On June 30, the Chinese Embassy in India held an online seminar under the theme of “Strengthen BRICS Cooperation, Promote Global Development Together". Ambassador Sun Weidong chaired the event and deliver a keynote speech as well as vote of thanks and closing remarks. The full text is as follows:
Honorable Shri. Suresh Prabhu,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Namaste！First, I would like to extend warm welcome to Honorable Shri Suresh Prabhu for his presence today as the Chief Guest. Hon. Prabhu is a veteran politician with prominent achievements as well as a renowned economist. He had served as Union Minister of 12 portfolios, as a Member of Parliament for 6 terms, and now the Founding Chancellor of Rishihood University. He is also respectable old friend of mine and my predecessors. It is my privilege to have him at today’s seminar to share his insights. It is also my honor to welcome other distinguished guests to this seminar to exchange ideas on the BRICS Summit held last week.
To begin with, I would like to give a briefing on the BRICS Summit and its main outcomes.
From June 22 to 24, Chinese President Xi Jinping chaired the 14th BRICS Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development via video link, attended the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum and delivered a keynote speech. The BRICS Summit released the Beijing Declaration, and China issued the Chair’s Statement of the High-level Dialogue on Global Development. The Summit was a full success.
Our world today is living through accelerating changes unseen in a century and continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. They confront humanity with unprecedented challenges and usher in a new phase of instability and transformation for global development. The world is confused and upset in face of questions such as “What is going on with the world?” “Will the future be better?” “What should human beings do?” The successfully held BRICS Summit with fruitful outcomes has contributed a “BRICS of Stability” to ease the turbulent situation, a “BRICS of Protection” to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and a “BRICS of Progress” to pave the way for global development. The Summit provided the world with the much needed direction, confidence and strength. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended all three events and delivered remarks respectively, showing that India attaches great importance to BRICS cooperation and firmly supported China’s Chairmanship, and we highly appreciate that.
Now, I would like to use five P’s to summarize the BRICS cooperation mechanism and the outcomes of the 14th BRICS Summit.
The first P stands for Perception.
The BRICS countries have significant roles in the international structure. They account for 26 percent of the global area, 42 percent of the global population, 25 percent of the global total economic output, and contributed more than 50 percent of the world’s economic growth in recent years. BRICS is an important mechanism for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries. It is an important platform for South-South cooperation with international influence. Meanwhile, BRICS is a positive, stable and constructive force on the international stage.
The BRICS mechanism upholds the spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation. The BRICS countries are an open family, not an exclusive circle. The BRICS countries have displayed a good example of different regions, systems and civilizations getting along friendly and moving forward together. The five countries have established a solid cooperation architecture with three main drivers, namely political and security cooperation, economic, trade and financial cooperation, and people-to-people exchange. The five countries are equal partners, contributors and sharers. We can always find more synergy of our common interests. As a good initiative raised by one country also benefits others, everyone gains from cooperation. These features endow the BRICS mechanism with resilience and vitality, and ensure its steady and sustained progress.
The second P stands for Peace.
Peace, like sunlight and air, is essential for the survival and development of mankind. The tragedies of the past two world wars and the Cold War tell us that hegemony, group politics and bloc confrontation bring no peace or security; they only lead to wars and conflicts. The Ukraine crisis is another wake-up call for all in the world. It reminds us that blind faith in the so-called “position of strength” and attempts to expand military alliances and seek one's own security at the expense of others will only land oneself in a security dilemma.
At this year's Annual Conference of the Boao Forum for Asia, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative (GSI) for the first time. The Initiative stressed that all countries need to stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security; stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries; stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter; stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously; stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation; and stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains. The Global Security Initiative points out the way to make up the peace deficit and solve the global security dilemma, and has received a warm response from the international community. China is willing to work with BRICS partners to implement the Initiative, create a new path to security that features dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win over zero-sum, and bring stability and positive energy into the world.
The third P stands for Progress.
Development is the eternal theme of human society. In recent years, the global economy is struggling to recover, the development gap between the North and the South keeps widening, international development cooperation lacks drive, development is getting more and more marginalized on the international agenda, and the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is confronted with more difficulties. President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative (GDI) in 2021, which contributes China's initiatives and wisdom to addressing difficulties holding back development.
In this context, China initiated the High-level Dialogue on Global Development. In addition to leaders of the BRICS countries, there are 13 leaders of major emerging markets and developing countries also attending the Dialogue. They are from different regions and represent different regional cooperation organizations, which make wide representation and international influence. At this High-level Dialogue on Global Development, President Xi Jinping proposed to foster a development paradigm featuring benefits for all, balance, coordination, inclusiveness, win-win cooperation and common prosperity. He also put forward a four-point proposal that we need to jointly build international consensus on promoting development, jointly create an enabling international environment for development, jointly foster new drivers for global development, and jointly forge a global development partnership. President Xi Jinping announced a series of pragmatic measures to implement the Global Development Initiative, including setting up the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, enhancing support for the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, issuing a Global Development Report and establishing a Global Development Promotion Center and a Global Knowledge Network for Development, to play China's part in mobilizing global resources for development and expediting the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A list of deliverables composed of 32 measures was also released at the High-level Dialogue on Global Development, covering eight areas of poverty reduction, food security, pandemic response and vaccines, financing for development, climate change and green development, industrialization, digital economy, and digital-era connectivity. The above mentioned measures with goals, funds and actions, are not only in line with the imminent demands of developing countries, but also enhancing their capacity for independent and sustainable development. India has also established development partnerships with many developing countries, and make important contributions to South-South Cooperation. Meanwhile, India is also pushing forward energy transition and developing circular economy. China looks forward to working with the international community including India to jointly implement the outcomes of the Dialogue and open up the project pool for the participation of all parties, so as to inject strong impetus to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The fourth P stands for Practice.
President Xi stressed that BRICS is not a talking shop, but a task force that gets things done. Prime Minister Modi also stated that practical steps make BRICS a unique international organization whose focus is not just limited to dialogue. It has been 16 years since the BRICS cooperation started. From the establishment of the New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement, to the “BRICS Plus” cooperation format, and to the establishment of the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution, the BRICS cooperation is entering the stage of high-quality development. As the rotating Chair, China will host over 170 BRICS events in various fields throughout the year and the “BRICS Plus” events attracted the participation of more than 50 non-BRICS countries. This year, BRICS activities will deliver 37 major outcomes, which will reach a new height in terms of quantity and quality. The New Development Bank has established a regional office in India, which will provide financial support and cooperation opportunities for infrastructure development and sustainable development for India and regional countries. The BRICS Vaccine R&D Center has been launched to build a comprehensive platform for joint research, development and production that reaches out to developing countries. It is a distinctive feature of the BRICS that we stand ready to promptly respond to the needs of the era with actions.
The fifth P stands for Prospect.
Some Western media have been hyping up negative views such as the BRICS “fading color”. The successful meetings last week had scotched these remarks. We have full confidence in the BRICS mechanism. This is because BRICS cooperation is a way for emerging countries to seek strength in unity, which is in accordance with the evolution of the international order and represents the historical trend of the rise of major developing countries. This is because the BRICS mechanism has formed an all-round, wide-ranging and multi-level cooperation framework led by the leaders’ meeting and supported by the senior representatives' meeting on security affairs and the foreign ministers’ meeting, and its mechanism construction has become increasingly stable. This is because the BRICS mechanism has always focused on cooperation, pooled strength just like making a clenched fist, taken people-centered approach and delivered tangible benefits to the peoples. That is why the BRICS concept is deeply rooted in the hearts of peoples in five countries.
As a Chinese saying goes, a single tree does not make a forest while a hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden. Under the new circumstances, it is all the more important for BRICS countries to pursue development with open doors and boost cooperation with open arms. In recent years, many countries have asked to join the BRICS cooperation mechanism. Bringing in fresh blood will inject new vitality into BRICS cooperation and increase the representativeness and influence of BRICS. During the summit, all parties agreed to support promoting discussions on BRICS expansion process and to clarify the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures for this expansion process. Let us look forward to the growth of BRICS family and work together for it.
Going forward, China stands ready to join hands with India and other BRICS partners to continuously empower and brighten the BRICS cooperation, build a community with a shared future for mankind and jointly create a bright future for humanity!
Thank you!
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First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in India, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Honorable Suresh Prabhu, and all the distinguished guests for participating in this high-quality discussion. We have spent about 2 hours covering a wide range of topics, sharing our thoughts, and providing lots of valuable proposals and suggestions for further cooperation under the framework of the BRICS. I would also like to thank you all for support to the successful BRICS Summit, as well as the High-level Dialogue and the Business Forum. It also reflects the solidarity of all the five member countries as well as the emerging markets and developing countries to address the common challenges that we are facing nowadays, regionally and globally. We believe that when we stand together, it's just like five fingers clasped together, which can tackle those challenges.
Tomorrow, July 1st, marks the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. During the period of over one hundred years, the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in unremitting struggle, and the Chinese nation has achieved the tremendous transformation from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. Now the Chinese people are marching towards the realization of the second centenary goal. In the second half of this year, the CPC will convene its 20th National Congress, which will chart the course for the next phase of China’s development. We will ground our efforts in the new development stage, follow the new development philosophy, foster a new development paradigm and strive to achieve high-quality development. China will continue to pursue opening-up with higher standards, develop new systems for a higher-standard open economy. China will continuously contribute to the world’s development through its own development, and achieve greater development for itself through the common development of all countries. China enjoys a promising prospect.
Tomorrow also marks the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. President Xi Jingping has arrived in Hong Kong today and will attend a meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). With the solid support of the motherland, Hong Kong has successfully overcome various risks and challenges and maintained prosperity and stability over the past 25 years. The practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong has achieved universally recognized success. We believe that with the strong support of the central government, Hong Kong will have an even brighter future.
At last, I would like to end today's seminar by telling a story of “Three construction workers”. One day, a journalist interviewed three construction workers and asked them what they were doing. With sweat pouring down, the first one was unpleasant and impatient, and answered that he was doing a meaningless job of carrying bricks. The second one said indifferently that he was erecting a wall. However, the third one said he was making a great building and already working for the second floor, a brand new building would be constructed by his hands. Which worker should we learn from? Obviously we should learn from the third one. We should bear in mind our lofty goal and take a down-to-earth manner in work, and do our bits to construct the BRICS building for the benefits of peoples in BRICS countries and the world at large.
Thank you again for participating in this seminar.
