Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,

It is my pleasure to attend the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in this golden autumn of October, and to exchange ideas with you on the theme of " Common Security and Lasting Peace.”

The topic of my speech today is “Jointly Implementing the Global Security Initiative for Lasting Peace and Security of the World.” I will share with you the Initiative’s core elements, defining features and implementation worldwide, as well as s the next steps China will take .

On April 21, 2022, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) with humanity’s future, security and well-being in mind. This is both an important concept and an action plan put forth with great insight and a global vision by the leader of a major country. I am pleased to report that the GSI has been widely welcomed and warmly received by the international community since its inception. It has received support and appreciation from more than 100 countries and international and regional organizations, and has been written into a large number of bilateral and multilateral exchange and cooperation documents between China and other countries and international organizations. Steady progress has been made in cooperation under the GSI framework.

Rich in substance, the GSI may have its core elements summarized as “six commitments.”

First, commitment to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. The GSI advocates respecting and safeguarding the security of every country, enhancing security governance in a holistic and coordinated way, committing to cooperation, and pursing sustainable security through sustainable development.

Second, commitment to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. The GSI advocates noninterference in internal affairs and respect for the development paths and social systems independently chosen by the people of different countries. Efforts should be made for all countries to enjoy equality in terms of rights, rules and opportunities.

Third, commitment to the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. The GSI rejects the Cold War mentality, unilateralism, bloc politics and confrontation. It calls on all countries to practice true multilateralism and firmly uphold the authority of the U.N. and its status as the main platform for global security governance.

Fourth, commitment to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously. The GSI upholds the principle of indivisible security, advocates a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture, and opposes the pursuit of one's own security at the cost of others' security.

Fifth, commitment to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation. The GSI supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises, rejects double standards, and opposes the abuse of unilateral sanctions and "long-arm jurisdiction ."

Sixth, commitment to maintaining security in both traditional and nontraditional domains. The GSI advocates the principle of planning together, building together and benefiting together in global governance, and concerted efforts to address regional disputes and global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity and biosecurity. 

Last February, China released the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper, proposing 20 priorities of cooperation under the GSI framework, as well as suggestions for the platforms and mechanisms of cooperation. Some copies of the Concept Paper are available here for your reference. The 20 priorities of cooperation identified by the Concept Paper involve traditional security areas such as promoting political settlement of international and regional hotspot issues, peacekeeping operations under the U.N. framework, safeguarding the nuclear nonproliferation regime , and conventional arms control. They also cover nontraditional security areas of climate change , information, biosecurity, outer space, artificial intelligence and public health. In response to the most prominent and pressing security concerns of the international community, the Concept Paper proposes specific action plans, which reflect China's sense of responsibility for and courage in upholding world peace and global security.

These "six commitments" and the 20 cooperation priorities also reveal three defining features of the GSI.

First, the GSI emphasizes common security. Based on the fact that countries have intertwined interests and a stake in each other's security, the GSI underscores the indivisible security of all countries, that is, the indivisibility between individual security and common security, between traditional and nontraditional security, between security rights and security obligations, and between security and development. By rejecting the outdated idea of exclusive security and absolute security, the GSI stresses that no country could have its own security ensured without the security of the wider world and that absolute security based on the insecurity of other countries does not exist. The GSI advocates that members of the international community view global security issues from a more comprehensive and holistic perspective, safeguard international common security with a stronger sense of responsibility and mission, and demonstrate their commitment to a just cause for the common good of the world.

Second, the GSI emphasizes openness and inclusiveness. The GSI belongs as much to the world as to China. All countries are welcome to join in the GSI if they so wish; and all efforts for global peace and tranquility will be supported. The GSI is open to countries around the world and maintains that issues which matter to all should be jointly addressed by all. In international security affairs, efforts should be made to seek the biggest common denominator and the widest converging interests, rather than create closed small circles or reshape the existing international security order.

Third, the GSI emphasizes practical cooperation. In implementing the GSI , China focuses on action not rhetoric. It honors its commitment and takes practical actions. The GSI has both top-level plan and specific methods and pathways. The release of the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper marks an important step for turning the GSI from vision into practice. It proves once again that China always delivers on its promises with real actions. China is ready to work with all parties in good faith to address the various security risks and challenges facing humanity.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Friends ,

Over the past year and more, China, through extensive consultation and joint efforts with all parties, has made heartening progress under the framework of the GSI:

- China has actively participated in and promoted multilateral security cooperation. China has dispatched the most peacekeepers among the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. It is the second largest contributor to the U.N. peacekeeping budget. As we speak, more than 2,200 Chinese peacekeepers are on active duty in eight mission areas. From removing landmines and explosive hazards and monitoring ceasefire, to conducting security escort and emergency rescue, the Chinese "blue helmets" are a crucial force for U.N. peacekeeping endeavor. China firmly supports the global process of conventional arms control, and has completed its ratification of the U.N. Firearms Protocol. China supports the implementation of the "Silencing the Guns in Africa" initiative. We are actively engaged in international humanitarian demining cooperation and have carried out joint demining operations for ASEAN countries, contributing our share to helping countries in the region eliminate this hazard and enhance the security and well - being of the people.

- China has actively carried out mediation diplomacy and made unremitting efforts to promote political settlement of hotspot issues. We have issued China' s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis and China' s Position on the Afghan Issue, standing firmly on the side of peace. China successfully mediated the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which set a fine example for regional countries to resolve differences and disagreements through dialogue and consultation and achieve good-neighborly relations and friendship. On the Iranian nuclear issue, China plays a constructive role in promoting negotiations to resume compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. China stays committed to making synchronized progress in the establishment of a permanent peace mechanism and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Since the latest outbreak of conflict between Palestine and Israel, China has actively communicated and coordinated with relevant parties, sent its special envoy to visit regional countries , and provided humanitarian assistance to Palestine immediately. We are working for de-escalation of the situation, and to prevent the expansion of the fighting and a humanitarian disaster, in a bid to create conditions for a political settlement.

- China has engaged actively in cooperation with all parties in such nontraditional security areas as counterterrorism, cybersecurity , food security and climate change. China has successfully held the first meeting of the China -Pakistan-Iran trilateral consultation on counterterrorism and security . We have proposed the International Cooperation Initiative on Global Food Security under the framework of the G20, launched the center for disaster prevention and mitigation cooperation between China and Pacific Island countries, and promoted the establishment of a global law enforcement and security training system. Faced with emerging security challenges in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence governance, China has stayed in the forefront by launching the Global Initiative on Data Security and the Global Initiative for Artificial Intelligence Governance, leading the international security governance process in emerging areas.

- China has actively facilitated the improvement of international security dialogue and exchange platforms and mechanisms. We worked together with African countries to hold the China-Horn of Africa First Peace, Governance and Development Conference, which built important consensus on promoting regional peace, development and governance and added positive energy to the security and stability of Africa. We successfully held the Second Middle East Security Forum and proposed four points on how the international community jointly works for a new security architecture in the Middle East. We have also actively facilitated exchanges and cooperation on security among various parties under multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and East Asian cooperation mechanisms. We have continued to develop platforms for international security dialogue such as the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang), China-Africa Peace and Security Forum and China-Latin America Defense Forum to build consensus and synergy of the international community to meet security challenges.

Ladies and Gentlemen ,
Friends ,

Going forward, China will work in the four key areas for the GSI to achieve solid, steady and sustained progress:

First, expanding international consensus on safeguarding common security. China will continue to work with all parties for dialogue and exchanges on global security issues in various forms, to act on the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and to oppose the forming of exclusive blocs along ideological lines and acts of inciting division and confrontation. China will hold high-level conferences on the GSI in due course for deeper exchange of ideas and policy communication, and build more international consensus on jointly tackling challenges and safeguarding common security.

Second, developing an effective model of international security cooperation. China will continue to follow the Concept Paper as a roadmap , and work actively with all parties to explore and advance international security cooperation and address various traditional and nontraditional security challenges. We encourage GSI participants to carry out bilateral and multilateral cooperation in specific areas under one or multiple priorities of cooperation based on their own needs and the collective needs of the international community. It is important to make good use of international and regional multilateral mechanisms such as the U.N., BRICS and the SCO, and make bigger the pie of mutually beneficial cooperation. We also set great store by and welcome the participation of experts , think tanks and nongovernmental organizations from all countries in the cooperation, as a source of vision and insight from different perspectives for greater GSI cooperation.

Third, exploring peaceful solutions to hotspot issues. China will keep to the general direction of promoting talks for peace , and encourage countries concerned to enhance mutual security confidence , manage differences and defuse tensions through candid dialogue and communication. On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China will continue to work actively for the parties concerned to stop fighting as soon as possible, and prevent a humanitarian disaster. We will work for a return of the question of Palestine to the right track of the two-state solution so that it will be settled in a comprehensive, just and lasting manner. On the Ukraine crisis, China will stay committed to the right direction of promoting peace talks, and call on relevant parties to work for cessation of hostilities and de-escalation, create conditions for restarting talks, and work persistently for peace.

Fourth , facilitating the reform of the global security governance system. China will continue to firmly support the central role of the U.N. in global security governance, and support international and regional organizations such as the SCO and ASEAN in fully leveraging their roles, work to improve security governance in such areas as cyberspace, data, biosecurity, counterterrorism, public health and artificial intelligence, and help develop a security governance architecture featuring coordination among governments and international organizations and participation of nongovernmental organizations. It is believed that the GSI will serve as a platform that brings about the most extensive security exchange and cooperation among members of the international community, and galvanizes synergies for advancing the reform of the global security governance system.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends ,

President Xi Jinping emphasized that China's development strengthens the world's force for peace, that China will strive to safeguard world peace and development as it pursues its own development, and will make greater contribution to world peace and development through its own development. President Xi also stressed the imperative to make faster progress in China's modernization drive. This path is neither the old path of colonization and plunder, nor the crooked path taken by some countries to seek hegemony once they grow strong, but the right course of peaceful development. We welcome all peace-loving and development-focused members of the international community to actively participate in GSI cooperation and make new contributions to promoting humanity's common security and enduring world peace. Let us join hands and work tirelessly for the everlasting peace and development of the world.

Thank you .