Building a Community of Human Destiny Together —— Speech by the Supreme Leader at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva

　　Dear Mr. Thomson, President of the United Nations General Assembly,

　　Dear Mr. Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

　　Dear Mr. Mueller, Director-General of the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva,

　　Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

　　A unified start, Vientiane update. I am very happy to come to the United Nations headquarters in Geneva at the beginning of the new year to discuss with you the proposition of building a community of human destiny.

　　I just attended the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. In Davos, it was generally said in speeches that the world today is full of uncertainties, and people are both looking forward to and confused about the future. What’s wrong with the world? What shall we do? This is a question that the whole world is thinking about, and it is also a question that I have been thinking about.

　　In my opinion, to answer this question, we must first understand a basic question, that is, where do we come from, where are we now and where will we go?

　　Looking back on the history of more than 100 years, mankind has experienced bloody hot wars and cold wars, and has also made amazing development and great progress. Before the first half of the last century, mankind suffered from two world wars, and the most urgent desire of that generation was to avoid war and make peace. In the 1950s and 1960s, the colonial people generally woke up, and their strongest voice was to get rid of the shackles and strive for independence. After the end of the cold war, the most ardent demand of all parties is to expand cooperation and common development.

　　The common aspiration of all mankind for more than 100 years is peace and development. However, this task is far from being completed. We should follow the voice of the people, take the baton of history and continue to forge ahead courageously on the marathon track of peace and development.

　　Mankind is in a period of great development, great change and great adjustment. World multipolarization and economic globalization have developed in depth, social informationization and cultural diversity have continued to advance, and a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial revolution are gestating and growing. Countries are interrelated and interdependent, and the global destiny is closely related. The rise of peace forces far exceeds the growth of war factors, and the trend of the times of peace, development, cooperation and win-win is even stronger.

　　At the same time, mankind is also in an era of endless challenges and increasing risks. The world economic growth is weak, the financial crisis is lingering, the development gap is becoming increasingly prominent, and fighting against each other occurs from time to time. The cold war mentality and power politics are lingering, and non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, refugee crisis, major infectious diseases and climate change continue to spread.

　　There is only one earth in the universe, and human beings share a home. Mr. Hawking put forward the conjecture of "parallel universe", hoping to find a second planet outside the earth where human beings can settle down. When this wish will come true is still unknown. So far, the earth is the only home for human beings to live on, and cherishing and caring for the earth is the only choice for human beings. The dome of the Swiss Federal Building is engraved with the Latin inscription "Everyone for me and I for everyone". We should think of the present generation and be responsible for future generations.

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们！

　　It is the expectation of people all over the world and the due responsibility of our generation of politicians to let the fire of peace be passed down from generation to generation, let the motive force of development continue and let the light of civilization shine. China’s plan is to build a community of human destiny and achieve win-win sharing.

　　Idea leads action, and direction determines the way out. Throughout the history of modern times, the establishment of a just and reasonable international order is the goal that mankind has been striving for. From the principle of equality and sovereignty established by the Peace Treaty of Westphalia more than 360 years ago to the international humanitarian spirit established by the Geneva Conventions more than 150 years ago; From the four purposes and seven principles defined in the United Nations Charter more than 70 years ago to the five principles of peaceful coexistence advocated by the Bandung Conference more than 60 years ago, the evolution of international relations has accumulated a series of recognized principles. These principles should be the basic guidelines for building a community of human destiny.

　　Sovereign equality is the most important criterion for regulating the relationship between countries for hundreds of years, and it is also the first principle that the United Nations and all institutions and organizations follow together. The essence of sovereign equality lies in the fact that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, must be respected for their sovereignty and dignity, and there is no room for interference in their internal affairs, and they have the right to choose their own social system and development path. In the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, the Universal Postal Union, the International Organization for Migration, the International Labour Organization and other institutions, all countries participate in decision-making on an equal footing, which constitutes an important force for improving global governance. Under the new situation, we should adhere to sovereign equality and promote equal rights, opportunities and rules for all countries.

　　日内瓦见证了印度支那和平问题最后宣言的通过，见证了冷战期间两大对峙阵营国家领导人首次和解会议，见证了伊朗核、叙利亚等热点问题对话和谈判。历史和现实给我们的启迪是：沟通协商是化解分歧的有效之策，政治谈判是解决冲突的根本之道。只要怀有真诚愿望，秉持足够善意，展现政治智慧，再大的冲突都能化解，再厚的坚冰都能打破。

　　“法者，治之端也”。在日内瓦，各国以联合国宪章为基础，就政治安全、贸易发展、社会人权、科技卫生、劳工产权、文化体育等领域达成了一系列国际公约和法律文书。法律的生命在于付诸实施，各国有责任维护国际法治权威，依法行使权利，善意履行义务。法律的生命也在于公平正义，各国和国际司法机构应该确保国际法平等统一适用，不能搞双重标准，不能“合则用、不合则弃”，真正做到“无偏无党，王道荡荡”。

　　“海纳百川，有容乃大。”开放包容，筑就了日内瓦多边外交大舞台。我们要推进国际关系民主化，不能搞“一国独霸”或“几方共治”。世界命运应该由各国共同掌握，国际规则应该由各国共同书写，全球事务应该由各国共同治理，发展成果应该由各国共同分享。

　　In 1862, Mr. Henry Dunant asked in Memories of Shafeililo: Can a humanitarian organization be established? Can a humanitarian convention be formulated? "Du Nan’s question" soon got the answer, and the following year, the International Committee of the Red Cross came into being. After more than 150 years of development, the Red Cross has become a spirit and a banner. In the face of frequent humanitarian crises, we should carry forward the spirit of humanity, fraternity and dedication, and send love and hope to innocent people in trouble; We should adhere to the basic principles of neutrality, impartiality and independence, avoid politicizing humanitarian issues and adhere to the demilitarization of humanitarian assistance.

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们！

　　The road to simplicity is the most important thing. The key to building a community of human destiny lies in action. I believe that the international community should make efforts in partnership, security pattern, economic development, civilized exchange and ecological construction.

　　— — Adhere to dialogue and consultation to build a world of lasting peace. If the country is peaceful, the world will be safe; If countries fight, the world will be chaotic. From the Peloponnesian War in BC to the two world wars, and then to the Cold War that lasted for more than 40 years, the lessons were painful and profound. "Don’t forget the past, the teacher of the future." Our forefathers established the United Nations and won relative peace for the world for more than 70 years. We should improve mechanisms and means to better resolve disputes and contradictions and eliminate wars and conflicts.

　　Hesse, a Swiss writer and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, said: "We should not serve war and destruction, but peace and understanding." Countries should build a partnership of dialogue, non-confrontation and non-alignment. Big countries should respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, control contradictions and differences, and strive to build a new type of relationship of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. As long as we persist in communication and get along with each other sincerely, "Thucydides Trap" can be avoided. Big countries should treat small countries equally, and don’t be overbearing and buy and sell. No country can wage war at will, destroy the international rule of law and open Pandora’s box. Nuclear weapons are the "sword of Damocles" hanging over human beings, which should be completely banned and eventually completely destroyed to realize a nuclear-free world. It is necessary to uphold the principles of peace, sovereignty, universal benefit and common governance, and turn the deep sea, polar regions, outer space and the Internet into a new territory for cooperation among all parties, rather than an arena for mutual games.

　　— — Adhere to co-construction and sharing, and build a universally safe world. There is no absolute safe paradise in the world, and the security of a country cannot be based on the turmoil of other countries, and the threat of other countries may also become a challenge for the country. If the neighbor has a problem, you should not just think about tying up your own fence, but should help. "Single is easy to fold, but many are hard to destroy." All parties should establish a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept.

　　In recent years, terrorist attacks in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East have once again shown that terrorism is the public enemy of mankind. Counter-terrorism is a common obligation of all countries. It is necessary to treat both the symptoms and the root causes. It is necessary to strengthen coordination, establish a global anti-terrorism United front, and hold up a security umbrella for people of all countries. At present, the number of refugees has set a historical record since the end of the Second World War. The crisis needs to be dealt with, and the root causes are worth pondering. If there is no home to return to, who will be displaced? UNHCR and IOM should play a coordinating role and mobilize global forces to effectively respond. China has decided to provide 200 million yuan of new humanitarian aid to help Syrian refugees and displaced persons. Terrorism, refugee crisis and other issues are closely related to geopolitical conflicts, and resolving conflicts is the fundamental policy. All parties concerned should negotiate through consultation, and other parties should actively persuade and promote talks and respect the role of the United Nations as the main channel of mediation. Avian influenza, Ebola, Zika and other epidemics have constantly sounded the alarm for international health and safety. The World Health Organization should play a leading role in strengthening epidemic monitoring, information communication, experience exchange and technology sharing. The international community should increase its support and assistance to health undertakings in developing countries such as Africa.

　　— — Adhere to win-win cooperation and build a world of common prosperity. Development is the first priority and applies to all countries. Countries should help each other in the same boat, not beggar-thy-neighbor. Countries, especially major economies, should strengthen macro-policy coordination, take into account both the present and the long-term, and focus on solving deep-seated problems. We should seize the historic opportunity of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, change the mode of economic development, adhere to the drive of innovation, further develop social productive forces and release social creativity. It is necessary to uphold the rules of the World Trade Organization, support an open, transparent, inclusive and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system and build an open world economy. If we engage in trade protectionism and draw land as a prison, it will harm others and not benefit ourselves.

　　Economic globalization is a historical trend, which has contributed to great prosperity of trade, great convenience of investment, great mobility of personnel and great development of technology. Since the beginning of this century, under the leadership of the United Nations and with the help of economic globalization, the international community has formulated and implemented the Millennium Development Goals and the sustainable development agenda for 2030, which has pushed 1.1 billion people out of poverty, 1.9 billion people have access to safe drinking water and 3.5 billion people have access to the Internet, and will achieve zero poverty in 2030. This fully shows that the general direction of economic globalization is correct. Of course, problems such as unbalanced development, governance dilemma, digital divide and fair deficit also exist objectively. These are problems in progress, and we should face them squarely and try to solve them, but we should not give up eating because of choking.

　　We should draw wisdom from history. Historians have long asserted that rapid economic development makes social change necessary, economic development is easy to be supported, and social change is often resisted. We should not hesitate because of this, but forge ahead. We should also look for answers from reality. The international financial crisis that broke out in 2008 inspired us that to guide the healthy development of economic globalization, we need to strengthen coordination and improve governance, and promote the construction of an open, inclusive, balanced and win-win economic globalization. We should not only make a big cake, but also divide it well, and strive to solve the problem of fairness and justice.

　　In September last year, the G-20 leaders’ Hangzhou Summit focused on major issues such as global economic governance, adopted the Blueprint for Innovative Growth, incorporated development issues into the global macro-policy framework for the first time, and formulated an action plan.

　　— — Adhere to exchanges and mutual learning, and build an open and inclusive world. "The beauty of harmony lies in the similarities and differences." The diversity of human civilization is the basic feature of the world and the source of human progress. There are more than 200 countries and regions, more than 2,500 nationalities and many religions in the world. Different history and national conditions, different nationalities and customs have given birth to different civilizations and made the world more colorful. There is no distinction between superior and inferior civilizations, only differences in characteristics and regions. Civilization differences should not be the root of world conflicts, but the driving force of human civilization progress.

　　Every civilization has its unique charm and profound connotation, and it is the spiritual treasure of mankind. Different civilizations should learn from each other’s strong points and make common progress, so that exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations can become the driving force for the progress of human society and the link for maintaining world peace.

　　— — Adhere to green and low carbon, and build a clean and beautiful world. Man and nature coexist, and hurting nature will eventually hurt human beings. Natural resources such as air, water, soil, and blue sky are not used and cannot be sustained. Industrialization has created unprecedented material wealth, but also produced irreparable ecological trauma. We can’t eat our ancestors’ rice, cut off our descendants’ roads and engage in development in a destructive way. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. We should follow the concept of harmony between man and nature and seek the road of sustainable development.

　　We should advocate a green, low-carbon, recycling and sustainable production and lifestyle, promote the sustainable development agenda in 2030 in a balanced way, and constantly explore a civilized development path of production development, affluent life and good ecology. The conclusion of the Paris Agreement is a milestone in the history of global climate governance. We can’t let this achievement go down the drain. All parties should jointly promote the implementation of the agreement. China will continue to take action to deal with climate change and fully undertake its obligations.

　　Swiss army knife is the product of Swiss "artisan spirit". When I first got a Swiss army knife, I admired people for giving it so many functions. I think it would be nice if we could build an exquisite Swiss army knife for our world. When human beings encounter any problems, we should use one of the tools to solve them. I believe that as long as the international community makes unremitting efforts, such a Swiss army knife can be built.

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们！

　　Chinese always believed that only when the world is good can China be good; China is good, and the world is better. Facing the future, many people are concerned about the policy direction of China, and there are many discussions in the international community. Here, I give you a clear answer.

　　First, China’s determination to maintain world peace will not change. Chinese civilization has always advocated "harmony with the country", "harmony without difference" and "harmony is the most precious". China’s The Art of War is a famous art book, but its first sentence says: "A soldier is an important event of the country, a place of death and life, and a way of survival." Its essence is to be cautious and not to fight. For thousands of years, peace has been integrated into the blood of the Chinese nation and carved into the genes of the people of China.

　　Hundreds of years ago, even when China was strong enough to account for 30% of the world’s GDP, it never invaded and expanded abroad. For more than 100 years after the Opium War in 1840, China suffered from frequent aggression and ravages, and suffered from war and turmoil. Confucius said, don’t do to others what you don’t want others to do to you. The people of China are convinced that only peace and tranquility can lead to prosperity and development.

　　China’s development from a poor and weak country to the second largest economy in the world depends not on foreign military expansion and colonial plunder, but on people’s hard work and peace maintenance. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development. No matter how far China develops, China will never seek hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence. History has proved this and will continue to prove it.

　　Second, China’s determination to promote common development will not change. There is an old saying in China that "when you fall into a tree, you think about it, and when you drink it, you know its source". China’s development has benefited from the international community, and China has also contributed to global development. China will continue to pursue the win-win opening-up strategy, share its development opportunities with the rest of the world, and welcome all countries to take the "free ride" of China’s development.

　　From 1950 to 2016, China provided more than 400 billion yuan in foreign aid, and will continue to increase foreign aid within its capacity in the future. Since the outbreak of the international financial crisis, the contribution rate of China’s economic growth to world economic growth has been above 30% annually. In the next five years, China will import 8 trillion US dollars of goods and absorb 600 billion US dollars of foreign investment. The total foreign investment of China will reach 750 billion US dollars, and the number of outbound tourists will reach 700 million. This will bring more opportunities for the development of all countries in the world.

　　China adheres to the development path in line with its national conditions, always puts people’s rights first, and constantly promotes and protects human rights. China has solved the problem of food and clothing for more than 1.3 billion people and lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty, which is a great contribution to the cause of human rights in the world.

　　I put forward the "Belt and Road Initiative" to achieve win-win and shared development. At present, more than 100 countries and international organizations have actively responded to support, and a large number of early harvest projects have blossomed. China supports the construction of new multilateral financial institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to provide more public goods to the international community.

　　Third, China’s determination to build a partnership will not change. China adheres to an independent foreign policy of peace and develops friendly cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. China took the lead in establishing partnership as the guiding principle of inter-state exchanges, and established various forms of partnership with more than 90 countries and regional organizations. China will further connect the "circle of friends" all over the world.

　　China will strive to build a framework of overall stable and balanced development of major-country relations, actively develop new-type major-country relations with the United States, develop a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation with Russia, develop a partnership of peace, growth, reform and civilization with Europe, and develop a partnership of solidarity and cooperation with BRICS countries. China will continue to adhere to the correct concept of justice and interests, deepen pragmatic cooperation with developing countries, and achieve common development. China will deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with neighboring countries in accordance with the concept of sincerity and tolerance, and seek common development with African countries in keeping with the true policy concept of sincerity and tolerance, so as to promote the new development of China-Latin America comprehensive cooperative partnership.

　　Fourthly, China’s determination to support multilateralism will not change. Multilateralism is an effective way to maintain peace and promote development. For a long time, the United Nations and other international organizations have done a lot of work and made obvious contributions to maintaining the overall peace and sustainable development of the world.

　　China is a founding member of the United Nations and the first country to sign the Charter of the United Nations. China will firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the authority and status of the United Nations and its central role in international affairs.

　　China — The United Nations Peace and Development Fund has been officially put into operation, and China will give priority to the peace and development projects proposed by the United Nations and relevant international organizations in Geneva. With the sustainable development of China, China’s support for multilateralism will become stronger and stronger.

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们！

　　对中国来讲，日内瓦具有一份特殊的记忆和情感。1954年，周恩来总理率团出席日内瓦会议，同苏联、美国、英国、法国等共同讨论政治解决朝鲜问题和印度支那停战问题，展现和平精神，为世界和平贡献了中国智慧。1971年，中国恢复在联合国的合法席位、重返日内瓦国际机构后，逐步参与裁军、经贸、人权、社会等各领域事务，为重大问题解决和重要规则制定提供了中国方案。近年来，中国积极参与伊朗核、叙利亚等热点问题的对话和谈判，为推动政治解决作出了中国贡献。中国先后成功向国际奥委会申办夏季和冬季两届奥运会和残奥会，中国10多项世界自然遗产和文化自然双重遗产申请得到世界自然保护联盟支持，呈现了中国精彩。

　　女士们、先生们、朋友们！

　　中国古人说：“善学者尽其理，善行者究其难。”构建人类命运共同体是一个美好的目标，也是一个需要一代又一代人接力跑才能实现的目标。中国愿同广大成员国、国际组织和机构一道，共同推进构建人类命运共同体的伟大进程。

　　1月28日，中国人民将迎来农历丁酉新年，也就是鸡年春节。鸡年寓意光明和吉祥。“金鸡一唱千门晓。”我祝大家新春快乐、万事如意！

　　谢谢大家。

　　（新华社日内瓦1月18日电）