Holding High the Banner of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity and Breaking New Ground in Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics

——Speech at the Inaugural Ceremony of the Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity

WANG Yi

(January, 2, 2025, Beijing)

Distinguished guests, colleagues, comrades:

Today marks an important day for China’s diplomacy. Approved by the CPC Central Committee, the Research Center on Building a community with a shared future for humanity has been officially established at China Foreign Affairs University. First, on behalf of all comrades on the diplomatic front, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations on the establishment of the center! I also express our sincere gratitude to all friends who have long been dedicated to the study of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and have supported China’s diplomatic endeavors.

Building a community with a shared future for humanity is a major original idea of Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and the core concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It represents the core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and provides China’s answer to the epochal question of “what kind of world to build and how to build it.” This vision carries profound theoretical value, great contemporary significance, and far-reaching global influence.

The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity embodies the founding mission of the Communist Party of China. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized, the CPC is a party dedicated to working for the happiness of the Chinese people and the cause of human progress. Building such a community reflects the CPC’s inherent internationalist commitment, which harmonizes the fundamental interests of the Chinese people with those of people worldwide while closely linking China’s future with that of the world. This concept transcends differences in social systems, ideologies, historical cultures, and development stages. It sets the banner and charting the course for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on the new journey.

The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity carries forward the fine traditions of Chinese culture. This major initiative is a vivid example of the “Two Integrations” (integrating the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities‌ and integrating Marxism with China’s fine traditional culture) and an innovative achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context. It embodies the Chinese nation’s cosmopolitan worldview of “universal harmony,” value of “harmony as the most precious,” and principle of putting righteousness before interests. This vision highlights the peaceful, inclusive, and innovative nature of Chinese civilization, representing the promotion and elevation of China’s fine traditional culture under new historical conditions. It carries timeless appeal and inspiration, enabling Chinese civilization to make fresh contributions to humanity’s progress.

The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity demonstrates the intellectual power of a scientific theory. Since its proposal in 2013, this vision has evolved into a comprehensive theoretical framework featuring five goals for the world, global governance through extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefits as the pathway, the practice of humanity’s common values as the guiding principle, a new type of international relations as the foundation, the Three Global Initiatives as the strategic guide, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation as the implementation platform. This theoretical system has enriched and developed Marxist theories on international relations, subsumed and transcended traditional Western international relations theories, and illuminated the path forward for global governance.

The vision of a community with a shared future for humanity articulates China’s proposition for navigating the profound changes unseen in a century. Confronted with changes of the time and questions by history, this vision explicitly advocates the spirit of union, a mindset of openness and inclusiveness, and a future of mutually beneficial cooperation. It also proposes replacing conflict and confrontation with peaceful development, substituting absolute security with common security, abandoning zero-sum games for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, preventing clash of civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning, and safeguarding our planet via green development. This transforms state-to-state relations from peaceful coexistence to a shared future, injecting powerful momentum into global peace and development.

We are pleased to see that the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity has developed from an initiative to a consensus, from a vision to practice, and is driving positive and profound changes in today’s world. To date, China has partnered with dozens of countries and regions to establish various forms of communities with a shared future. Significant progress continues in building multilateral frameworks including a community of health for all, a community with a shared future in cyberspace, a community of life for humanity and nature, a global community of development, and a community of human security. The vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity has been incorporated in multiple UN General Assembly resolutions and multilateral instruments. Emerging as the most important global public good with defining significance for our world, this vision is now steering humanity toward a future of peace, security, prosperity, and progress.

Comrades,

The vision of a community with a shared future for mankind originates in China and benefits the entire world. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized, building such a community is both a noble goal and a long-term endeavor requiring generations of sustained effort. China Foreign Affairs University, founded and nurtured under the personal guidance of our revolutionary elders led by President Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai, will celebrate its 70th anniversary this year. In this new era and on this new journey, CFAU must build on its legacy while breaking new ground, honor its traditions while innovating for the times, and mobilize its entire faculty and pool collective wisdom to establish a world-class Research Center for a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity, fulfilling its sacred mission to study, interpret, and promote Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.

First, we should uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

While focusing on theoretical research. We must deeply grasp the core tenets and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, mastering the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods that define it. By adhering to the “Two Integrations” and grounding our work in China’s realities and cultural heritage, we will conduct comprehensive research on the theoretical logic, intellectual essence, scientific framework, and practical dimensions of the community with a shared future for humanity. Through rigorous and impactful scholarly output, we will enrich and refine the system of the major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Second, we should integrate theory with practice, and proactively present policy suggestions. We must recognize that China’s major-country diplomacy has entered a new historical stage of greater potential and responsibility. To serve our national diplomatic strategy effectively, we should anchor our work to the needs of the state, align with the trends of our times, adopt a problem-solving approach, demonstrate courage to tackle challenges, strengthen research and field studies, generate proactive policy recommendations, and produce more high-quality outputs to provide robust intellectual support for building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Third, we should attach great importance to external exchanges and conduct international communication. It is essential to integrate the latest research findings from both China and abroad, strengthen the systematic interpretation and international expression of the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, better tell China’s stories, make China’s voice heard, and build China’s own narrative discourse system. We should make good use of academic exchanges and media platforms to interpret and promote China’s foreign policy and major diplomatic initiatives, garner broad understanding and recognition, and consistently occupy the moral high ground in the international arena.

Fourth, we must focus on nurturing talent and cultivating diplomatic professionals. The research center should take concrete actions and lead by example, closely integrating discipline development with talent cultivation. It should foster talent through academic excellence and cultural influence, building a highland for research on the community with a shared future for humanity. China Foreign Affairs University should accelerate its “Double First-Class” initiative, actively explore new models for talent development, expand a comprehensive education framework, and train and deliver more diplomatic professionals who are loyal to the Party, dedicated to the nation, and capable of shouldering significant responsibilities.

Comrades,

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that universities must “take it as their academic mission to answer China’s questions, the world’s questions, the people’s questions, and the questions of the times, and to demonstrate China’s path, governance, and principles as their intellectual pursuit”. This responsibility now rests solemnly on our shoulders.

Comrades, we should live up to this trust and fulfill our mission with honor. We should study, reflect on, practice, and internalize Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, particularly Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, to provide stronger support for breaking new ground in foreign affairs. We should also make even greater contributions to building a strong nation, advancing the great cause of national rejuvenation, and promoting human development and progress.

Thank you!

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China