BEIJING: In 2023, China’s diplomacy was in full swing. From bilateral and multilateral meetings to regional and global forums, China promoted common prosperity and a more just international order by advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, an idea which is deeply rooted in the country’s unique path to modernization.
Sharing development dividends with world
China sought to share the development dividends it has gained through modernization with the world in 2023, and this was vividly demonstrated in four major diplomatic events the country hosted.
In May, the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries attended the First China-Central Asia Summit in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an, their first in-person summit over the 31 years since China established diplomatic relations with these countries.
During the summit, China and the Central Asian countries signed seven bilateral and multilateral documents as well as over 100 cooperation agreements in various fields, pushing forward the building of an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.
In July, a total of 6,500 athletes from 113 countries and regions gathered in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, to compete in the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games.
Ahead of the opening ceremony of the Games, Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a flurry of face-to-face high-level meetings, highlighting the importance of solidarity, cooperation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The opening ceremony of the 31st FISU World University Games is held in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, July 28, 2023. /CFP
The 19th Asian Games, another multi-sports event hosted by China, was held in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, in September and October.
Addressing a welcoming banquet for foreign guests who attended the opening ceremony of the Games, Xi said the Chinese government and people were confident and capable of delivering a spectacular sports event that showcased Chinese features and celebrated the charm of Asia.
During the 16 days of competitions, around 12,500 athletes from 45 countries and regions produced top-class performances, breaking 13 world records.
Praising the work of the Chinese Olympic Committee, the people of Hangzhou and the Hangzhou organizing committee, Olympic Council of Asia acting president Raja Randhir Singh said the Games were “an unprecedented success.”
The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) on October 17-18, the most important diplomatic event hosted by China in 2023 and the most significant celebration for the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), attracted representatives from over 140 countries and more than 30 international organizations and yielded a total of 458 outcomes, with cooperation agreements worth $97.2 billion concluded.
The BRI, a high-quality public good jointly built by all partners, has delivered nearly $1 trillion of investment, established over 3,000 cooperation projects, created some 420,000 jobs in countries along the routes, and helped lift nearly 40 million people out of poverty in the past decade.
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, October 18, 2023. /Xinhua
Setting an example in major-country relations
China is committed to enhancing coordination and mutual trust between major countries, showing the responsibility a major country should shoulder when facing international affairs.
This approach was exemplified in China-U.S. relations in 2023. Although there were points of friction between the world’s two largest economies, mostly in the first half of the year, frequent exchanges in the second half proved that win-win cooperation is the trend of the times.
In particular, the Xi-Biden summit meeting in November not only enhanced mutual trust and bridged differences, but also promoted multilateral cooperation between Beijing and Washington. Just as President Xi told his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden, “the world is big enough to accommodate both countries, and one country’s success is an opportunity for the other.”
China-Russia relations, an example of a new model of major-country relationship, withstood the uncertainties of a complex international situation and maintained high-level development in 2023.
Xi paid a state visit to Russia in March, where he and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a “frank and fruitful” dialogue and signed joint statements aimed at strengthening the overall China-Russia partnership and deepening cooperation in investment, energy and other fields.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands after jointly signing documents in Moscow, Russia, March 21, 2023. /Xinhua
The two presidents met each other again in Beijing in October when Putin came to China to attend the third BRF, reiterating their consensus on advancing the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.
In December, the prime ministers of the two countries jointly chaired the 28th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government in Beijing, vowing to push for new and greater development of bilateral ties under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.
Writing new chapter for Global South
As the largest developing country in the world and a member of the Global South, China has endeavored to support the rise of emerging markets and developing countries.
Expansion of both the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, two international organizations with majority membership from the Global South, including China, was announced at their summits in July and August, respectively. The expansions are expected to help more Global South countries gain influence, and lead global governance in a more just and equitable direction.
To help Africa, the continent with the largest number of developing countries, realize modernization and prosperity, China initiated a series of plans in 2023, including the Initiative on Supporting Africa’s Industrialization and the Plan for China Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization.
China signed BRI cooperation documents with all 22 Arab nations and the League of Arab States in 2023, and win-win cooperation between China and Latin American countries also yielded fruitful results.
China signed free trade agreements (FTA) with Ecuador and Nicaragua in May and August respectively, and in mid-December the country held the third round of negotiations for an FTA with Honduras. Official data showed that China’s imports from and exports to Latin America grew by 5.1 percent in the first three quarters of 2023, higher than the overall growth rate of China’s foreign trade.
Solving conflicts through dialogue
A central tenet of Chinese diplomacy is the resolution of conflicts through dialogue, and this approach was a key factor in promoting peace in various regions in 2023.
In March, an amazing piece of news surprised the world. Mediated by China, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies. China’s efforts were widely hailed by the international community as a victory for peace and dialogue.
Wang Yi (C), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, attends a closing meeting of the talks between the Saudi delegation led by Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban (L), Saudi Arabia’s minister of state, member of the Council of Ministers and national security advisor, and Iranian delegation led by Admiral Ali Shamkhani (R), secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. /Xinhua
In 2023, the Ukraine crisis continued and a devastating new chapter in the Israel-Palestine conflict unfolded, resulting in severe humanitarian disasters. China set out its stance in papers entitled “China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis” and “Position Paper of the People’s Republic of China on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.”
Both papers advocate dialogue for peace, emphasizing that the interests of relevant parties should be fully considered on the basis of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that peace in the region should be restored as soon as possible through negotiations.
China’s diplomatic practices in 2023 demonstrate that it always has been and continues to be a supporter of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order.
