In a world that feels more unpredictable than ever, China hosted an international conference in Beijing on Friday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. 🌏✨ With over 600 attendees—including former country leaders, diplomats, and experts from more than 100 countries—the event highlighted how these principles could be the key to promoting global peace and stability.
\"Wait, what are these Five Principles?\" you might ask. Well, they're pretty straightforward:
- Mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
- Non-aggression.
- Non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
- Equality and mutual benefit.
- Peaceful coexistence.
Experts from around the globe shared their thoughts on how these principles are more relevant today than ever. Kgalema Motlanthe, former president of South Africa, called out current trade wars as \"unnecessary\" and harmful to global governance. \"Against such a backdrop, China's Five Principles are like a solution that underscores the crying need for peace,\" he said. 🌐🤝
Nong Duc Manh, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, emphasized that these principles have become a foundation for international relations and law. They help protect the rights of countries worldwide, especially developing nations. 🌱✨
\"The principles have played an active role in strengthening the trend of peace and stability,\" Manh added. \"They contribute to peacefully solving disagreements and hot issues based on international law.\"
Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of ASEAN, highlighted the importance of mutual respect and peaceful resolution of disputes. \"As we navigate a complex geopolitical landscape, it's essential to uphold these principles,\" he said. \"Enhancing mutual trust and understanding through dialogue and diplomacy is key.\" 🕊️🌟
Chen Bo, president of the China Institute of International Studies, noted that the Five Principles offer a historical answer to maintaining global peace post-war. She also mentioned China's proposal to build a community with a shared future for mankind. \"This represents China's contemporary answer to the significant question of the kind of world to build and how to build it,\" she said. 💡🌍
Former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema shared that the Five Principles remind us that countries with different political systems not only can but must coexist without war. \"They remain a pillar of peace and the possibility to build a common destiny for humanity,\" he expressed. ✨🤗
Mulatu Teshome, former president of Ethiopia, agreed that building a community with a shared future for mankind reinforces the Five Principles. \"These principles help build partnerships where countries respect each other and create consensus,\" he said. \"This has to be the guiding principle of contemporary international relations.\" 🙌🌐
Sourabh Gupta, a senior policy specialist with the Institute for China-America Studies, noted that the Five Principles have become part of customary international law and are \"ever more relevant\" with the rise of the Global South. \"The message embodied in the Five Principles is certainly alive and well; it has not lost its appeal,\" he told the South China Morning Post.
As the world faces challenges like never before, these Five Principles might just be the roadmap we need for a more peaceful and cooperative future. 🌟✨
Reference(s):
Intl experts say China-proposed five principles help world peace
cgtn.com
