'Walk together as friends?' A High-Level Conference offers answers

Representatives from around the world recently gathered at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing for the Third High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development.

Amid rising uncertainty in the global landscape, "shared development" has become a key topic of discussion. What is being discussed here, and what could it lead to?

Nena Stoiljkovic, Under-Secretary General for Global Relationships, Humanitarian Diplomacy and Digitalization at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), noted that China plays an important role in promoting peace. "China has an important seat on the Security Council in the UN. It's also one of the largest funders of UN peacekeeping operations."

Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Finance and Planning Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, stressed the need for stability in a world facing multiple crises.

"We need a peaceful and stable world," he said. "China and Bangladesh can walk together in the Bay of Bengal region for peace and prosperity."

Kitty van der Heijden, deputy executive director for partnerships of UNICEF, highlighted the importance of cooperation. "We are not competitors. We are friends and collaborators working to achieve dignity for all humanity," she said.

Different voices, different perspectives, yet a shared understanding emerges: the world is more connected than we think. And that is exactly what this conference is about how countries can work together, share resources, and achieve common development. (Huang Fang, Guan Yilun, Intern: Yang Yifei)