Deng Zihui
Between May 5th and May 10th, President Xi Jinping accepted invitations from French President Macron, Serbian President Vucic, Hungarian President Aulban, and Prime Minister Orban to visit their respective countries. After five years, in the important year of the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China, the Chinese head of state once again set off for Europe, embarking on a new journey in China-Europe relations and writing a new chapter in China’s distinctive major-country diplomacy.
The Chinese Head-Of-State Diplomacy Highlights the Responsibilities of a Major Country
General Secretary Xi Jinping is the core of the Party Central Committee in our country, and the highest designer as well as decision-maker of Chinese diplomacy. In the current and future period, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made comprehensive arrangements for our country’s diplomatic work, making top-level designs for Chinese diplomacy on the new journey.
He also delineated an engaging plan for the future of Chinese diplomacy. This visit to Europe is a vivid practice of our country’s head of state diplomacy in the new era of China’s distinctive major-country diplomacy, which also makes strong proof for the good development of China-Europe relations. Under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, we once again convey the Chinese voice for openness, cooperation, and mutual benefit to Europe and even the Western world.
Currently, the international landscape is evolving rapidly, and the diplomatic situation is severe and complex, with risks and challenges coming one after another. In these turbulent times, China has always upheld its mission and responsibilities, living up to the aspirations of a great nation, and adhering to the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind to lead the direction of the times.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized multiple times during his visit to Europe that the Chinese populace aspires not only to improve their own quality of life but also desires the same for people in all nations. Our country insists on making mutual achievements, through win-win cooperation, inviting different countries to share the opportunities of China’s modernization with an open mind.
We always keep the future of humanity as well as the well-being of the people in mind. This is the unique charm of Chinese leaders’ diplomacy, demonstrating the era’s responsibilities of China as a major country in foreign relations.
The Belt and Road Initiative promotes harmonious development
Hungarian Prime Minister Orban stated that the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative between Hungary and China has achieved great success, creating a large number of employment and improving people’s livelihoods in Hungary. More Chinese companies are welcome to invest and cooperate in Hungary. In Budapest, General Secretary Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Orban officially announced the elevation of the China-Hungary relationship to a new era of all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership.
2023 marked the tenth anniversary of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s proposal to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, with the joint efforts of all parties, the Belt and Road Initiative has gradually transitioned from a Chinese proposal to international practice, from concept to action, and from blueprint to reality.
By 2023, China had signed cooperation agreements for the Belt and Road Initiative with 152 countries and 32 international organizations, making significant contributions to the continuous and healthy development of economic globalization as well as the improvement of global governance systems.
Amidst global turbulence, China has always injected valuable confidence and strength into the world with a firm stance of cooperation and a peaceful development attitude, providing Chinese wisdom and solutions to address common challenges facing humanity.
Improving stability to promote Sino-US relations
The current global scenario is undergoing turbulent changes, with traditional security and non-traditional security intertwined. Deficits in governance and trust are wreaking. Hegemonism and power politics still hinder world peace and stable development. Faced with various global challenges, how major powers handle their relations with each other, whether through cooperation or confrontation, is crucial to the future and destiny of humanity.
As two important global powers, China and the United States need to properly handle their relationship and promote stable and far-reaching Sino-US relations. This European trip reflects China’s strong willingness to open the door to dialogue and cooperation with the world and demonstrates its firm determination to uphold peace and development in the world.
On April 2nd, General Secretary Xi Jinping had a phone call with President Biden of the United States, emphasizing that this year, managing Sino-US relations must consistently adhere to the principles of valuing harmony, prioritizing stability, and building trust.
On April 26th, during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Blinken, President Xi Jinping once again pointed out that China and the United States should be partners, instead of adversaries; they should help each other to succeed, instead of harming each other; they should seek common ground while reserving differences, instead of engaging in vicious competition; they should speak with credibility and act with results, instead of saying one thing while doing another.
The two global powers cannot avoid interaction or engagement, let alone conflict and confrontation. They should respect each other, coexist peacefully, cooperate for mutual benefit, and continue moving forward on a path of stability and sustainability, rather than turning back. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s words not only summarize the relationship between China and the United States over the past 45 years but also guide the future direction of both sides.
Hand in hand, we will together embrace a better tomorrow
In recent years, the ongoing changes in the international landscape have proved that no country can stand alone amidst the tides of the times. Interdependence, mutual trust, and win-win cooperation are the only ways forward to resolving the challenges. Under the leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, China’s diplomacy with distinctive Chinese characteristics is about to embark on a new chapter. Faced with ever-emerging challenges, we are determined to be a force for peace and progress in the world, joining hands with countries around the world to build a community of shared future for mankind and strive to build a more peaceful and better world.
*The author is affiliated with Criminal Investigation School, Southwest University of Political Science & Law, China.
**The views in this article are the author’s own and do not represent the views of The Diplomatic Insight. The organization does not endorse or assume responsibility for the content.
