The tragic lessons from World War II (WWII) have shown that any adoption of the high-handed approach of using force and acts of hegemony and bullying are not a right path to peace, and China will work with the rest of the international community to uphold the hard-won outcomes of the war, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.
Lin Jian, the spokesman, made the statement at a press conference in Beijing in response to a question on the significance of defending the outcomes of World War II at a time when the post-war international order is facing growing risks and challenges.
"This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years ago, China, together with progressive forces around the world including the Soviet Union, made tremendous national sacrifices and played a decisive role in the victory over fascism. China, along with other key members of the anti-fascist alliance, jointly initiated the founding of the United Nations, co- drafted the UN Charter, opening a new chapter in the joint pursuit of peace and development, which opened a new chapter in the joint pursuit of peace and development," Lin said.
He stressed that lasting peace and shared prosperity can only be achieved by jointly safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
"The painful lessons from World War II have shown the world that any adoption of the high-handed approach of using force and hegemonic bullying will lead nowhere, and zero-sum games and winner-takes-all approaches are not a path to development. Only by jointly upholding the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international laws, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, can we safeguard international fairness and justice, constantly advance an equal and orderly multi-polar world and inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, and realize the aspiration set out in the preamble in the UN Charter – ‘to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’, thereby truly achieving peace, stability, progress and development for humanity," he added.
China to jointly defend victorious outcomes of WWII with rest of world: spokesman
China to jointly defend victorious outcomes of WWII with rest of world: spokesman
Chinese President Xi Jinping's New Year message delivered on the New Year Eve has drawn positive responses from scholars and former officials from several countries, who say that the series of global initiatives proposed by Xi have provided fresh momentum for multilateralism and shared development at a time of growing uncertainty.
While the reactions touched on the broader vision outlined in Xi's New Year message, they also focused on the initiatives Xi has put forward over recent years, particularly the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the newly proposed Global Governance Initiative.
Highlighting the significant importance of these initiatives, they have emphasized the need for equality, inclusiveness and a fairer international order.
"We need a more just international order and a truly multilateral system. China stands almost alone today as a global force actively advancing genuine multilateralism. Therefore, these initiatives are most welcome," said Michael Schumann, chairman of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade.
Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has placed the emphasis on dialogue and trust-building between civilizations.
"It is essential now more than ever to promote communication and understanding between China and the world to enhance cultural exchanges and build mutual trust. As President Xi has repeatedly emphasized, China supports principles of unity, inclusiveness and peacefulness. These values should guide our collective efforts to build bridges rather than walls," he said.
From a governance perspective, Russian scholar Ekaterina Zaklyazminskaya, head of the Center for World Politics and Strategic Analysis at the Institute of China and Modern Asia under the Russian Academy of Sciences, has viewed the Global Governance Initiative as a structured response to global challenges.
"The recently proposed Global Governance Initiative presents a comprehensive framework of ideas. It prioritizes establishing a more just international order, champions multilateralism, and upholds the principle of 'people first.' Through its concrete practices, financial assistance, and tangible support for multilateral bodies like the U.N., China has demonstrated that its commitments are substantive. China is taking tangible steps toward a fairer and more reasonable global governance system," she said.
Scholars from the Global South also have seen historical echoes in the initiatives.
"Some of the developed and developing countries have highly welcomed the Global Development Initiative, because this initiative emphasizes the need for partnerships -- partnerships that commit resources to end global poverty and pursue common and shared development. The Global Governance Initiative, in my view, echoes again the call that was made by Asian [and] African countries at the Bandung Conference in 1955 for equality, for mutual respect, for respect of territorial integrity, [and] for respect of sovereignty," said Bongani Maimele, director of international relations at South Africa's National School of Government.
"These initiatives are revolutionary in nature. They are reshaping the political philosophy of global governance. Today's world is far more complex than it was 80 years ago, and interdependence among nations has deepened. Therefore, we need new philosophical perspectives to examine our world and new models of engagement to foster a new type of international relations," said Sheradil Baktygulov, director of Kyrgyzstan's Institute of World Policy.
Int'l scholars praise Xi's initiatives, call for stronger multilateralism
