Jointly promote the building of the community with a shared future for mankind by China and Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with Chinese President Xi Jinping. File Photo

On Jan 11, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her reelection. On the same day, Chinese Premier of State Council Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Sheikh Hasina on her reelection. China expected that our two countries would make joint efforts to further implement the important consensus President Xi Jinping reached with the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Johannesburg, South Africa, last August, enhance political mutual trust, promote traditional friendship, further synergise development strategies, and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, so as to uplift the China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership of Cooperation to a new height.

China and Bangladesh are both developing countries and populous countries, and both are at a critical stage of their respective development and revitalisation. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially after the reform and opening-up, we have completed the industrialisation process that took Western developed countries hundreds of years, and China created the “two miracles” rarely seen elsewhere in the world, namely rapid economic development and long-term social stability, opening up a broad prospect for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The practice has proved that Chinese Modernisation is the only correct way to construct and rejuvenate a strong nation. Chinese Modernisation breaks the myth of “Modernisation = Westernisation”, shows another picture of modernisation, expands the choices of paths for developing countries towards modernisation, and provides a Chinese solution for mankind’s search for a better social system.

Great transformation is accelerating across the world. Changes of the world, of our times, and of historical significance are unfolding like never before, and the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation. In the face of global risks and challenges, it is hardly possible for any country to stand alone. Only through solidarity and cooperation can we overcome the difficulties of the times. At the recent Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave further Chinese proposals to solve the questions of what kind of world to build and how to build it. I would like to share them with friends from all walks of life in Bangladesh.

On Mar 23, 2013, at the Moscow Institute of International Relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping creatively put forward the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind with a profound grasp of the trend of the times, a broad strategic vision, outstanding political wisdom and a strong sense of responsibility.

In summary, in building a community with a shared future for mankind, the goal is to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity, the pathway is promoting global governance that features extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, the guiding principle is to apply the common values of humanity, the basic underpinning lies in building a new type of international relations, the strategic guidance comes from the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and the platform for action is high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. On this basis, we seek to bring countries together to meet challenges and achieve prosperity for all, and usher in a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

Building a community with a shared future for mankind is the core tenet of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Diplomacy. It is based on our deepening understanding of the laws governing the development of human society, reflects the Chinese Communists’ worldview, perception of order, and values, accords with the common aspiration of people in all countries, and points the direction for the progress of world civilisations. It is also the noble goal pursued by China in conducting major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics for the new era.

Over the past 10 years, the building of a community with a shared future for mankind has expanded from a Chinese initiative to an international consensus, from a beautiful vision to a rich practice, from a conceptual proposition to a scientific system, and has become a glorious banner that leads the way forward in the times. From the bilateral to the multilateral, from the regional to the global level, China has built various forms of communities with a shared future with dozens of countries and regions, and has promoted the building of a community with a shared future in the areas of health, human beings and nature, the Internet and the oceans and seas, achieving fruitful results.

China calls for an equal and orderly multipolar world, forging a broader international consensus, proposing more effective solutions and enhancing the practicality and guidance for building a community with a shared future for humankind. We advocate that the multipolar world should be equal, that is, to insist on the equality of all countries, oppose hegemony and power politics, oppose the monopoly of a few countries in international affairs, and effectively promote the democratisation of international relations. International issues should be resolved through consultation among all countries, and the future and destiny of the world should be in the hands of all countries. We advocate that the multipolarity world should be orderly, that is, to ensure that the process of multipolarity is generally stable and constructive and that all countries, regardless of their size, can play their due and constructive role in it. All countries should jointly abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, adhere to the universally accepted basic norms of international relations and practise genuine multilateralism.

China calls for universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation, maintaining the vitality and momentum of global economic growth, leading economic globalisation in the right direction, and providing a solid foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind. We advocate that economic globalisation should be inclusive, that is, to respond to the universal aspirations of all countries in the world, especially the developing countries, to address the imbalance in development among and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources, to achieve both complete and balanced development, and to promote globalisation that is conducive to the accelerated development of all countries in the world, especially the developing countries. We advocate that economic globalisation should be inclusive, that is, to oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, to resist discriminatory and exclusionary standards and rules, and to support countries in taking a path of development that is in line with their own national conditions, while at the same time joining hands to create common development for all humankind.

Building a community with a shared future for humankind underscores the general trend of history and the direction of the people’s hearts. More and more countries have come to realise that the future of the world should be jointly controlled by all countries and created by all of us hand in hand. We must hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for humankind, forge a broader international consensus on a series of major issues facing today, propose more effective solutions, bring countries together to meet challenges and achieve prosperity for all, and usher in a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for our world.

Over the 52 years since its independence, Bangladesh has always been committed to exploring the path of modernisation in line with its own national conditions and has made commendable achievements. We hope that under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the new Bangladeshi Government will lead the Bangladeshi people to walk faster and steadier on the path of national prosperity and rejuvenation. Our two nations are set to embrace a historic opportunity to further elevate bilateral relations and friendly cooperation in various fields next year, which marks the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties. China is willing to work with Bangladesh to enhance political mutual trust, promote traditional friendship, further synergise development strategies, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and expand new cooperation in a wider range of areas, including higher levels of connectivity, renewable energy, the Blue Economy, financial stability, digital empowerment, scientific and technological innovation, agriculture and food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable development, and so on. We will work together to achieve common development and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.