Foresight needed to navigate future

With mounting isolationism, protectionism and even military actions affecting global unity, the world faces a pressing task of sticking together through President Xi Jinping's proposal of creating a common community with a shared future for mankind, prominent scholars said.

They have shed their light at the second edition of Vision China, a series of public events organized by China Daily, at the Hangzhou International Expo Center on Sunday. Following the event was the awards ceremony of the 2018 Grand Final of the China Daily 21st Century Cup National English Speaking Competition.

"This is the vision," David Gosset, an expert in international relations and founder of the Europe-China Foundation, said in reference to Xi's proposal of creating a common community with a shared future for mankind."

The contrast is clear: There is one country today in the world, led by a man. This country is the biggest economy in the world. This man is shifting from multilateralism to unilateralism, which is not the right path."

Addressing an audience of more than 1,500, both from home and abroad, at the center, which was the venue for the G20 summit chaired by Xi in September 2016, Gosset said: "You all know, I am talking about the United States of America and Donald Trump."

In an interview before his address, Gosset said the rapid deterioration of the global situation in recent weeks, such as trade tensions and airstrikes in Syria by the United States, France and UK, has brought the world into what he called, "Cold War 2.0."

"However, we must remember China and President Xi made intellectual contributions and the world should join this force of uniting us for a better future," Gosset said. "This vision doesn't divide us; it unites us."

Lu Li'an, vice-director of the College of Foreign Languages and Literature at Fudan University and Greg Fountain, a China Daily senior journalist, shared their perspectives on building a community with a shared future for mankind.