Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,
Welcome to the Chinese Embassy to attend the “China's Global Initiatives and China-PNG Cooperation” symposium.
In today's world, transformations unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace. The international situation has become more complex and fluid. The global economic recovery remains sluggish. Unilateralism and protectionism are rampant. Crises related to energy, food, and debt are intensifying. The Cold War mindset is resurging. Hotspot issues have emerged one after another. Non-traditional security challenges, such as terrorism, cyber attacks, transnational crimes, and biosecurity are increasing. Certain developed countries have backtracked in climate change policy. Global climate governance is more urgently needed.
In the face of these unprecedented challenges, people are asking the question of the times, “What kind of world should we build, and how should we build it?”. Chinese President Xi Jinping has given the answer, that is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. This concept advocates for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally-beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, upholds the principles of openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit, win-win results, and fairness and justice. Guided by this concept, President Xi proposed the Three Global Initiatives, which are the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. These initiatives guide the progress of human society across these three dimensions, offering China’s solutions to major challenges pertaining to peace and development for humanity.
The Global Development Initiative was proposed in 2021. This initiative aims to accelerate the implementation of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It stays committed to six core principles, namely, development as a priority, a people-centered approach, benefits for all, innovation-driven development, harmony between man and nature, and results-oriented actions. It aims to promote international cooperation in eight key areas including poverty alleviation, food security, pandemic response and vaccines, development financing, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy and connectivity. The initiative gives priority to the development and revitalization of the Global South.
To implement this initiative, China hosted the High-level Dialogue on Global Development and two sessions of the High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development, set up the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund with a total of 4 billion US dollars, launched the China-FAO Third South-South Cooperation Trust Fund with 50 million US dollars, and set up the Global Development Promotion Center. Once proposed, the Global Development Initiative received widespread support from the international community. More than 100 countries and international organizations have expressed support for the initiative, with over 80 countries participating in the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative.
The Global Security Initiative was proposed in 2022. Through this initiative, China seeks to work with the international community in upholding the spirit of the UN Charter, and calls for adapting to the profound changes in the international landscape through solidarity, addressing traditional and non-traditional security risks and challenges with a win-win approach, and creating a new path to security that features dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win results over zero-sum games.
The core principles of the Global Security Initiative are the “six commitments”, which are staying committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, and maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains. Pacific island countries are one of the priorities of cooperation under the Initiative. The Initiative calls for more attention to the special situation and legitimate concerns of Pacific island countries in regard to climate change, natural disasters and public health, supports the efforts of Pacific island countries to address global challenges, and to implement the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and provide more materials, funds and talents to help island countries improve their ability to deal with non-traditional security threats.
The Global Security Initiative has been widely welcomed by the international community. More than 100 countries and international and regional organizations have expressed support for the initiative. The initiative and its core concepts have been written into more than 90 bilateral and multilateral documents between China and other countries and international organizations.
The Global Civilization Initiative was proposed in 2023. Through this initiative, China calls for jointly advocating respect for the diversity of civilizations, jointly advocating the common values of humanity, jointly advocating the importance of continuity and evolution of civilizations, and jointly advocating closer international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
In contrast to the claims of so called “clash of civilizations” or “superiority of certain civilizations”, the Global Civilization Initiative firmly stands by the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations. It emphasizes the importance of cultural exchanges transcending estrangement, mutual learning transcending clashes, and coexistence transcending feelings of superiority. Last June, a resolution proposed by China based on the initiative was unanimously adopted by the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, designating June 10th as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.
Dear friends,
The Three Global Initiatives fully embody China's consistent idea of international cooperation and meet the needs of the pacific island countries for stability and development.
Firstly, the Three Global Initiatives focus on improving people's wellbeing. China believes that what we do should always be for the people and by the people. The ultimate goal is to meet the people's aspirations for a better life. The Three Global Initiatives uphold the fundamental value of putting the people first. The Global Development Initiative emphasizes ensuring and improving people's wellbeing, protecting and promoting human rights, and achieving well-rounded development of people. The Global Security Initiative aims to build a world that is free from fear and enjoys universal security, where all people can live a happy life. The Global Civilization Initiative is aimed at increasing understanding and friendship among peoples and jointly advancing the development and progress of human civilization.
Secondly, the Three Global Initiatives uphold equality and inclusiveness. All countries in the world, regardless of their size, are equal. They enjoy equal rights to development, and have the right and ability to take the path of modernization that suits their own national conditions. The Three Global Initiatives reject zero-sum games and the imposition of one’s will on others, emphasize equality and mutual respect, advocate common values and embrace multiculturalism. The Three Initiatives encourage all countries to work together to explore feasible solutions to common challenges, on the basis of seeking common ground while reserving differences and preserving the diversity of systems and democracy of different countries.
Thirdly, the Three Global Initiatives build on concrete actions. They are not mere slogans but real measures that bring tangible benefits to all participants. As of last October, under the Global Development Initiative, nearly 20 billion US dollars has been invested and mobilized in development funds and over 1100 projects were carried out. Under the Global Security Initiative, China made active efforts for the restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran and brought Palestinian factions together for reconciliation talks. China provided substantial disaster relief to pacific islands countries including PNG and Vanuatu which suffered severe natural disasters. We have sent medical teams and medical ships to provide services to pacific islands countries. In the field of civilization, China has launched dozens of cultural and tourism years or festivals with various countries, and promoted the continuous development of 16 multilateral mechanisms including the BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting, and 25 bilateral cooperation frameworks.
Dear friends,
We welcome PNG's active participation in the Three Global Initiatives. In 2022, PNG joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative. In March 2023, Prime Minister Hon. James Marape attended the High-Level Meeting of the Communist Party of China in Dialogue with World Political Parties online and witnessed the announcement of the Global Civilization Initiative. During his official visit to China in October 2023, the Joint Statement issued by the two sides affirmed that “Papua New Guinea welcomes and supports the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and stands ready to work with China in building a community with a shared future for mankind”. During the visit, the two sides also signed the MoU on Enhancing Development Cooperation and Promoting Global Development Initiative. In March 2024, PNG joined the Global Development Promotion Center Network.
In recent years, guided by the idea of the Three Global Initiatives, China-PNG practical cooperation has achieved fruitful outcomes.
In 2024, the trade volume between China and PNG exceeded 17.8 billion Kina. PNG enjoyed a trade surplus of over 7.5 billion Kina. A number of infrastructure and livelihood projects were actively advanced by our two sides.
In 2024, China provided the PNG Government with 1.2 million US dollars cash assistance and substantial disaster relief supplies. This January, China handed over equipment for the China-Aid Anti-Drug Laboratory to PNG, which will enhance PNG’s capacity to combat drug crimes.
In 2024, the direct flight between Guangzhou and Port Moresby increased to three times a week. Over 20 recipients of the Chinese Government Scholarship and 54 recipients of PNG “STEM Scholarship” went to China for studies. The friendship between our peoples further deepened.
Dear friends,
Last July, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China reasserted that China will further deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. China's reform is an ongoing process with no endpoint. China will continue to expand high-level opening up and provide development opportunities for all countries.
Last week and this week, the annual sessions of China's National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference were successfully convened in Beijing. The two sessions outlined China's main targets for economic and social development this year, including GDP growth of around 5 percent, over 12 million new urban jobs, an around 2 percent increase in the consumer price index, grain output of around 700 million tons and a drop of around 3 percent in energy consumption per unit of GDP. China's economy has a stable foundation, numerous strengths, remarkable resilience and vast potential. The dominating trend of a sound Chinese economy for the long term and the elements supporting it have not changed.
China stays committed to the path of peaceful development and remains firm in pursuing a strategy of opening up for mutual benefit. We stand against hegemony or power politics and oppose unilateralism and protectionism in any form. Recently, the U.S. Government announced that it would impose additional tariff on most goods from China because of the so called “fentanyl issue”. China firmly opposes this move and has taken legitimate and necessary countermeasures. In fact, China is one of the world’s strictest countries on counternarcotics. The U.S. has sought to vilify and shift the blame to China, and is seeking to press and blackmail China with tariff hikes. This is not going to solve the U.S. problem. Trade and tariff wars have no winners. The unilateral tariff hikes by the U.S. will finally harm the interests of itself and the world, including PNG.
Dear friends,
China has a huge market, advanced technology and complete manufacturing capacity, while PNG boasts rich resources and abundant labour forces. Our two countries enjoy strong economic complementarity and enormous potential for cooperation. The Three Global Initiatives have opened up new space and provided new opportunities for China-PNG cooperation. To implement the important consensus between our leaders, China would like to explore and expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation under the framework of the Three Global Initiatives, enriching the China-PNG comprehensive strategic partnership and building a community with a shared future for mankind together.
In the field of development cooperation, China stands ready to support PNG in making good use of platforms such as the Global Development Promotion Center Network and strengthen policy exchanges and practical cooperation under relevant bilateral MoUs. We will actively explore the ‘China-PNG+’ model of tripartite cooperation, and deepen cooperation in the areas including trade and investment, infrastructure, energy and minerals, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, downstream processing, information and communication technology, to improve PNG’s economic development and wellbeing of its people.
In the field of security cooperation, China is prepared to deepen traditional and non-traditional security cooperation with PNG, and provide more support to PNG in tackling climate change, responding to natural disasters and improving public health. Our two sides could hold discussions for signing relevant documents for cooperation under the Global Security Initiative. We are also willing to strengthen defense relations and policing cooperation with PNG to support PNG's capacity building and improving law and order situation.
In the field of people-to-people exchanges, we will build on existing fruitful cooperation, and further deepen civilization exchanges and mutual understanding between our two sides, including promoting exchanges of art groups, libraries, museums and other institutions, and expanding cooperation in tourism. We encourage more visa facilitation measures, and hope that the PNG side could agree with the visa-on-arrival arrangement for Chinese ordinary passports holders at an early date to further facilitate the people-to-people exchanges.
Dear friends,
Facing mounting global crises and challenges, no country can stand unaffected. All countries must join hands to move forward. In the pursuit of peace and stability, material sufficiency, and cultural-ethical enrichment, China will be the most reliable partner of all countries, including PNG. We will work with PNG and all other friends to actively implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind and to bring benefit for the whole world.
Thank you all.