BEIJING - Global observers have been speaking highly of the warmth and wisdom embedded in the "unique diplomatic strategy and style" crafted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The observers made the remarks in reaction to "Major-Country Diplomacy," a six-episode political documentary rolled out by China on its diplomatic principles, practices and achievements over the past five years. The TV series on China's major-country diplomacy sums up quite effectively some of the most important events of the last five years in which China has played a decisive role, said William Jones, the Washington Bureau chief for Executive Intelligence Review news magazine. "It gives the picture of a man who is genuinely a 'people person' and shows the sincere warmth of his personality," Jones said, referring to the Chinese president who took office in March 2013. The series breathes a spirit of hope and optimism into a world still plagued by poverty, wars and devastations, he said, noting that Xi's call for a new paradigm in international relations based on a win-win formula represents a clear break with the old political formulas characterized by zero-sum geopolitics. Khairy Tourk, a professor at Stuart School of Business of Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), said the developing countries have been trapped in the post-1945 global order, where they are always at a disadvantage. "Xi's policies are changing all of that," he said. Among others, the observer said many weak nations have been trapped in the old order because they are raw material-producing countries and lack the means to achieve modernization; meanwhile, China is ready to share its advanced technology, like high-speed railway technology, with these countries. China's major-country diplomacy "treats all countries, big or small, as equals" and "promotes friendship among peoples as the bedrock and guarantor of friendship and cooperation among states," said Keith Bennett, vice chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. Xi has crafted a unique diplomatic strategy and style for his country, which serves to not only promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also to move forward towards the creation of a shared future for mankind, Bennett said. "As such, his energetic, tireless and visionary diplomatic activity is admired, appreciated and closely followed not only by the Chinese people, but increasingly by people all over the world as well," he said. Taking notice of the wisdom in China's diplomacy, observers highlighted the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi on Sept. 7, 2013 in a speech at Kazakhstan's Nazarbayev University. The initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. China launched the Belt and Road Initiative very seriously and with massive plans that would reach a larger part of the world, said Nourhan el-Sheikh, a professor of political science at Cairo University. The Belt and Road Initiative is an expression of China's opening up 2.0, said David Gosset, a founder of the Europe-China Forum, adding that it is a structured global projection aiming at finding mutually beneficial political and economic synergies. "The Belt and Road Initiative, without any doubt, is providing the world with a new economic engine," said Tourk. This is the major engine for growth in the 21st century, he said, adding that with the policy, the economic outlook would be brighter. The wisdom of China's diplomacy is also reflected in the reality that China has been seeking to build bridges with the West, and that it does not pose a threat to any other country in the course of its development, Tourk observed. China needs technology from the West, while the West needs the Chinese market, and China is creating an interconnected world, he said. By doing this, China can get respect from other countries and will obtain win-win results together with the other countries, he said. For Tourk, another reason leading to the success of Chinese diplomacy is patience. "Eating bitterness," "thinking carefully before taking action," and always "thinking in the long-term" are unique Chinese values reflected also in its diplomatic policies, he said. For example, the professor said, one of the reasons that the West has kept infrastructure development from expanding to developing countries is that people in the West want quick returns on investment. China, however, provides countries with long-term loans in the construction of the Belt and Road, he said, noting that "patience is something to ensure the success of the grand vision of the Belt and Road." how to remove festival wristband24 hour wristbands couponglow wristbandsprintable wristbandsbracelet maker onlinesilicone rubber bands
The phrase a beautiful life found several mentions in the report General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Wednesday, which reflects the people-oriented development approach of the Party leadership with Xi at the core. To have a beautiful life has long been a dream of the Chinese people. To help people lead a better life, by extending them equal opportunities and tapping their potential to the maximum, is the ultimate goal of China's development and a motivator for its further development. Chinese people will pursue a beautiful life, as Xi said in his report, for the comfort, happiness and security it brings. Over the past five years, Chinese people's living conditions have greatly improved, with more than 60 million impoverished people lifted out of poverty and the education system in the less-developed and central and western regions ameliorated. China's employment condition, too, is better, and the incomes of urban and rural residents have grown faster than the GDP, while the middle-income group has expanded, and the healthcare and social governance systems have vastly improved. But by mentioning a beautiful life several times, Xi did not mean the authorities are satisfied with the improvement in people's living conditions. Instead, it means one of the Party's goals will be to ensure people succeed in their pursuit of a better life, for which it will introduce measures to extend the benefits of deepened reform and development to all. That Xi used a beautiful life several times in his report shows people can expect a sustainable beautiful life in the future. That is also why Xi said a new contradiction is people's ever-growing needs for a beautiful life and China's unbalanced and inadequate development, resolving which is an imperative task in the new era. The realization of a beautiful life should not be confined to a well-devised vision for the people. As Xi said, it is by no means an easy task to realize the goal of a beautiful life, as it requires the unrelenting efforts of all Chinese people, even for a couple of generations. It is, therefore, important for China to make further efforts to deepen reforms, extend the ongoing reforms from administrative, economic and cultural fields to other areas, and thoroughly cure the ailments plaguing existing current mechanisms and institutions, so as to release the vitality of the non-governmental sector and promote creativity. China should also continue to be receptive to constructive foreign concepts, and hold an inclusive approach toward the international community with the aim of totally integrating with it. And ignoring the resistance of vested interst groups to reforms, China should instead deepen the reforms to enhance public confidence in their effectiveness for the betterment of the country as a whole. Moreover, the authorities should exercise restraint when it comes to using their powers and, instead, strengthen regulations to guarantee equal competition and fair transaction among market players and create an open, competitive and orderly market, in which every citizen's right to equal participation, development and private property is protected. And to ensure the people succeed in their pursuit of a beautiful life, government departments should, based on their actual conditions, work more efficiently and expedite institution building to facilitate the smooth functioning of the sharing economy. Apart from their sense of material gain, Chinese people also have higher demands for rule of law, economic equality, justice, security and a pollution-free environment, which are important for a beautiful life. Standing at a new historical starting point, the Chinese people are surely capable of overcoming the obstacles ahead. The article was first published on ifeng.com.
