Chinese President Xi Jinping UN General Assembly 2021 Speech Transcript

Xi Jinping Translator: (00:00)
… China. It is also the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the United Nations. A historic event, which will be solemnly commemorated by China. We will continue our active efforts take China’s corporation with the United Nations to a new level and make new and greater contributions to advancing the noble cause of the UN.

Mr. President, a year ago called leaders attended the high level meetings marking the 75th anniversary of the UN and issued a declaration pledging to fight COVID-19 in solidarity, tackle challenges together, up hold multi-lateralism, strengthen the role of the UN and work for the common future of present and coming generations.

One year on, our world is facing the combined impacts of changes unseen in a century and the COVID 19 pandemic. In all countries, people long for peace and development more than ever before. Their call for equity and justice is growing stronger and they’re more determined in pursuing win-win cooperation.

Right now, COVID-19 is still raging in the world and profound changes are taking place in human society. The world has entered a period of new turbulence and transformation, a force on each and every responsible statesmen to answer the questions of our times and make a historical choice with confidence, courage and a sense of mission.

First, we must beat COVID-19 and win this decisive fight crucial to the future of humanity. The history of world civilization is also one of fighting pandemics. Rising to challenges, humanity has always emerged in triumph and achieved greater development and advancement. The current pandemic may appear overwhelming but we, humanity, will surely overcome it and prevail. We should always put people and their lives first and care about the life, value and dignity of every individual.

We need to respect science, take a science based approach and follow the laws of science. We need to both follow routine targeted COVID-19 protocols and take emergency response measures and both carry out epidemic control and promote economic and social develop. We need enhanced coordinated global COVID-19 response and minimize the risk of cross border virus transmission.

Vaccination is a powerful weapon against COVID-19. I have stressed on many occasions the need to make medicine a global public good and ensure accessibility and affordability in developing countries. A pressing priority is to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines globally. China will strive to provide a total of 2 billion doses of vaccines to the world by the end of this year.

In addition to donating 1 million US dollars to COVAX, China will donate 100 million doses of vaccines to other developing countries in the course of this year. China will continue to support and engage in global science based origins tracing and stands firmly opposed to political maneuvering in whatever form.

Second, we must revitalize the economy and pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development. Development holds the key to people’s wellbeing. Facing the severe shocks of COVID-19, we need to work together to steer global development towards a new stage of balance, coordinated and inclusive growth.

To this end, I would like to propose a global development initiative. Staying committed to development as a priority, we need to put development high on the global macro policy agenda, strength and policy coordination among major economies, and ensure policy continuity, consistency and sustainability. We need to foster global development partnerships that are more equal and balanced, forge greater synergy among multi-lateral development operation corporation process and speed up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Staying committed to a people centered approach, we should safeguard and improve people livelihoods and protect and promote human rights through development and make sure that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared among the people. We should continue our work so that the people will have a greater sense of happiness, benefit and security, and achieve well rounded development.

Staying committed to benefits for all, we care about the special needs of developing countries. We may employ such a means as debt suspension and development aid to help developing countries, particularly vulnerable ones facing exceptional difficulties, with the emphasis on addressing unbalance and inadequate development among unwilling countries.

Staying committed to innovation driven development, we need to seize the historical opportunities created by the latest round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, redouble efforts to harness technological achievements to boost productivity and foster and open, fair, equitable, and non-discriminatory environment for the development of science and technology. We should foster new growth drivers in the post COVID era and jointly achieve leapfrog development.

Staying committed to harmony between man and nature. We need improve global environmental governance, actively respond to climate change and create a community of life for man and nature. We need to accelerate transition to a green and low carbon economy and achieve greener recovery and development. China will strive to reprieve carbon dioxide emissions before 2030, and achieve chief carbon neutrality before 2060. This requires tremendous hard work and we will make every effort to meet these goals. China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low carbon energy and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.

Staying committed to result oriented actions, we need to increase input in development, advance on a priority basis corporation on poverty alleviation, food security, COVID-19 response and vaccines, development financing, climate change and green development industrialization, digital economy and connectivity, among other areas, and accelerate implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development so as to build a global community of development with a shared future.

China has pledged an additional 3 billion US dollars of international assistance in the next three years to support developing countries in responding to COVID-19 and promoting economic and social recovery.

Third, we must strengthen solidarity and promote mutual respect and win-win cooperation in conducting international relations. A world of peace and development should embrace civilizations of various forms and must accommodate diverse path to modernization. Democracy is not a special right reserved to any individual country, but a right for the people of all countries to enjoy.

Recent developments in the international situation show, once again, that military intervention from the outside and so-called democratic transformation entail nothing but harm. We need to advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom which are the common values of humanity. And, reject the practice of forming small circles or zero sum games.

Differences and problems among countries, hardly avoidable, need to be handled through dialogue and corporation on the basis of equality and mutual respect. One country’s success does not have to mean another country’s failure, and the world is big enough to accommodate common development and progress of all countries.

We need to pursue dialogue and inclusiveness over confrontation and exclusion. We need to build a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, equity, justice and win-win corporation, and do the best we can to expand the conversions of our interests and achieve the biggest synergy possible.

The Chinese people have always celebrated and striven to pursue the vision of peace, amity and harmony. China has never, and will never invade or bully others or seek hegemony. China is always a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order, and provider of public goods. China will continue to bring the world new opportunities through its new development.

Fourth, we must improve global governance and practice through multi-lateralism. In the world, there is only one international system, i.e., the international system with the United Nations at its core. There is only one international order, i.e., the international order underpinned by international law. And there is only one set of rules, i.e., the basic norms governing the international relations underpin by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

The UN should hold high the banner of true multi-lateralism and serve as the central platform for countries to jointly safeguard universal security, share development achievements and chart the course for the future of the world. The UN should stay committed to ensuring a stable international order, increasing the representation and say of developing countries in international affairs, and taking the lead in advancing democracy and rule of law in international relations.

The UN should advance, in a balance manner, work in all the three areas of security, development and human rights. It should set common agenda, highlight present issues and focus on real actions and see to it that commitments made by all parties to multi-lateralism are truly delivered.

Mr. President, the world is once again at a historical crossroads. I’m convinced that the trend of peace development and advancement for humanity is irresistible. Let us bolster confidence, [inaudible 00:14:01] global threats and challenges, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind and a better world for all.

Abdulla Shahid: (14:22)
On behalf of the general assembly, I wish to thank the President of the People’s Republic of China for the statement just made. We have heard the last speaker in the General Debate for this meeting. The fourth plenary meeting to continue with the General Debate we will be held immediately following the adjournment of this meeting. The meeting is adjourned. The fourth plenary meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. Excellencies, the previous meet-

Chinese President Xi Jinping UN General Assembly 2021 Speech Transcript

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