Inclusiveness and cooperation essential to deal with common challenges

General view shows the G20 heads of state and government attend a roundtable meeting during the G20 Summit in Rome, Italy, on Oct 30, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] 

It is not overstating the situation to say that humanity's survival is now at stake. And it is evident and imperative that concerted efforts must be forthcoming if we are to overcome the grave challenges we collectively face.

This is the call for action President Xi Jinping made via video link at the Rome Summit of the G20 on Saturday.

Of the five areas President Xi suggested the G20 members prioritize, the first is combating the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been ravaging the entire world for nearly two years.

Global solidarity is important not least because the stigmatizing of the virus and politicizing of the origin tracing efforts by some countries have disrupted the global joint endeavor that could have brought the virus under control much earlier.

The second area that requires the joint efforts of the world's major economies is the recovery of the global economy, which has been seriously impacted by the pandemic.

Among other things, President Xi proposed holding an international forum on resilient and stable industrial and supply chains that he also encouraged relevant international organizations to participate in.

This is particularly important as safe and stable industrial and supply chains ensure the smooth functioning of the global economy, the healthy development of which is essential for the well-being of people in all countries.

Common development is the third area on which President Xi called for the G20 members to focus their collective attention. How well the world's major economies coordinate their policies will be key to the sound implementation of the Action Plan for Sustainable Development. It will also decide whether the Initiative on Supporting Industrialization in Africa and Least Developed Countries will be implemented to the letter.

It is obvious that China as a responsible country is concerned with how global development can be promoted in an equitable, effective and fair manner so that no country will be left behind.

President Xi also called for the G20 members to promote innovation-driven growth as the fourth area requiring concerted efforts. Drawing ideological lines to split the world into different cliques will do no good to tapping the potential of scientific and technological innovations to tackle the pandemic, climate change and other common challenges.

And climate change was the fifth area demanding the joint efforts of the G20 members, Xi said. He called for the developed countries to set a good example with their emissions reduction efforts and to accommodate the difficulties and concerns of developing countries. He also called for the implementation of all agreements and conventions reached on responding to the climate change.

What President Xi was essentially calling for was inclusiveness and cooperation. Humanity is facing unprecedented challenges, which will not be overcome unless all countries work together in solidarity.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of Qiushi Journal.