By Li Jie
THE United Nations has had a bumpy ride over the past three quarters of a century. With both advantages and limitations, no one can deny that the UN has evolved into the most representative, authoritative and full-fledged cooperation platform that is the centerpiece of global governance and the international system.
It has made indelible contributions to maintaining world peace and promoting sustainable development and made possible the wide acceptance of a people-centered philosophy, and a broad consensus on the need for mutually beneficial cooperation. It has driven home that in an era of intertwined traditional and non-traditional security threats with interconnected interests of all countries, the world is increasingly an indivisible community with a shared future.
Building a stronger UN
Now the world has seen profound shifts, accentuated by the enormous impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Economic globalization faces unprecedented headwinds. Protectionism and bullying are resurging. Deficits in governance, trust, peace and development are widening. International rules and multilateral mechanisms are under attack, and the international landscape is filled with uncertainties and destabilizing factors. The road to common prosperity remains tortuous.
That said, we must recognize that peace and development are the prevailing trend of our times. Globalization and multi-polarization are moving forward despite twists and turns, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is gathering momentum.
To build a stronger UN, it is crucial to adhere to multilateralism. The contemporary international order, which is based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, is virtually made possible by the vision and practice of multilateralism. To uphold multilateralism in the new era, the following principles need to be followed:
Adhering to international law and universally recognized norms governing international relations. Practicing multilateralism is, first and foremost, about upholding the UN Charter. Past experience shows that adherence to the charter brings tranquility. When its principles were flouted, put aside or applied selectively, the results were catastrophic: conflict, chaos, death, disillusion and mistrust.
At a time when the world is wrestling with the COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions and growing climate disruption, the charter points the way to the solidarity we need today and across generations. Our shared challenge is to do far better in upholding the charter’s values and principles, adhering to the framework that has kept us together. State-to-state relations, therefore, should observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, honor agreements, and be based on credibility, not impulse or willful revocation of commitments.
China opposes any acts of arbitrary distortion of international law. A selective or utilitarian approach, which smacks of hegemony, can never be accepted. Bullying tactics like long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions are rejected. Promoting peace and development. No matter what approach they take, all acts of multilateralism should lead, as their ultimate objective, to the promotion of world peace and development.
If the West enjoys prosperity and progress while the rest are mired in backwardness, multilateralism can never be truly implemented and the common progress of humanity would never be possible. In a globalized era, the circle of development beneficiaries will be extended. Only when more countries get to develop can the international community be empowered and there be more partners in our joint response to challenges.
China respects the choices of Western countries, and will draw on the experience of developed countries to work for shared prosperity. The West also needs to eschew its subconscious belief in the superiority of its civilization, and abandon its prejudices and anxieties against China. It needs to respect the choices of the Chinese people, and accept the growth of a major country in the East, for China’s development and rejuvenation is an important part of human progress and embodies the colorful diversity brought by multilateralism.
Living up to the overarching principles of fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. Equality and mutual respect are important tenets of multilateralism. We must abandon ideological prejudices and the outdated Cold War mentality, respect other countries’ choice of development paths, and oppose imposing one’s own values on others.
– The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
