China's top legislator Zhao Leji called for greater parliamentary cooperation to uphold multilateralism and build a community with a shared future for humanity at the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, held from Tuesday to Thursday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
In his keynote speech, Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, emphasized that the world is facing grave challenges to peace and development, and legislative institutions should play an active role in fostering a new type of international relations.
He called on parliaments around the world to work together to safeguard global peace and security by upholding a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security.
Zhao underlined the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, as well as the right of people of all countries to choose their own development paths.
Zhao also urged legislatures to contribute to global development and prosperity by promoting mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, and supporting a multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core to strengthen legal frameworks to facilitate shared progress.
Highlighting the value of civilizational diversity, Zhao advocated for deeper cultural exchanges and mutual learning among nations, stressing the need to let different civilizations flourish through coexistence.
He further emphasized the importance of fairness and justice in international affairs, calling on all sides to uphold true multilateralism and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
Zhao said the NPC of China is ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the legislative bodies of other countries.
He expressed China's willingness to work together in advancing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, so as to build a community with a shared future for humanity.
He also chaired the WCSP's general debate session on Wednesday morning.
The conference, organized by the IPU, has been held every five years since its inception in 2000.
This year's session, themed "A world in turmoil: Parliamentary cooperation and multilateralism for peace, justice and prosperity for all," brought together parliamentary leaders from 120 countries.
On Thursday, a high-level declaration of the conference was adopted.
China's top legislator urges greater parliamentary cooperation to uphold multilateralism
China's top legislator urges greater parliamentary cooperation to uphold multilateralism
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
