China urges leaders to build peaceful, stable international environment

China has challenged the G20 members to work together to build a peaceful and stable international environment.

Chinese President Xi Jinping gave the remark in a keynote speech at the opening of the G20 Summit at Hangzhou, China.

Xi, whose speech was entitled: “A New Starting Point for China’s Development: A New Blueprint for Global Growth”, said peace and stability were critical to global development and security.

“History has proven time and again that without peace, there will be no development and without stability, there will be no prosperity.

“Countries are all closely linked in their security. No country can develop solely on its own or resolve all problems without working with others.

‘It is important to reject the outdated Cold War mentality and build a new concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security,” he said.

He called on all countries to cherish the hard-won peace and tranquility and play a constructive role in maintaining global and regional stability.

According to him, all countries should uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, adhere to multilateralism, and settle disagreements and disputes through dialogue and consultation.

Xi also urged countries to seek consensus and dissolve tensions rather than doing the opposite and make the international order more just and equitable, in accordance with the UN Charter.

“China is committed to the path of peaceful development. The logic that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony no longer applies and the willful use of force will lead to nowhere.

“China is the biggest contributor of peacekeepers among the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“The proud sons of the Chinese people are among the UN peacekeepers that gave their lives to the mission of peace in Mali and South Sudan not long ago.

“China will continue to fulfill its international obligations and serve as the builder and defender of world peace,” he said.

In promoting green development, Xi said China aimed to address climate change and overcapacity.

According to him, in the next five years, China’s water and energy consumption as well as carbon dioxide emission per unit of Gross Domestic Product will be cut down by 23 per cent, 15 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.

Xi stressed the need to build an interconnected world economy to forge interactive synergy.

According to him, in the age of economic globalisation, countries are closely linked in their development and they all rise and fall together.

“No country could seek development on its own; and the one sure path is through coordination and cooperation; we need to realise interconnected development by promoting common development of the world economy.”

The Chinese leader challenged the global leaders to build an inclusive world economy to strengthen the foundation for win-win outcomes.

“We need to eradicate poverty and hunger and advance inclusive and sustainable development. This is not just a moral responsibility of the international community,” he said.

According to him, the parties have all committed themselves to working for an early entry into force of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

“We have also formulated joint action plans on energy accessibility, energy efficiency, renewable energy and entrepreneurship, and have strengthened cooperation on food security and agriculture.

“We care for the needs of different social strata and communities, especially the needy, and encourage discussions among countries concerned on public administration and adjustment of redistribution policies.

“We hope to convey a message to the international community that the G20 works for the interest of not just its 20 members, but the whole world.

“We will work to ensure that growth and development benefit all countries and peoples and that the livelihood of all people, especially those in developing countries, will get better day by day.”