On September 21, 2021, President Xi Jinping attended the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in Beijing via video link and delivered an important speech titled “Bolstering Confidence and Jointly Overcoming Difficulties to Build a Better World”.
Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China. It is also the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the UN, a historic event which will be solemnly commemorated by China. We will continue our active efforts to take China’s cooperation with the UN to a new level and make new and greater contributions to advancing the noble cause of the UN.
Xi Jinping stressed that a year ago, global leaders attended the high-level meetings marking the 75th anniversary of the UN and pledged to fight COVID-19 in solidarity, tackle challenges together, uphold multilateralism, strengthen the role of the UN, and work for the common future of present and coming generations. One year on, our world is facing the combined impacts of changes unseen in a century and the COVID-19 pandemic. In all countries, people long for peace and development more than ever before, their call for equity and justice is growing stronger, and they are more determined in pursuing win-win cooperation.
Xi Jinping stressed that right now, COVID-19 is still raging in the world, and profound changes are taking place in human society. The world has entered a period of new turbulence and
transformation. It falls on each and every responsible statesman to answer the questions of our times and make a historical choice with confidence, courage and a sense of mission.
First, we must beat COVID-19 and win this decisive fight crucial to the future of humanity. Rising to challenges, humanity has always emerged in triumph and achieved greater development and advancement. We should always put people and their lives first, respect science, take a science-based approach, follow the laws of science, both carry out epidemic control and promote economic and social development, and enhance coordinated global COVID-19 response. We need to make vaccines a global public good and ensure vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries. Of pressing priority is to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of vaccines globally. China will strive to provide a total of two billion doses of vaccines to the world by the end of this year. In addition to donating 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX, China will donate 100 million doses of vaccines to other developing countries in the course of this year. China will continue to support and engage in global science-based origins tracing, and stands firmly opposed to political maneuvering in whatever form.
Second, we must revitalize the economy, pursue more robust, greener and more balanced global development, and work together to steer global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth.
Xi Jinping proposed a Global Development Initiative:
-Staying committed to development as a priority. We need to put development high on the global macro policy agenda, strengthen policy coordination among major economies, and ensure policy continuity, consistency and sustainability. We need to foster global development partnerships that are more equal and balanced, forge greater synergy among multilateral development cooperation processes, and speed up the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
-Staying committed to a people-centered approach. We should safeguard and improve people’s livelihoods and protect and promote human rights through development, and make sure that development is for the people and by the people, and that its fruits are shared among the people. We should continue our work so that the people will have a greater sense of happiness, benefit and security, and achieve well-rounded development.
-Staying committed to benefits for all. We should care about the special needs of developing countries. We may employ such means as debt suspension and development aid to help developing countries, particularly vulnerable ones facing exceptional difficulties, with emphasis on addressing unbalanced and inadequate development among and within countries.