A Call to Green and Robust Development

China put forward new proposals at the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly before the celebration of its national day celebration, calling for peaceful progress and sustainable growth.

On the festive occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it augurs well that the Chinese leadership and people are fully in alignment with the peaceful progress of maintaining China’s sovereignty and national independence while respecting international laws and promoting common development.

Given the new geo-economic, geopolitical, and geostrategic changes, this year’s National Day celebration is falling upon an interesting juncture of China in cultivating a holistic approach of breaking deeper grounds of multilateralism and globalization.

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed the general debate of the 76th session of the General Assembly of United Nation via video link on September 21, during which he shared thoughts on how to grapple with global challenges, especially while the COVID-19 pandemic still rages across the world, as well as giving no ground for insidious political manipulation. President Xi’s narrative at the General Assembly made everybody sit up and take notice when he came up with proposals that predominantly constitute a fresh Chinese solution championing the cause of sustainable global growth, economic recovery, and minimizing disparities among countries amid the turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. China has a lot to offer the world at this joyous occasion of its National Day celebration, as it gears up to take the center stage in global affairs.

“Democracy is not a special right reserved to an individual country, but a right for the people of all countries to enjoy,” is a remark Xi made in his address, demonstrating the Chinese stance as a responsible global player that has capability to guide global development without interference and politicization. Recent global developments show once again that military intervention from the outside and so-called democratic transformation entail nothing but harm.

It is high time now to understand with lucid clarity what is meant by building a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, equity, justice, and win-win cooperation, and doing the best to “expand the convergence of interests,” and “achieve the biggest synergy possible.” Xi won the hearts of many by stating, “One country’s success does not have to mean another country’s failure, and the world is big enough to accommodate common development and progress of all countries.” It is acknowledged worldwide that differences and problems among countries need to be handled through dialogue and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

President Xi also proposed a six-pronged Global Development Initiative in his speech including staying committed to development as a priority, staying committed to a people-centric approach, staying committed to benefits for all, staying committed to innovation-driven development, staying committed to harmony between man and nature, and staying committed to results-oriented actions. Xi’s wisdom shared at the UNGA should be prioritized particularly in the sense when he said, “We should always put people and their lives first,” also adding that, “We need to respect science.” He further stated that China will continue to support and engage in global science-based initiatives, and stands firmly opposed to political maneuvering in whatever form.

Regarding the need to accelerate the transition to a green and low-carbon economy and achieve green recovery and development, President Xi drew the world leaders’ attention by highlighting that China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

People around the world can clearly see that China is sticking to its path of peaceful development, and advocating a diplomacy that opposes hegemony, power politics, aggression, and expansion in whatever form, as well as encroachments perpetrated by one country on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another, or interference in the internal affairs of another nation under the pretext of ethnic, religious, or human rights issues.

China sincerely hopes to establish and develop friendly ties and cooperative relationships with all countries on the basis of peaceful coexistence. Attaching great importance to enhanced unity and cooperation with developing countries, China is vigorously exploring ways to engage in mutually complementary cooperation with other developing nations in the economic, trade, scientific, and technological sectors, and carrying out expanded consultations and cooperation with them regarding international issues in order to maintain the rights and interests of all developing countries.

China, the world’s largest developing country and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, stands ready to make unremitting efforts to ensure world peace and development, and the establishment of a new fair and equitable international political and economic order based on peace and stability.

Yasir Habib Khan is special correspondent of China Today in Pakistan. He is also founder and president of Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR).