context: The Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing on 27-28 December 2023.
Qiushi published a speech by Wang Yi 王毅 Politburo member and Foreign Minister on 16 January 2024 citing the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs.
The conference urged 'an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation'. In his speech, Wang elaborated inter alia on these proposals, deeming them 'highly relevant to the issues of the day'.
Multipolarity, he claimed, is the general trend of the world today
- the international balance of power is being realigned
- the Global South impacts the trajectory of the world history in a profound way
- a great majority of the international community supports a multipolar world and rejects the old path of bloc confrontation and zero-sum competition
- consensus is yet to emerge on how to advance the multipolar process, and in what way states participate in and facilitate this process
The multipolar world the PRC champions, he explained, is
- one based on equality, which means that
- all states, regardless of their size, are treated as equals
- hegemonism and power politics are rejected
- international affairs are not dominated by only a handful of countries
- 'democracy' is truly promoted in international relations
- every country or group of countries should have its place in the multipolar system
- one based on order, which means that
- the progress toward greater multipolarity should be stable and constructive
- it should be a historical process in which countries choose solidarity over division, communication over confrontation, and cooperation over conflict
- if all countries practice true multilateralism, multipolarity will not lead to turbulence or disorder
Wang stated that economic globalisation is
- an inherent requirement of developing productive forces
- a natural result of scientific and technological advancement
- a sure path to human progress
- an irreversible trend of the times
Economic globalisation the PRC advocates, he continued, is
- one that is universally beneficial, which means
- meeting the common needs of all countries, especially the developing ones
- addressing the development imbalances between and within countries
- delivering balanced and adequate development
- one that is inclusive, which means
- supporting all countries in pursuing development paths suited to their national realities
- jointly promoting the common development of the entire humanity