Answering Questions of Our Time and Tackling Thorny Issues of the World
回答时代之问，破解世界难题
Ambassador Wang Ke’s Article Published by The Citizen and Daily News
驻坦桑尼亚大使王克在坦媒体发表署名文章
13 February 2021
2021年2月13日
In January 2017, President Xi Jinping made a keynote speech at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), in which he shared China’s plan for solving world economic problems, and showed the direction for global economic development amid the negative trend of anti-globalization. Four years later, on 25 January 2021, President Xi Jinping attended the WEF Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda and deliver a special address titled “Let the Torch of Multilateralism Light up Humanity’s Way Forward”. This address shows that President Xi thinks deeply about four issues of the current times, expounds incisively the core principles of multilateralism, and once again answered such questions of the times as “What happened to the world” and “What should we do”. President Xi’s address demonstrates China’s commitment to fulfill its responsibility as a major country, and boosts the confidence and efforts made by the international community to jointly address development challenges.
2017年1月，习近平主席在世界经济论坛年会上发表主旨讲话，分享解决世界经济问题的中国方案，为处于全球化逆流的全球经济大船拨开迷雾、指引方向。时隔四年，2021年1月25日，习近平主席以视频方式出席世界经济论坛“达沃斯议程”对话会，发表题为《让多边主义的火炬照亮人类前行之路》的特别致辞。习主席深入思考当今时代面临的四大课题，精辟阐释多边主义的核心要义，再次深刻回答了“世界怎么了”、“我们怎么办”的时代之问，彰显大国责任与担当，为国际社会共同应对发展挑战注入了信心和动力。
I. “Four Issues” reveal the common challenges facing the world
一、“四大课题”揭示了世界面临的共同挑战
The key to address the “issues of our time” is to identify the actual causes. Currently, the plague of COVID-19 is intertwined with the profound changes unseen in a century. The world economy was mired in deep recession, and humanity encountered multiple crises rarely seen in history. We once again stand at a crossroad. President Xi Jinping bases his thoughts on reality, looks towards the future, sees clearly the international situation, and raises explicitly four issues which need to be well addressed in our time. Firstly, how to step up macroeconomic policy coordination and jointly promote strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy? Secondly, how to abandon ideological prejudice and jointly follow a path of peaceful coexistence, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation? Thirdly, how to close the divide between developed and developing countries and jointly bring about growth and prosperity for all? Fourthly, how can we come together against global challenges and jointly create a better future for humanity? These four issues are interconnected. They include not only practical issues relating to economic development, but issues of common concern to humanity, such as peace and cooperation. The framing of the four issues reflects China’s thinking on the risks and challenges facing the world, and President Xi’s answers to them have clarified the common objectives and pointed out the direction for the international community to address the challenges, build the consensus, solve the difficult problems, and take practical actions.
破解“时代之问”，关键在于找准成因。当前，世纪大灾疫与百年大变局叠加交织，世界经济陷入深度衰退，人类经历了史上罕见的多重危机，再次站在了何去何从的十字路口。习近平主席以战略家的宏大视野和国际情怀，立足现实、放眼未来，把握时代特征、洞察国际形势，明确提出我们要解决好这个时代面临的四大课题：如何加强宏观经济政策协调，共同推动世界经济强劲、可持续、平衡、包容增长？如何摒弃意识形态偏见，共同走和平共处、互利共赢之路？如何克服发达国家和发展中国家发展鸿沟，共同推动各国发展繁荣？如何携手应对全球性挑战，共同缔造人类美好未来？这四大课题相互联系，既包含了现实的经济发展问题，也包含了人类社会普遍关心的和平合作问题，呈现出中国对于世界面临风险挑战的立体化思考，为国际社会应对挑战、凝聚共识、破解难题、采取务实行动明确了共同目标、指明了努力方向。
II. “Four Stay Committed” points out the path for practicing multilateralism
二、“四个坚持”指明了践行多边主义的具体路径
To answer “questions of our time”, President Xi Jinping, who has a clear understanding of the differences between genuine and fake multilateralism, uses “four stay committed” to explain how to keep to the right path while making innovations and be forward-looking in practising multilateralism. First, we should stay committed to openness and inclusiveness instead of closeness and exclusion. We should not build small circles or starting a new Cold War. Second, we should stay committed to international law and international rules instead of seeking one’s own supremacy. We need to be steadfast in our resolve to safeguard the international system centered around the UN and the international order based on international law. Third, we should stay committed to consultation and cooperation instead of conflict and confrontation. We need adhere to mutual respect and accommodation, and enhance political trust through strategic communication. Fourth, we should stay committed to keeping up with the times instead of rejecting change. We need to stand by the core values and basic principles of multilateralism, while at the same time adapting to the changing international landscape, reforming and improving the global governance system on the basis of extensive consultation and consensus-building.
面对“时代之问”，如何回答，考验着各国领导人的智慧和担当。面对某些国家以多边主义之名行单边主义之实，习近平主席在明晰多边主义真伪之辩的基础上，用“四个坚持”阐明了多边主义如何守正创新、面向未来：一是要坚持开放包容，不搞封闭排他，不搞“小圈子”、“新冷战”；二是要坚持以国际法则为基础，不搞唯我独尊，毫不动摇维护以联合国为核心的国际体系、以国际法为基础的国际秩序；三是要坚持协商合作，不搞冲突对抗，坚持互尊互谅，通过战略沟通增进政治互信；四是要坚持与时俱进，不搞故步自封，既要坚持多边主义的核心价值和基本原则，也要立足世界格局变化，在广泛协商、凝聚共识基础上改革和完善全球治理体系。
III. “Five Continue” manifests China’s sense of responsibility as a major country
三、“五个继续”彰显大国的责任与担当
To practice multilateralism, we should not sit back and indulge in empty talk, but stand up and take actions. China not only said so, but also did so. In his special address, President Xi Jinping announces to the world China’s concrete measures dubbed “Five Continue”: Firstly, China will continue to take an active part in international cooperation on COVID-19, and contribute to an early and complete victory over the coronavirus throughout the world. It firmly believes that winter cannot stop the arrival of spring and darkness can never shroud the light of dawn. Secondly, China will continue to implement a win-win strategy of opening-up. As a longstanding supporter of economic globalization, China is committed to following through on its fundamental policy of opening-up. It will make further efforts to bring more cooperation opportunities to other countries and give further impetus to global economic recovery and growth. Thirdly, China will continue to promote sustainable development and fully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Fourthly, China will continue to advance science, technology and innovation, and resolutely implement the strategy of innovation-driven development. It will think and act with more openness with regard to international exchange and cooperation on science and technology. Fifthly, China will continue to promote a new type of international relations. As a staunch follower of an independent foreign policy of peace, China is working hard to bridge differences through dialogue and resolve disputes through negotiation, and to pursue friendly and cooperative relations with other countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. The “Five Continue” has fully demonstrated China’s firm determination and real actions in safeguarding and practicing multilateralism, and bringing certainty to this uncertain world.
践行多边主义不能仅“坐而论道”，更需要“起而行之”。中国不仅是这么说的，也是这么做的。习近平主席在致辞中掷地有声地向世界宣示中国“五个继续”的具体举措：一是中国将继续积极参与国际抗疫合作，助力世界早日彻底战胜疫情，坚信寒冬阻挡不了春天的脚步，黑夜遮蔽不住黎明的曙光；二是中国将继续实施互利共赢的开放战略，中国将始终支持经济全球化，坚定实施对外开放基本国策，努力为各国合作提供更多机遇，为世界经济复苏和增长注入更多动力；三是中国将继续促进可持续发展，全面落实联合国2030年可持续发展议程；四是中国将继续推进科技创新，坚定实施创新驱动发展战略，将以更加开放的思维和举措推进国际科技交流合作，同各国携手打造开放、公平、公正、非歧视的科技发展环境，促进互惠共享；五是中国将继续推动构建新型国际关系，坚定奉行独立自主的和平外交政策，努力以对话弥合分歧、以谈判化解争端，在相互尊重、平等互利基础上，积极发展同各国友好合作关系。“五个继续”充分展示了中国维护和践行多边主义的坚定决心和实际行动，为不确定的世界注入了确定性。
IV. China and Africa are natural allies in safeguarding and practicing multilateralism
四、中非是维护和践行多边主义的天然同盟军
Both China and Africa are initiators and practitioners of multilateralism. During the past year, faced with the adverse trend of unilateralism, protectionism and bullying acts, China and Africa have united to buck the trend, and firmly supported each other’s efforts to protect core national interests and independently explore suitable development paths. Particularly in jointly fighting the COVID-19 epidemic and conducting mutually beneficial cooperation, China and Africa have played an exemplary role for the rest of the world.
中非同为多边主义的倡导者和践行者。过去一年，面对单边主义、保护主义和霸凌行径逆流，中非团结一心，逆风而行，坚定支持彼此维护各自核心利益和自主探索发展道路，特别是在团结抗疫和互利共赢开放合作方面，为世界做出了表率。
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Africa have been supporting each other and fighting the virus side by side. The two sides successfully convened the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19. China has dispatched medical expert groups and medical teams to 16 African countries to share its experience of tackling the epidemic, established a counterpart cooperation mechanism by pairing up Chinese hospitals and 46 hospitals in 42 African countries, and provided badly-needed anti-epidemic supplies to almost all countries in Africa. Moreover, the construction of China-aided Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquarters has already started. Last week, at the request of the WHO, China decided to provide 10 million doses of vaccines to COVAX, mainly to meet the urgent need in Africa and other developing regions. On 9 February, the shipment of the vaccines that China provides to Equatorial Guinea started, which is the first batch of vaccine aid that the Chinese government provides to Africa. These actions show that China is fulfilling its commitment to make vaccines a global public good, and taking concrete measures to promote equitable distribution of vaccines and advance international cooperation in fighting the pandemic
新冠肺炎疫情发生以来，中非守望相助、并肩抗疫，成功举办中非团结抗疫特别峰会。中国派出医疗专家组和医疗队赴16个非洲国家分享抗疫经验，同42个非洲国家的46个医院建立对口合作机制，向几乎所有非洲国家提供了急需的抗疫物资援助，并已开工援建非洲疾控中心总部。应世卫组织方面请求，中方决定向“新冠疫苗实施计划”提供疫苗，主要用于非洲等发展中国家急需。2月9日，中国政府向赤道几内亚援助的一批疫苗交付启运。这是中国政府向非洲国家提供的第一批疫苗援助。上述举措表明，中国正在兑现其将疫苗作为全球公共产品的承诺，以实际行动促进疫苗公平分配，推动国际抗疫合作。
Up to now, China has signed the agreement on jointly implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with 46 African countries, including Tanzania. The China-Africa BRI cooperation has contributed to the infrastructural connectivity in Africa, and enhanced Africa’s independent development capacity. China has signed the Debt Service Suspension Agreement with 12 African countries including Tanzania, and waived repayment of interest-free loans that matured by the end of 2020 for 15 countries, which makes China the biggest contributor to the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative.
迄今为止，中国已同坦桑尼亚等46个非洲国家签署了共建“一带一路”协议。中非携手共建“一带一路”，促进了非洲基础设施互联互通，提升了非洲的自主发展能力。中方已同包括坦桑尼亚在内的非洲12国签署缓债协议，减免15国无息贷款债务，成为二十国集团成员中缓债金额最大的国家。
The year 2021 is the first year that China implements its 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development. It is also the last year to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). On the first day of 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was officially launched. In the second half of this year, the next FOCAC meeting will be held in Senegal. China and Africa face great historic opportunities in strengthening their solidarity and cooperation, jointly safeguarding and practising multilateralism, and effectively tackling the four aforementioned development issues.
2021年是中国推进“十四五”规划的开局之年，也是落实中非合作论坛北京峰会成果的收官之年。今年初，非洲国家正式启动非洲大陆自贸区建设；下半年新一届中非合作论坛会议将在塞内加尔举行。中非团结合作，共同维护和践行多边主义，破解四大发展难题面临重大历史机遇。
Tanzania is an initiator of pan-Africanism and an advocate for African solidarity. It is also the place where the principles of China’s Africa policy in the new era were first announced, which shows Tanzania stays in an important position in China’s relations with Africa. During his official visit to Tanzania last month, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi reached important consensus with the Tanzanian side on strengthening coordination in dealing with international affairs, jointly advocating multilateralism and opposing foreign interference, and safeguarding international equity and justice. China is ready to stand together with Tanzania through thick and thin, to help each other, to jointly uphold the torch of multilateralism and make greater contribution to the building of a closer China-Africa community for a shared future.
坦桑尼亚是泛非主义和非洲团结的倡导者，是新时代中国对非政策理念的首倡之地，在中国对非交往中具有重要地位。今年1月，王毅国务委员兼外长访坦期间与坦方就加强国际事务协调，共同支持多边主义、反对外部干涉，捍卫国际公平正义达成重要共识。中国愿与坦桑尼亚风雨同舟、守望相助，继续高举多边主义的火炬，为构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体作出更大贡献。