During his speech at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister (FM) Wang Yi called on the international community to make every effort for peace and development, warning that the “world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation, and changes unseen in a century are accelerating.”
He simultaneously noted, however, he added that this era is also “full of hope,” saying that “peace and development” remain “the underlying trend of the times,” and that the global “call for progress and cooperation” is “getting louder than ever before.”
Wang stated that China’s “answer” on “how to respond to the call of the times” and “build a community with a shared future for mankind” is “firm,” and suggested a six-step process.
China has decided to launch a domestic procedure to ratify the UN's Firearms Protocol, a step that will contribute to strengthening global cooperation on gun control and closing the security deficit: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sat during 77th UNGA pic.twitter.com/sCohbvGk1g
— Zhang Heqing张和清 (@zhang_heqing) September 25, 2022
According to Wang’s plan, countries must first “uphold peace and oppose war and turbulence.” To this end, he called on all member states “to remain committed to addressing differences through peaceful means and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation.”
Second, they must “pursue development and eliminate poverty.” According to Wang, “everyone in every country benefits more from the fruits of development in a more equitable way.”
Third, they must “remain open and oppose exclusion.” He added that the international community should “uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core and endeavour to build an open world economy.”
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi today delivered a warmly welcomed speech at the general debate of the UN General Assembly #UNGA. pic.twitter.com/XkKUD1Uojx
— Zhang Jun (@ChinaAmbUN) September 24, 2022
Fourth, countries must engage in cooperation and oppose confrontation. The diplomat urged countries “to engage in dialogue, consultation and win-win cooperation, and reject conflict, coercion and zero-sum game.” He also called on member states to “jointly oppose group politics and bloc confrontation.” He added that the international community must also “stand against drawing lines on ideological grounds, and work together to expand common ground and convergence of interests.”
Lastly, he suggested that members should “uphold equity and oppose bullying,” asserting that we should practice “true multilateralism, promote equality of all countries in terms of rights, rules and opportunities, and build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity and justice, and win-win cooperation.”
SC&FM Wang Yi declared at #UNGA: China has decided to launch its domestic procedure to ratify the UN’s Firearms Protocol, a step to implement #theGlobalSecurityInitiative and defend intl and regional peace & stability. pic.twitter.com/cZijOdwSLz
— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) September 26, 2022
Addressing the controversial issue of Taiwan and its possible invasion by China, Wang stressed that the island has been “an inalienable part” of Chinese territory “since ancient times.” “China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity has never been severed, and the fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and [the] same China has never changed,” he declared, adding, “The Chinese have never ceased their efforts to realise China’s reunification.”
In this regard, Wang said that Beijing will continue its efforts “to achieve peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and greatest efforts.” He avowed that in order to realise this goal, China will combat “Taiwan independence” separatist activities “with the firmest resolve” and “take the most forceful steps to repulse interference by external groups.” “Any scheme to interfere in China’s internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all the Chinese, and any move to obstruct China’s cause of reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history,” Wang affirmed.
Turning to domestic politics, the FM announced that the ruling Communist Party of China will convene its 20th National Congress in Beijing next month. He said that during its meeting, the Congress will set “well-conceived goals and tasks for China’s development in the next five years… and that it will draw an overarching plan for [its] future development.”
He also used the occasion to announce that Beijing is set to ratify the United Nations’ Firearms Protocol, a move that will help strengthen “global cooperation on gun control and closing the security deficit.”
Wang concluded his speech by saying that Beijing intends to pursue a path “of peace and development” and “not one of plunder and colonialism.” “It is a path of win-win cooperation, not one of zero-sum game; and it is one of harmony between man and nature, not one of destructive exploitation of resources,” he declared.