'Common destiny' draws wide applause from int'l community

BEIJING - China's proposal to build "a community of common destiny" for countries, regions and the entire world by working together with people from other nations is being applauded worldwide.

China's proposal reflects its vision of the world: With increasing interdependence and interaction, the world is actually developing into "a community of common destiny."

By making such a proposal, China is suggesting that a country should accommodate the legitimate concerns of others when pursuing its own interests and should promote the common development of all countries when advancing its own development.

China's insight into the international situation highlighted an interdependent relationship among all nations and their peoples, said Yakov Berger, a senior researcher with the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"Any attempt from one country to harm others may finally hurt itself too," Berger said. Berger rightfully recognized China's promise that its development will never be at the cost of another country's.

Latin America, a South American continent which has suffered a history of European colonization and American exploitation, huge income disparity and economic dependence, among other problems, embraces the notion of building "a community of common destiny."

According to David Castrillon, a Colombian scholar of Asian studies, China and Latin America are already in "a community of common destiny," stressing that the continent's current top priority is to restructure the economy and promote national capabilities, which can only be accomplished by collective efforts from around the globe, China included.

Berger said Moscow supports China's efforts toward a new type of international relations centered on win-win cooperation, as shown in the deepened Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and in bilateral cooperation on global issues and other common challenges.

"China has a vision of openness toward the Arab world and Chinese-Arab ties are deeply rooted in history, which is why there is mutual understanding between the two sides in many fields," said Fadel Gawad, the Arab League (AL)'s assistant secretary-general for political affairs, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

It is worth noting that China has always been an active supporter of the common development of all nations.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua ahead of his visit to China on Sunday, Erastus Mwencha, deputy chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, said China has supported Africa's quest for independence in the past. Mwencha also said China-Africa cooperation overall is growing stronger, and praised China's continued support of Africa in various areas, including health as well as peace and security.

China-Africa relations have always been friendly and mutually beneficial, characterized by numerous aid construction projects to develop Africa's infrastructure and industrialization, and efforts to help eradicate poverty, Mwencha said, adding that they have established communication and cooperation platforms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) as well as frequent mutual exchanges and high-level visits.

Mwencha, who will lead an AU delegation for a working visit to China starting Sunday, said the AU team will discuss with Chinese officials a high-speed rail project that will connect African countries, enhance integration and promote economic development in Africa.

Meanwhile, Gawad said there is an executive program of cooperation for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 that was approved by China and the AL, which includes various activities in many fields, such as culture, energy, libraries, and others.

Gawad called the relations between China and the Arab states "extremely good," with trade and economic cooperation growing day after day, stressing that politically, China is one of the countries whose position is "reassuring" for Arabs.

According to official statistics of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the trade volume between China and the Arab world in 2014 has exceeded 251 billion U.S. dollars.

Russian experts believe that building "a community of common destiny" matters to Russia in particular.

Grigory Trofimchuk, from the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, specified that the Chinese proposal envisages the setup of a pan-Asian system which would positively influence the global community.

Besides, Trofimchuk believed that the Chinese vision would help eliminate disputes rather than stir up rivalry in the Asia-Pacific region.

He expected the system to begin with economic cooperation, to be "secured by Eurasia-wide communication infrastructure, both on land through the Silk Road Economic Belt and at sea through the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road."

The "Belt and Road" initiative was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, and is aimed at reviving the ancient trade routes that span Asia, Africa and Europe.

It is widely believed that the "Belt and Road" initiative will further enhance regional economic cooperation and help promote stability and prosperity in the area

Similarly, Lebanon's Prime Minister Tammam Salam said his country is "looking forward to playing a key role in the economic course of the Silk Road initiative due to its special (geographic) position" when he attended the sixth session of the Conference of Arab-Chinese Businessmen.

"The Arab-Chinese Businessmen Forum constitutes the key pillar of cooperation between the Arab world and China. This event also coincides with the 60th anniversary of the first trade agreement between Lebanon and China," Salam said, adding that "China has become the largest trading partner for Lebanon, and we expect this partnership to extend owing to the new horizons of cooperation."

"A community of common destiny" would neither permit any country's hegemony nor the short-sighted pursuit of only economic benefits, Russian experts said.

"Some may say the vision is too idealistic to realize, but it is important that a big country (like China) set such a goal and become a beacon for other nations," Trofimchuk said.