It is with great pleasure and honor that I participate in the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. I believe that the consensus and recommendations reached at this forum should be taken seriously by all countries and transformed into feasible policy actions, so as to jointly build a better world for ourselves and for future generations.

▲ (Beijing Xiangshan Forum). 

Since the end of the Cold War, the international landscape has been undergoing profound changes. The unipolar world order once dominated by a single hegemon no longer exists while the rise of multiple regional powers is inevitable, and the tide of multipolarity is unstoppable. This historic turning point raises a core question: will the advent of a multipolar world open up a new future for humankind, or will it carry the risk of triggering another Cold War?

At present, we are witnessing intensifying major power rivalry, power struggles, and strategic competition. In some regions, the situation is becoming increasingly unpredictable, even plunging into the abyss of conflict, with spillover effects imposing unexpected costs and consequences on many countries. Against this backdrop, the question we must ask ourselves is: do we allow this instability and confrontation to spread, shaping the future of human society? Or do we guide the world back onto the path of peaceful coexistence? These are precisely the issues we are addressing during this year’s Xiangshan Forum.

On September 1, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative, which provides a new paradigm for managing the current turbulence. While the vast majority of countries generally uphold the UN-centered governance framework and the principles of peaceful coexistence, there remain some states that apply them selectively or refuse to be bound by them.

In this context, the strategic value of the Global Governance Initiative becomes clear: it emphasizes sovereign equality, respect for international law, and adherence to multilateralism. In my view, what makes the initiative innovative is precisely its emphasis on putting people at the center. This is crucial, because whatever decisions governments make ultimately affects the people.

It is also important to stress that the Global Governance Initiative seeks practical outcomes rather than empty rhetoric. It aims to deliver tangible benefits to the world. Therefore, the international community must give serious consideration and undertake a comprehensive assessment of the concepts advanced by this initiative.

The world is now at a historical crossroads, facing unprecedented multiple risks and challenges. Security threats are rising sharply, local conflicts are erupting frequently, and climate change together with extreme environmental events is intensifying. Confronted with these overlapping challenges, we must adopt new ideas that seek to build consensus and enhance cooperation, rather than create divisions and widen differences.

We also need the Global Security Initiative proposed by China. Its vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security is of decisive importance. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected; all states should be treated as equals in the international system. Today we must adhere to the UN Charter and strengthen UN institutions, rather than withdraw from them or abandon international treaties for narrow national interests. Territorial disputes and other conflicts must be resolved peacefully, giving full scope to diplomatic dialogue, rather than resorting to force. The use of force is never the right way to resolve disputes—it only exacerbates them. What we truly need is the peaceful settlement of differences through bilateral, regional, and international mechanisms.

In today’s world, we face not only traditional military and defense threats, but also a wide range of non-traditional security challenges. We must establish systems for early warning, rapid intervention, and prompt prevention of risks before they escalate into full-scale wars. At the same time, we need to build a security governance framework grounded in mutual understanding and multilateral cooperation, in order to effectively address both traditional and non-traditional security threats.

What the world needs is a peaceful international stage and platforms for dialogue and consultation, not an arena for power competition. This is the only way to achieve lasting peace. Every country has the responsibility to respect others’ core interests and major concerns. No state should interfere in another’s internal affairs or attempt to take sides in a way that would worsen tensions.

What the international community needs is for major-power relations to move in a positive direction, creating an environment conducive to growth and peaceful coexistence. Many countries are unwilling to be forced into making choices, to follow the tide, or to be caught in dilemmas between stronger powers. Therefore, small and medium-sized countries should pursue diverse and pragmatic policies that balance sovereignty, independence, and development needs.

Most importantly, we must uphold multilateralism and reject unilateralism. Moving beyond traditional axis-based structures, all nations should seek strategic balance and economic resilience. Ultimately, all countries should be brought together into a community of shared future—partners in common development and progress, not vassals subject to hegemonic ambitions.

The article(Chinese edition) was first published at Global Times, China, Sep. 22, 2025, https://m.huanqiu.com/article/4OQB43g12d2.