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News > China

China’s President Calls for Multilateralism To Overcome Crisis

  • President Xi Jinping attends the WEF virtual event from Beijing, China, Jan. 25, 2021.

    President Xi Jinping attends the WEF virtual event from Beijing, China, Jan. 25, 2021. | Photo: Xinhua

Published 26 January 2021
Opinion

"Multilateralism is about having international affairs addressed through consultation," President Xi Jinping stressed.

Addressing the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday, China’s President Xi Jinping called on the world to abandon ideological prejudice and jointly follow a path of peaceful coexistence, mutual benefit, and cooperation.

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"Difference in itself is no cause for alarm. What does ring the alarm is arrogance, prejudice and hatred," Xi said, adding that no global problem can be solved by any one country alone.

Noting that the problems facing the world are intricate and complex, he said that the way out of them is through upholding multilateralism and building a community with a shared future for humankind.

"Multilateralism is about having international affairs addressed through consultation and the future of the world decided by everyone working together," Xi stressed.

He called on the international community to say no to narrow-minded, selfish beggar-thy-neighbor policies, and stop unilateral practice of keeping advantages in development all to oneself.

"Multilateralism should not be used as pretext for acts of unilateralism. Principles should be preserved and rules, once made, should be followed by all," the Chinese president pointed out.

"Decision should not be made by simply showing off strong muscles or waving a big fist," he said, adding that "selective multilateralism should not be our option."

Each country is unique with its own history, culture and social system, and none is superior to the other, he said, reiterating that "no two leaves in the world are identical, and no histories, cultures or social systems are the same."

"State-to-state relations should be coordinated and regulated through proper institutions and rules. The strong should not bully the weak," he said.

Rudolf Minsch, a chief economist at Economiesuisse, said that while the COVID-19 crisis has led to more protectionism in many countries, "China has an important role in convincing other countries to abandon trade barriers."

"China will act as a growth locomotive for the world economy," Minsch said, adding that the Chinese economy "will support the recovery in other markets" in 2021.

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