By H.E. Wang Qing
Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone
After the Spring Festival, China’s two sessions (the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference) were convened, charting a course for the country’s development this year. Subsequently, the China Development Forum and the Boao Forum for Asia were held in March. President Xi Jinping cordially met with representatives of the international business community recently. All of these sent out a series of significant messages regarding China’s domestic and foreign policies. In a world full of uncertainties, China is resolute in promoting high-quality development, expanding high-level opening up, upholding an international order with multilateralism as its core, and is committed to being a crucial force for global stability.
- China: An Indispensable Engine for World Economic Growth
China has been the largest contributor to world economic growth for 20 consecutive years, with an average contribution rate exceeding 30%. Amid the challenge of sluggish global economic growth, the performance of the Chinese economy this year has become a hot topic of global attention. The “Two Sessions” set China’s economic growth target for this year at around 5%. We are confident that this goal is achievable. This confidence is derived from China’s super-large market and robust domestic demand, its strong industrial foundation and innovative momentum, and, more importantly, from its institutional advantages and the continuous drive of reform and opening up. We firmly believe that “the next China will continue to be the remarkable China we know.”
- China: Offering New Opportunities to the World through High-Level Opening Up
As President Xi Jinping pointed out during his meeting with representatives of the international business community, opening up to the world is China’s fundamental national policy. China’s door to the outside world will only open wider. Aligning with China means aligning with opportunities.
On one hand, China has steadily advanced institutional opening up. It has fully liberalized market access in the manufacturing sector and granted zero-tariff treatment to 100% of the tariff items of all least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China. Moreover, China has actively established trade platforms such as the China International Import Expo, China International Fair for Trade in Services, and China International Supply Chain Expo to facilitate trade exchanges. It has also taken the initiative to align with international high standard economic and trade rules and expand the global network of high standard free trade zones. On the other hand, China has orderly promoted autonomous and unilateral opening up. It has achieved full visa exemption for ordinary passports with 26 countries and implemented unilateral visa – free entry for 38 countries. The travel scope of foreign tourists in China has been continuously expanded.
- China: Leading the Way in Practicing True Multilateralism
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti Fascist War. However, the world today is mired in chaos, with the deficits in peace, development, security, and governance constantly widening. The course of human history has once again reached a critical juncture.
As a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council, China is acutely aware of its international responsibilities. China will firmly safeguard the central role of the United Nations and act as a mainstay of the multilateral system. China has always adhered to the belief that there is only one international system, which is the system centered around the United Nations; there is only one international order, which is the order based on international law; and there is only one set of rules, which are the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
China has always held that development is the key to solving various problems, and a multipolar world should be a world where all countries enjoy common development. Protectionism is not a viable solution, and the abuse of tariffs will lead to no winners. China will place common development at the center of the international agenda, uphold the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, and advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world with inclusive economic globalization.
China and Africa have always been good friends, good partners, and good brothers sharing a shared destiny. Under the joint leadership of President Xi Jinping and African leaders, China – Africa relations have entered the best period in history. Last year, China successfully hosted the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and proposed the “Ten Partnership Actions Plan” for China and Africa to jointly promote modernization. China will work hand in hand with African countries, including Sierra Leone, to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC. Together, we will follow the path of peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common prosperity in the process of modernization, elevate China Sierra Leone relations and China Africa relations to a higher level, and bring greater benefits to the people of China and Africa.
