On July 11-12, An article by Chinese Ambassador Yang Titled "Carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, building together a community with a shared future for mankind" was publish in the Lesotho times, Public eye and Post. Here is the full text:
On June 28, China held the Conference Marking the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, President Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered an important address. He expounded on the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and their relevance for our times, pointed the direction for building a community with a shared future for mankind amid major global transformation, and voiced a strong message of the Global South to work with people around the world for a better future.
The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence answered the call of the times, and its initiation was an inevitable historic development. In the wake of the Second World War, national independence and liberation movements swept across the globe, and the colonial system around the world crumbled and collapsed. At the same time, the world was overshadowed by the dark clouds of the Cold War and menaced by the rampant clamors that “Might is right.” Newly independent countries aspired to safeguard their sovereignty and grow their national economy. New China followed the principle of independence, actively sought peaceful coexistence with all countries, and endeavored to improve its external environment, especially in its neighborhood. Against this backdrop, the Chinese leadership specified the Five Principles in their entirety for the first time, namely, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. These principles have since been incorporated into a series of important international documents and widely recognized and observed by the international community.
Over the past 70 years, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have transcended time and space and overcome estrangement, showing robust resilience and everlasting relevance. They have become open, inclusive, and universally applicable basic norms for international relations and fundamental principles of international law. Moreover, these Principles have made indelible historic contributions to the cause of human progress.
The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have set a historic benchmark for international relations and international rule of law, and served as the prime guidance for the establishment and development of relations between countries with different social systems. They have been a powerful rallying force behind the efforts of developing countries to pursue cooperation and self-strength through unity, and contributed historic wisdom to the reform and improvement of the international order.
The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century. Countries are turning into a community of shared future. However, injustice and inequality in international relations keep emerging, unilateralism is rampant, and there is still a long way to go to maintain world peace and promote common development.
With the intertwined destinies of countries and the shared and fundamental interests of all peoples in mind, President Xi put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, providing a new answer to what kind of world to build and how to build it. This is the best way to inherit, advance and enrich the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence under new circumstances. The Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind carries forward the same spirit of the Five Principles. Both are rooted in traditional Chinese value, both attest to China’s diplomatic tenets of self-confidence, self-reliance, justice, protection of the disadvantaged, and benevolence, both demonstrate the broad vision of the Communist Party of China to contribute more to humanity. From the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence to building a community with a shared future for mankind, we have remained consistent in the exploration for new ways of state-to-state relations, remained committed to our responsibility in upholding world peace and development, remained steadfast in pursuing a just and equitable international order.
Daily gains contribute to monthly progress; small steps add up to a thousand miles. Over the decades, we have witnessed the Five Principles expanding from bilateral to multilateral, from Asia to the world. Going forward, the great cause of building a community with a shared future for mankind cannot do without the support and participation of all progressive forces in the world, it requires the Global South to stay ahead of the historical trend.
Together, we should be the staunch force for peace. We should promote peaceful settlement of international disputes, and participate constructively in the political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues. Together, we should be the core driving force for open development. We should restore development as the central international agenda item, reinvigorate global partnerships for development, and deepen South-South cooperation as well as North-South dialogue. Together, we should be the construction team of global governance. We should actively participate in reforming and developing the global governance system, expand the common interests of all sides, and make the global governance architecture more balanced and effective. Together, we should be the advocates for exchange among civilizations. We should enhance inter-civilization communication and dialogue, and strengthen experience sharing on governance. We should deepen exchanges in education, science, technology and culture as well as subnational, people-to-people and youth interactions.
To better support Global South cooperation, President Xi announced eight measures, which include but not limited to, establishing a Global South research center, launching a Global South youth leaders program, supporting agricultural development of the Global South and discussing free trade arrangements with more Global South countries. A series of initiatives demonstrate China's unwavering commitment to standing with all countries of the South through thick and thin and advancing the development and vitalization of the Global South. China will work with all sides to deliver on these measures and give a stronger boost to the common development, unity and cooperation of the Global South.
Over the past 30 years, despite the changing international landscape, both China and Lesotho have all along treated each other with mutual respect, equality and non-interference, which precisely reflects the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. We are maintaining close communication and good cooperation on international and regional issues and committed to promoting peaceful settlement of international disputes. Through our high-level political mutual trust and high-quality pragmatic cooperation, we set an example of friendly exchanges and common development between countries with different national conditions and systems. Looking forward, China is willing to work with Lesotho to carry forward the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, shoulder the responsibility of building a community with a shared future for mankind, pushing the world towards a future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress.