Stay True to Multilateralism and Contribute to World Prosperity

Stay True to Multilateralism and Contribute to World Prosperity*

November 17, 2020

Across the world, Covid-19 is posing a grave threat to people’s lives and health. The global public health system is facing a severe test. Human society is experiencing the most serious pandemic in the past century. International trade and investment have shrunk considerably. The flow of people and goods is impeded. Uncertainty and instability are mounting. The world economy has been hit by the worst recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Unilateralism, protectionism and abuse of the weak by the strong have intensified, and the deficit in governance, trust, development and peace is growing.

Despite all these challenges, we remain convinced that the underlying trend of our times – peace and development – has not changed, and that the trend towards multi-polarity and economic globalization is irreversible. We must keep people’s wellbeing close to our hearts and strive to build a global community of shared future. With concrete actions, we can make the world a better place for everyone.

First, we need to stay true to multilateralism, and safeguard global peace and stability.

History teaches us that multilateralism, equity and justice will keep war and conflict at bay, while unilateralism and power politics can only foment dispute and exacerbate confrontation. Flouting rules and laws, pursuing unilateralism, abusing the weak, and withdrawing from international organizations and agreements run counter to the will of the people of the world and trample on the legitimate rights and dignity of all countries.

Facing the choice between multilateralism and unilateralism, and between justice and hegemony, we BRICS countries must stand up for equity and justice. We must uphold multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We must endeavor to safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law. It is important that countries rise above ideology and respect each other’s choice of social system, economic model, and development path that suit their national conditions. We should pursue common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We should address differences through consultation and negotiation. We should oppose interference in others’ internal affairs, unilateral sanctions, and overreach in cross-border jurisdiction. With concerted efforts, we can foster a peaceful and stable environment for development.

Second, we should reinforce solidarity and coordination and meet the Covid-19 challenge together.

Covid-19 is still wreaking havoc in many places, and waves of infection are resurging. Securing a global victory against the pandemic remains a daunting challenge. Close to one year into the battle, many countries have gained valuable experience in pandemic containment and made encouraging advances in drugs and vaccine research and development. Our fight over these past months demonstrates that as long as we stand in unity and follow the guidance of science, we can stem the spread of the virus and minimize its impact.

We should put people’s lives and health first, pool all available resources, and do everything we can to protect people’s safety and wellbeing. We should step up international coordination and response, and share information and epidemic control experience to stop the transmission of the virus. We should also support the WHO’s crucial leadership role in this endeavor.

As I speak, Chinese companies are working with their Russian and Brazilian partners on phase-III clinical trials of vaccines, and we are prepared to cooperate with South Africa and India as well. China has joined the COVAX Facility, a platform on which we will share vaccines with other countries, developing countries in particular. We will actively consider providing vaccines to BRICS countries when the need arises. To support the development of the BRICS Vaccine R&D Center, China has set up its national center. We will work with other BRICS countries both online and offline to advance collective vaccine research and trials, build plants, authorize production, and recognize each other’s standards. I propose that we convene a BRICS symposium on traditional medicine to explore its role in Covid-19 prevention and treatment. This will boost the global arsenal against Covid-19.

Recent events have shown that politicization, stigmatization, blame-shifting and scapegoating only serve to disrupt overall global cooperation in the fight against the virus. We need to eliminate division through unity, replace bias with reasoning, and stamp out the “politicization of the virus”. By doing so, we will build a powerful global synergy to beat the virus.

Third, we need to remain open, encourage innovation, and promote global economic recovery.

The International Monetary Fund predicts that the world economy will shrink by 4.4 percent this year, and that emerging markets and developing countries will experience negative growth for the first time in 60 years. To stabilize the economy while responding to the pandemic is a pressing task facing all countries. While ensuring safety, we need to promote economic recovery and carry out economic and social activities in an orderly manner as we carry out virus control as part of our regular work. To resume business activities and pursue economic recovery in our countries, we need to strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination, facilitate cross-border flows of people and goods, and keep industrial and supply chains reliable and unimpeded.

Those who exploit the pandemic in pursuit of deglobalization or clamor for economic decoupling or parallel systems will only end up hurting their own interests and the common interests of all. Now, more than ever, we need to stand firm for building an open world economy. We need to uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core and reject protectionism under the pretext of so-called national security. We need to begin with new business forms and models triggered by the pandemic, strengthen cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, and nurture an open, fair, equitable and nondiscriminatory business environment. This will enable us to achieve common development of greater resilience and higher quality.

China will work with you to accelerate the establishment of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution. We will open in Xiamen, Fujian Province, an innovation center of the partnership, to advance cooperation in policy coordination, personnel training, and project development, and our fellow BRICS countries are welcome to join us. Not long ago, China launched a Global Initiative on Data Security, which aims to foster a peaceful, secure, open, cooperative and orderly cyberspace to enable sound growth of the digital economy. We hope our fellow BRICS countries will support this initiative.

Fourth, we need to prioritize people’s wellbeing in our efforts for sustainable global development.

Development holds the key to resolving all problems. All our efforts, whether eliminating the impact of Covid-19, getting back to a normal life, or ending conflicts and humanitarian crises, ultimately depend on people-centered development. According to a World Bank forecast, global per capita income will drop 3.6 percent this year, and 88 million to 115 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty by the pandemic.

Covid-19 is a challenge we must face head-on. We should call on the international community to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a top priority in international cooperation. Poverty eradication must be our primary goal, and more resources must be channeled to poverty reduction, education, public health, and infrastructure. We need to support the UN in playing a coordinating role and foster an equality-based global partnership for more balanced development, so that the fruits will be shared by more developing countries and the needs of underprivileged groups will be better addressed.

Fifth, we need to pursue green and low-carbon development, and promote harmony between humanity and nature.

Global warming will not stop just because of Covid-19. To respond to climate change, we must never relax our efforts. We need to implement the Paris Agreement in good faith, stick to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and provide more help to developing countries, particularly the small island developing states. China is ready to assume its international responsibilities as far as its current level of development permits, and will continue to make every effort to address climate change. I recently announced at the UN China’s initiative to scale up our nationally determined contributions and adopt more forceful policies and measures to achieve peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060. China will keep its promise.

* Part of the speech at the 12th BRICS Summit.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)