On June 8, 2022, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui, upon invitation, attended and delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the International Seminar on the Path of Democracy in a New Era via video link. Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Zhang Ming, Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Ivanovich Denisov and Uzbek Ambassador to China Farhod Arziev delivered speeches via video link or in a written form, respectively.

In his speech, Li Hui articulated the Communist Party of China's struggle to unswervingly develop China's democracy and realize the whole-process people's democracy. He pointed out that the purpose of democracy is to create a better life for the people, the standard of democracy is whether democracy benefits and satisfies its people, and the cause of democracy belongs not to individual nations but mankind. The SCO has always advocated and practiced the Shanghai Spirit and made positive contributions to the development of global democracy. Democracy is the universal right of the people of all countries and an important principle for global governance. As partners seeking the "path of democracy in a new era", all parties should carry forward the true spirit of democracy, grasp a deep understanding of the connotation of democracy, proceed from national conditions, learn from each other and keep pace with the times, so as to jointly promote the development of democracy in all countries and achieve democracy in international relations.

This seminar was co-hosted by the China Institute of International Studies, the Center of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, and China's SCO Committee on Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation. More than 20 guests, experts and scholars from SCO member states, observer states and dialogue partners attended the seminar and had in-depth exchanges on issues such as the understanding and reflection of democracy in a new era, the practical implications of democracy exploration in various countries, and the opportunities and challenges of building a community with a shared future for mankind. All parties said that certain countries are obsessed with fabricating a narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism" and building a closed, exclusive and confrontational "small clique", and wantonly threaten to use military force and interfere in other countries' internal affairs, posing a grave challenge to the cause of human democracy and global security and stability. All parties should carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, oppose hegemonism and power politics under the guise of democracy, and jointly uphold a fair and just international order.