AT this year’s United Nations General Assembly, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told China’s story as the nation prepared to celebrate its 70th birthday today
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Over the past seven decades, China has transformed itself from a closed and poor country into one that is open and on the move.
“Let me make it clear. China is a country with a 5,000-year civilisation, 1.4 billion hardworking and courageous people, and a vast land of 9.6 million sq km.
“China will not be cowed by threats or subdued by pressure,” Wang addressed the assembly, citing growth and development as the engines behind China’s success.
He said development was the key to solving problems.
“China is in the midst of a major, multi-pronged global strategy called the Belt and Road Initiative, which is developing infrastructure in concert with scores of other nations and organisations.”
Beijing calls it a significant contribution to environmentally friendly growth but it is a strategy designed to extend the country’s footprint.
Wang exhorted other countries to seize the development opportunities that the initiative had created.
Wang said the country under President Xi Jinping, is a defender of peace, justice and security and an advocate of the principles of independence and equality.
China has long emphasised its commitment to multilateralism, a stance that had become even more persuasive to other nations as some of the powerful nations have begun pursuing a nation-first policy, unsettling the global community and world order.
Wang said China pledged to help mitigate poverty and diseases across the globe and ease tensions in the Middle East, Kashmir and the Korean peninsula as well as address climate change, and provide a more equitable and mutually beneficial world trade order.
China with its economic and strategic strength stands poised to play a major role in world leadership.
RUEBEN DUDLEY
Petaling Jaya, Selangor