Harmonious coexistence has been the aspiration of the Chinese nation for thousands of years. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forth the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the aim of promoting peaceful development and better lives for the world. Over the past 10 years, the concepts and ideas of this initiative have increasingly come true. Last month, the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) was held in Beijing, and over 10,000 representatives from 151 countries including Somalia and 41 international organizations attended the event.
Nowadays, the world is in great turbulence and transformation. The Palestine-Israel conflict is raging, and the Ukraine crisis is still dragging on. Critical choices have to be made about where humanity should go. Do we choose cooperation or isolation, solidarity or division, going forward together or in our separate ways? The answer upheld in the BRI is multilateralism and building a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to address global challenges and maintain lasting peace together.
President Xi Jinping pointed out in his keynote speech in BRF that humankind is a community with a shared future; win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in launching major initiatives that benefit all; and the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit is the most important source of strength for Belt and Road cooperation. From Beijing, a clear and unambiguous message has been sent to the world, which is we need unity, cooperation, openness and win-win outcomes, not division, confrontation, isolation or zero-sum mentality. Amid the great transformation unseen in a century, the Belt and Road cooperation will bring much greater energy of stability and peace to the world.
It calls for mutual respect. The BRI was proposed by China and is shared by the world. It is not a soliloquy by China but a chorus of all partner countries, featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit. In pursuing this initiative, China never interferes in other countries’ internal affairs, and it never exports its social system or development model or imposes them on other countries; China does not play geopolitical games, but creates a new model of win-win cooperation; and China wants no blocs for a few but a big family where all countries coexist in harmony.
It pursues win-win results. The BRI aims to build more partnerships and make the pie bigger, and it opposes creating small clubs or seeking selfish interests. Over the past decade, synergy has been fostered between the BRI and the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as well as other international and regional development strategies. Greater economic integration and deeper cooperation will inject new vigor into global peace and stability. President Xi Jinping pointed out that the modernization China pursues is not for the country alone, but for all developing countries through joint efforts. He announced at the opening ceremony that China will further expand market access; deepen reform in areas including the state-owned enterprises, digital economy, intellectual property and government procurement; and enter into free trade agreements and investment protection treaties with more countries. China’s potential as the world’s largest market will be continuously tapped. Chinese financial institutions will set up new RMB financing windows and support BRI projects based on well-informed studies. China will promote local employment through cooperation projects and carry out 1,000 small-scale livelihood assistance projects. We believe that the materialization of these significant measures will surely provide stronger boost and greater space for global modernization.
It energizes development. Embodied in the BRI is the vision of open, integrated and mutually beneficial cooperation. Somalia joined the BRI in 2018. Under the framework of BRI, China remains Somalia’s largest trading partner for years. China has also staunchly supported Somalia here and on the world stage. In the past year, China provided aids and assistance to Somalia in areas such as security, food, orphans’ care, training and scholarships as well as renovation of hospitals, schools and public institutions buildings. Thanks to the scholarships and funding provided by the Chinese side, hundreds of Somalis including diplomats, military officers, judicial officials, transportation experts, journalists and students have the opportunities to go to China for vocational training or university programs.
In the early 15th century, Zheng He, a famous Chinese navigator in the Ming Dynasty, made voyages to today’s Mogadishu, a feat that is still remembered today. He won his place in history not as conqueror with warships, guns or swords. Rather, he is remembered as friendly emissary sailing treasure-laden ships. The BRF also proves that peaceful development and win-win cooperation represents the prevailing trend and people’s common aspiration. Cold War-style confrontation and decoupling efforts go against the tide of history and will lead nowhere. China and Somalia are both peace loving nations. On October 27, our two countries both voted for a resolution that calls for a humanitarian truce in Gaza in UN General Assembly, sharing our compassion and sympathy for innocent lives and our desire for peace. China will continue to follow the path of peaceful development, strive to build the Belt and Road into a road of peace, and march hand-in-hand with Somalia and other countries toward security and development for all.
The author is H.E. Fei Shengchao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Federal Republic of Somalia