In China's view, multilateralism means building consensus and managing common affairs through cooperation for mutual benefit. In this sense, China and the EU share a common interest in upholding multilateralism.
We all believe that challenges facing mankind should be resolved through international cooperation and differences should be resolved through consultations in multilateral institutions within the UN framework. As noted advocate of multilateralism John Lugi said, "The definition of multilateralism is cooperation." In China-EU relations, cooperation is both the source of fruitful outcomes and the foundation for future cooperation.
In his keynote speech at the Davos Forum, Chinese President Xi Jinping expounded on China's position on upholding multilateralism. He said that China firmly upholds the international order and system with the United Nations at the core, and abides by the UN Charter, the universally recognized basic norms governing state-to-state relations.
China and the EU have established a structure of highly interdependent relations. In 2020, our trade volume reached US $649.5 billion, making us the EU's largest trading partner. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the China-Europe freight train delivered a large number of anti-epidemic materials to European countries, contributing to their fight against the epidemic. I have no doubt from watching the Chinese Railway trains arriving loaded with European goods and products, that although China and Europe are far apart, they are so close to each other that there is huge potential for cooperation.
In March, I attended a seminar on "Strategic Autonomy in Europe" organised by the Italian Institute of International Affairs (IAI). My impression is that Europe is under pressure from great power competition against the backdrop of tense relations between China and the US and a changing international environment. The concept of "European strategic autonomy" has gained attention as a response to changes in the world.
This seminar made me realize that Europeans want to further enhance their ties with China and deepen their understanding of China. I also realize that there are misunderstandings and differences between us, which is not surprising since we grew up in different cultures and histories. This gives us all the more reason to engage in more frequent dialogue on emerging issues in order to enhance mutual understanding. I think it is dangerous for the major countries of the world to decide on issues concerning each other on the basis of misunderstanding.
One lesson we can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is that no single country can face global challenges alone. From a historical perspective, the lack of multilateralism in this fight has been the biggest disappointment. Major countries and even international institutions have failed to muster sufficient strength in the global fight against the epidemic. China and the EU should uphold the spirit of multilateralism, not be bogged down by differences, and work together to overcome difficulties with common interests in mind. China and the EU should expand communication, strengthen systematic dialogue and exchange views in a calm manner.
In retrospect, multilateralism was formed to stop wars and establish friendly relations. It was made for peace. Multilateralism existed long before modern international relations took shape. The Peloponnesian League headed by Sparta in ancient Greece and the Derian League headed by Athens are two typical examples of early multilateral diplomacy. In ancient China more than two thousand years ago, there was a similar experience, namely the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period of the vassal alliance. In the 20th century, the painful lessons of the two world wars prompted people to explore the establishment of a multilateral mechanism to coordinate national interests, end wars and maintain lasting world peace. The founding of the United Nations and the statue of non-violence at its headquarters are loud and clear expressions of the common desire of the international community to uphold multilateralism in international governance.
Since the 1990s, in the post-Cold War era, multilateralism has been put into more extensive and effective practice, driven by the trend of peaceful development. Multilateral cooperation has shown new vitality in the world, and multilateral consultation and cooperation have become the main channel and means for global governance in the 21st century. The United Nations and its subsidiary bodies have played a key role in this process. New world wars have been averted, many regional conflicts eased, and billions of people have successfully been lifted out of poverty. The Charter of the United Nations has become an important guarantee for world peace and development. It can be said that multilateralism has been widely recognized and supported as a basic paradigm for maintaining international order and norms.
For many Chinese, modern multilateralism is a relatively new concept, and it took us time to learn it, to accept it, and to adhere to it. In the 1980s and 1990s, with the rapid progress of China's reform and opening up, people's understanding of multilateralism grew and their contacts with the outside world expanded. In Asia, for example, after China became a dialogue partner with ASEAN, it began to participate in multilateral diplomacy and regional cooperation. My colleagues and I have visited Canada and many other countries to study the concept of multilateralism and learn about its practice in various fields.
Over the past few years, China has become a member of many global multilateral institutions. China joined the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the predecessor of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1986, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 1991. China is not only playing a role in regional multilateral cooperation with "ASEAN +" at its core, but also taking the initiative to design and build new multilateral mechanisms. For example, China has organized and promoted the Six-Party Talks on the Korean nuclear issue, hosted the BRICS Summit and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, and initiated China-CEEC cooperation (17+1). In the field of military security, China has taken an active part in the United Nations Conference on Disarmament and signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and many other treaties. China attaches great importance to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Group of 20 and other multilateral mechanisms, and firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core. It is now an indispensable participant and contributor to many multilateral agendas on global development, including economic recovery, climate change, public health and counter-terrorism.
In the 21st century, China has become more active in multilateral affairs, launching the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the "One Belt And One Road" Initiative. When the COVID-19 epidemic swept the world, China not only made efforts to prevent and control the epidemic domestically, but also carried out extensive bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Specifically, China with the United Nations, the g20, the world health organization cooperation, provide convenience for workers and supplies, to help poor countries reduce the debt burden, to the United Nations peacekeepers donated vaccines, [1] to address climate change, commitment to achieve carbon emissions peak in 2030, carbon neutral by 2060 in just 40 years, The Chinese people have not only significantly improved their understanding of multilateralism, but also achieved a qualitative leap in practice. As a big developing country and a latecomer in international affairs, China has come a long way.
Europeans value multilateralism, and the establishment of the EU is seen in the world as a successful product of multilateralism. It is now the world's most fruitful and mature example of regional multilateralism. As Federica Mogherini, the former EU foreign affairs and security policy chief, has said, "The EU is inherently pro-multilateralism -- multilateralism is in its DNA." The word "multilateralism" ends in "ism", which, according to linguistic analysis, usually means a "belief". The Oxford Dictionary defines multilateralism as: "the quality of multilateralism; Agreements Principles or practices for concluding agreements or treaties on a multilateral basis The Encyclopaedia Britannica explains more specifically that these principles are "the inalienable interests of the participants, the commitment to decentralized reciprocity, and a dispute settlement system designed to enforce specific patterns of behavior." "[4] Multilateralism should therefore not be used to maximize the goals or interests of any party. Sometimes it even requires all parties to make concessions in order to realize altruism, safeguard the interests of all parties and ultimately satisfy their own interests. I think Europe does not want multilateralism to be a tool to serve the interests of one party or the other. Neither does China.
It is widely believed that multilateralism is the right direction for human progress. It means that the interests and concerns of all parties should be addressed as far as possible through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and openness. Multilateralism opposes exclusionism and discrimination and encourages global and regional multilateral frameworks and mechanisms to play a role in promoting world peace and development on the basis of rules. In pursuing multilateralism, major countries should not pursue only their own interests; Instead, they should consider the overall interest and average needs. Multilateralism, if it is to be regarded as a faith, should not be based on a certain political system, but on the common values shared by all mankind, such as peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, which are the basis of a bright future for mankind.
As tensions between China and the US reverberate around the world and the political climate becomes more complex, Europe needs room for independent thinking. There is no need or reason for Beijing and Washington to demand that European countries take sides. Europe has developed close partnerships with both China and the United States, which means that whichever way Europe goes will hurt its interests. Moreover, in order to preserve the integrity of the global system, Europe has a responsibility to persuade and help China and the US to resolve their differences, rather than widen them or even divide the world.
I tend to agree with Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, that multilateralism is the key to addressing global challenges. Both China and the EU are important players on the international stage. What matters is openness and cooperation. We should uphold the central role of the United Nations in international affairs and uphold a transparent, just and rational international order with equal participation by members of the international community. China and the EU should work together on major issues concerning the future of both sides. For the sake of global public health, for example, we should cooperate to roll out vaccines and safely revive the world economy and international exchanges. In September 2020, China and the EU signed the China-EU Agreement on Symbolic Geographical Indications, which aims to build a green and digital partnership. All these will contribute to the in-depth development of China-EU relations.
In 2020, mankind has experienced multiple crises rarely seen in history. As two major forces in the world, the market and civilization, our close cooperation will be a victory for multilateralism and will contribute to the progress of human society.
(Fu Ying is director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University and a former vice foreign minister of China.)
