By Dr Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan
While addressing the opening ceremony of a symposium on the international situation and China’s diplomacy in 2023 Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee highlighted the strategic achievements of the Chinese diplomacy during 2023 which was dominated by modernization, openness, inclusiveness, economic globalization, international cooperation, trans-regional connectivity and above all positive, productive, participatory and progressive. His emphasis on innovation and peaceful persuasions of safeguarding world peace and promoting common development through dialogue, diplomacy and development is commendable.
It seems that the Chinese unique head-of-state diplomacy remained cooperative and collaborative and created a new monument for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Hosting of two major diplomatic events, attending three multilateral summits, carrying out four important overseas visits and holding more than 100 meetings and phone calls undoubtedly have promoted the holy connection between China and the world.
The building of a global community of shared future solidly advanced during 2023. It remained bacons of hope for the countries and communities living around the globe.
The BRI Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation was successfully held and has further extended from the Eurasian continent to Africa and Latin America, and built the world’s most extensive and largest international cooperation platform, became a road of cooperation, opportunity and prosperity for partner countries which should be appreciated.
The strategic expansion of BRICS was a strategic milestone which has opened a new era for the Global South to unite further for achieving the common goals of socio-economic development and integration. The China-Central Asia Summit was also successfully held which further strengthened spirits of equality, respect, openness, inclusiveness and mutual support between two parties and partners and injected positive energy and stability into the region and the world.
The historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran was one the biggest diplomatic achievement of the Chinese diplomacy which vividly reflected victory of dialogue over destruction and peace over persecution. In summary, Chinese diplomacy has always stood on the right side of history and on the side of the progress of the times, making decisions that can stand the test of practice and time which is laudable.
It is good omen that the Chinese diplomacy acted a balancing act between cooperation and confrontation, unity and division, as well as openness and closure, and firmly preferred cooperation, unity and openness and promoted peace, multilateralism and justice, instead of war, unilateralism and power politics. Chinese diplomacy created favorable conditions for domestic development, and built bridges to promote international cooperation, making unremitting efforts to enhance people’s well-being.
It was total sum of self-confidence, self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness to promote the development and progress of human civilization. It rightly advocated building an equal and orderly multi-polar world through win-win cooperation to actively promote inclusive economic globalization.
The author is Executive Director of the Center for South & International Studies (CSAIS) Islamabad.Â
