Photo © Jan Oberg 2024

July 5, 2024

Please find below a link to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarkable speech on the highly significant event for future world peace. TFF’s Jan Oberg was invited to attend the conference (and took the above photo from a long distance in the Great Hall of the People).

When reading it, you’ll immediately notice that it is a comprehensive overview of why and how the world, in all its diversity, can shape a cooperative future for humankind that is also much more peaceful than the present. It illustrates that China’s foreign policy is based on long-term thinking and on unalterable principles.

You’ll notice that there are no attacks on anyone; that President Xi talks about a global “us” and not a “we and them”; that there is a consistent philosophy about equality and win-win cooperation and that such cooperation – getting to know each other better and respecting differences – also serves to prevent hatred and warfare – think the Belt And Road Initiative, BRI.

You will also notice that President Xi emphasizes the United Nations, its Charter and other elements of international law, and states that China will never seek to dominate others or the entire world. Instead, all the differences in history, experiences, ways of thinking and religious values must be respected.

Some people – not the least in the declining West – may turn it all down and say it is only words. However, before doing that, they should ask themselves why no leader in the West mentions peace but adheres, with a few exceptions like Orban and Vucic, to a war and militarist vocabulary and self-serving (false) enemy perception and confrontational zero-sum games – and why no mainstream media has bothered to report on this Anniversary of perhaps the most essential Five Principles under the heaven that – by the way – are also embedded in China’s constitution.

Now click on the image:

Read the full transcript of the President’s speech here.

Bonus video
Watch also this discussion on CGTN about the Five Principles.