CUI Yuying 

　　

In January this year, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech entitled “Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, in which he systematically elaborated on the major concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, pointing out the direction for reforming and improving global governance and providing China’s proposition for the better development of mankind. Today, we are holding a symposium on the “Construction of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind and Global Human Rights Governance" at Nankai University, with the aim of profoundly explaining the connotations of human rights contained in the major concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, guiding the deepened understanding and awareness of the concept at home and abroad, and promoting the development of global human rights governance in the direction of justice and fairness. 

 

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has put forward a series of new ideas and new strategies for governing the country, which includes the continuous development and perfection of the concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind. By formally proposing “Advocating the awareness of a community of shared future for mankind” in his report of the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, President Xi Jinping first presented the concept of “a Community of Shared Future” in his speech at the Moscow Institute of International Relations in March 2013. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a profound interpretation of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind on a number of occasions at home and abroad, conveying to the world China’s judgment of the direction of human civilization. In September 2015, on series summits of during the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, General Secretary Xi Jinping comprehensively expounded on the main principles for a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, including equal partnerships, mutual consultations and mutual understanding; forging a jointly constructed security pattern of fairness, justice and sharing; seeking open, innovative, inclusive and mutually beneficial development prospects; promoting harmonious exchanges among civilizations; respect for nature and the pursuit of sustainable development – which form a “five-in-one” general layout and path for building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind. 

 

At present, the shadow of the international financial crisis has not been dispersed; wars and conflicts have still unresolved; and non-traditional security threats, such as terrorism and climate change, along with the issue of refugees, are pressing concerns. In the face of the international phenomenon of de-globalization and the crisis of global governance, it is of great significance to elaborate on the concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind and how it can be established. The concept is rooted in Chinese culture, which dates back more than 5, 000 years. It has learned from the achievements of human civilizations, conforms to the trends of the times, and meets the common aspirations of people of all countries for peace, development, cooperation and progress. The construction of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind is people-oriented, reflects the responsibility we share to address the common challenges facing us all and offers the possibility of a better life of all mankind. The concept focuses on promoting the integration of the interests of all countries, and is in line with the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness that are principles for our neighborhood diplomacy, has extended worldwide. The construction of a new international relations based on idea of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind calls for a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation at the core. It focuses on establishing the greatest common interests of all parties, which is also a major concept that China has presented to the world and one that is earning more and more recognition and praise within the international community.

 

Currently, the important concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind has been written in UN resolutions, UN Security Council resolutions and UN Human Rights Council resolutions in succession, becoming an important topic in the discourse on international human rights. The construction of the concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind reflects the cause of world human rights from the perspective of the entirety and interdependence of human societies. It advocates the establishment of a more equitable and reasonable international human rights governance system, opening up a new path of global human rights governance and has become the commanding height for international values.

 

First, the construction of the concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind provides a new way to advance global human rights governance. Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind and realizing a win-win cooperation are China’s solutions to resolving challenges of global governance and promoting the improvement of global human rights governance. The goal of global human rights governance is to enable all countries to respect, protect and promote the development of human rights. The construction of the concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind is aimed at the persistent ailment hindering the development of human society and the “governance deficit” in the field of international human rights, upholding sovereign equality as the basis for promoting and protecting human rights and advocating that all countries shall have the right to independently choose their own development path and social system, and that internal affairs shall not be interfered in under the banner of human rights. The construction of the concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind promotes and protects human rights through dialogue and consultation, and prevents human rights issues from being politicized. A Community of Shared Future for Mankind approaches the challenge of global human rights through win-win cooperation and strengthens the construction of human rights capabilities through pragmatic cooperation. The construction of such a community respects the diversity of civilizations through the spirit of inclusiveness and mutual learning and promotes dialogue among different cultures so they can enjoy peaceful and harmonious coexistence. The construction of the concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind puts an end to the “beggar-my-neighbor” approach to international relations through a win-win cooperation and it promotes tolerance and sustainable development, creating a common platform for development and effectively implementing the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development so as to meet the people’s desire for a better life.

 

Second, the construction of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind spearheads the development of a human rights theory. The construction of the concept expands the traditional view of human rights and goes beyond the limits of the Western liberalism of human rights. It is based on the overall development of the world and seeks the common well-being of all mankind, and acts as a guide to ensure the development of human rights theory is in the right direction. The concept embodies the principle of harmonizing all human rights. It unifies individual rights and collective rights, unifies basic political, economic, cultural, social and environmental rights, and unifies the rights to subsistence, development and peace. The concept presents the principles of universality and particularity of human rights and advocates finding the common ground of human interests and values. It contains the basic pursuit of common human values such as peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, as well as respect for the particularity and diversity of countries with different cultures, societies, institutions and stages of development. The concept demonstrates the requirements of the sustainable development of human rights and emphases the realization of comprehensive coordination and sustainable development, striving to solve the development problems such as poverty, disease and environmental degradation in developing countries and the problem of the uneven distribution of income in developed countries in order to satisfy the development demands of all countries. The elaborates the spirit of jointly developing and upholding human rights, which means that all countries are the subjects of enjoying equal development and mutual respect. Countries must transcend unilateralism and realize the sharing of peace and security, the sharing of the fruits of development, and the sharing of values and dignity among all countries and peoples.

 

Third, China is advancing the construction of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind with actual deeds in the field of human rights. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, has ensured people successfully open up a new realm, new situation and new practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, following the path of human rights development in line with China’s national conditions. Practicing the concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind with actual deeds provides a new path for global human rights governance and plays a positive role in the formation of a more equitable and reasonable international order for human rights. China shoulders the significant and arduous responsibility of maintaining regional peace and stability, it upholds the spirit of equity and mutual trust, inclusiveness and mutual learning, and a win-win cooperation, comprehensively and deeply participating in the cooperation on international human rights, actively strived to improve global human rights governance, and promotes the cause of the healthy and orderly development of international human rights. China has played an irreplaceable and constructive role in reaching consensus on international human rights, laying out the standards for international human rights, developing the concepts of human rights, and participating in the mechanism of the international human rights treaties and conventions. The concept of a Community of Shared Future for Mankind is the embodiment of it shouldering its responsibilities as a major country. Based on such a concept, China has actively provided the international community with a series of constructive public products, injecting new impetus into the global governance concept of “achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration”. The Belt and Road Initiative has presented to the world is characterized by Chinese wisdom and the pursuit of common prosperity and development. It is a great exploration and practice in building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind, demonstrating China is now taking a leading role in global governance and international cooperation. And it will have a far-reaching impact on promoting the development of human rights. 

 

Fourth, the concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind guides the research in human rights theory. The concept is a significant idea and initiative proposed by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core after considering the overall domestic and international situations, and is an innovation in the discourse on human rights. We must earnestly study and understand the spirit of the important speeches of General Secretary Xi Jinping, profoundly grasp their connotations, comprehend their essence, and conscientiously carry out the study of human rights theory and publicity work under the guidance of the those important speeches. Researchers who studies human rights theory should strengthen the systematic study of the concept of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind. By participating in Marxism projects, applying for the national social science fund, holding seminars, etc., we will help systematically and scientifically pushing forward the research connotations of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind for human rights and ensure the discourse power which promotes global human rights governance holding in our own hand. We should realize the great depth of the subject of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind and, nevertheless, positively introducing the significance of the concept in perfecting global governance, specially the great contributions China made in promoting global governance. In this regard, scholars are encouraged to publish articles via the Internet and newspapers, to accepting interviews, and to participate in international seminars. Next week we will host an international symposium on the “Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind” together with the Chinese delegation to the UN office in Geneva during the 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council. This will enhance our influence in the field of human rights by actively taking advantage of UN and other multilateral occasions.

 

As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, “Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind is a beautiful target, and also a goal that needs to be realized by a relay race of generations”. In the historic journey of creating a better future for mankind, I hope everyone, with a high sense of political responsibility and historical mission, will strive for progress, take solid steps, make a difference, and strive to do a good job of interpreting and publicizing the construction of a community of Shared Future for Mankind, creating an atmosphere of favorable public opinion to welcome the opening of the 19th National Congress of the CPC.

 

(Translated by LIU Yan)