cooperation."
The Asia-Pacific region should earnestly shape the course of economic globalization, and it should not follow some nations' approach of seeking exclusive hegemony, he said.
It should push economic globalization to release more positive effects and enter a new stage that is more dynamic, more inclusive and more sustainable, he added.
京公网安备 11010202009201号