Chinese Vice President Han Zheng addressed the opening ceremony of the 13th World Peace Forum in Beijing on Thursday, calling for jointly safeguarding international fairness and justice, and improving the global governance system.
Han said that changes unseen in a century are unfolding across the world at a faster pace, international and regional hotspot issues have kept erupting, and the cause of world peace and development is facing severe challenges.
Noting that 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, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, he said China is willing to work with all countries to promote world peace and prosperity, and join hands to build a better world. To that end, he put forward four proposals.
First, learning from history to jointly safeguard the post-war international order. Efforts should be made to uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and resolutely safeguard international fairness and justice.
Second, adhering to solidarity and coordination to jointly improve global governance. It is necessary to adhere to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit, practice true multilateralism, uphold mutual respect and equal consultation, and accelerate the building of a more just and reasonable global governance system.
Third, adhering to openness and cooperation to jointly promote world prosperity and development. All countries should deepen interdependence and win-win cooperation, jointly safeguard the multilateral trading system, the stability and smoothness of the global industrial and supply chains, and an open and cooperative international environment, and promote inclusive growth of the world economy.
Fourth, tiding over difficulties together to jointly advance modernization. All countries should adhere to mutual assistance and support, place development at the center of the international agenda, earnestly address the development concerns of developing countries, and strive to solve the problems of global development inequality and imbalance.
About 400 people, including former foreign political dignitaries, diplomatic envoys to China, experts and scholars, attended the event.
Chinese vice president addresses 13th World Peace Forum
A major port in northern Venezuela came under U.S. airstrikes in the early hours of January 3, which caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, destroyed critical medical supplies in a warehouse, and severely impacted centuries-old cultural heritage sites, according to local residents.
The La Guaira Port, a vital hub for imports that support daily life in the region, was heavily damaged during the attack.
Large quantities of medical supplies stored at the port were destroyed. A historic cultural building dating back for some 300 years was also badly damaged by the bombardment.
Residents living near the port recalled the terrifying scenes as explosions shook nearby neighborhoods.
Humberto Bolivar, who lives in a community separated from the port by only a main road, said the blast waves shattered his home's windows, while stray shrapnel struck the water tank on his roof. According to reports, three missiles were fired at the port that night.
Bolivar said that beyond material losses, he is most concerned about the psychological impact on his children, who remain too frightened to leave their home days after the attack.
"The United States invaded our country. The children were frightened. This is not good for them, because it leaves some children with psychological trauma. They do not want to go to school or leave the house, because they are afraid that something worse might happen. We truly do not want this to happen to our country," he said.
Apart from civilian facilities, local cultural heritage site was also affected.
The La Guaira state government building, a structure with nearly 300 years of history and once served as the site of Venezuela's first national customs office, was struck by the force of the explosions.
Windows of the building were shattered, and furniture scattered across the floor.
"As people of La Guaira, we feel deep pain. Our cultural heritage has been bombed. We are living in constant anxiety and suffering, and life can no longer be the same as it was before," said a local named Henry Cumares.
The U.S. side has claimed the airstrikes targeted warehouses allegedly used to store narcotics. However, locals refuted such accusation.
"According to what Donald Trump said, they bombed this place using the excuse that the warehouses here were used to store drugs at the port. But based on the video released by our governor, these warehouses that were burned contained medicine for kidney patients and foods. Many people depend on these supplies to survive. I think the bombing is extremely despicable," said a local resident named Alejandro Capriles.
US strike hits Venezuelan port, wrecking medical supplies, heritage building
