'Golden key' of development

Lasting world peace remains one of humanity's greatest aspirations. For Xi, peace and development are inseparable. He once observed that the tree of peace does not grow on barren land, and the fruit of development is not produced amid flames of war.

Given their interlocked relations, Xi insists that advancing sustainable development is the "golden key" to a secure and stable future.

Since assuming China's presidency, Xi has positioned development as a pillar of his vision of building a better future for humankind. His proposed initiatives, notably the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, serve as bridges to foster common development through broader collaboration.

China has provided development aid to over 160 countries, and Belt and Road cooperation has involved more than 150 countries. Under the Global Development Initiative, China has mobilized nearly $20 billion of development funds and launched more than 1,100 projects, fueling growth and modernization drives in many countries, particularly developing ones.

"China is sharing its development experience with other countries through its development initiatives, which have helped to promote common development," said Straton Habyarimana, a Rwandan economic analyst.

"Since these initiatives are people-centered, they address key challenges such as food insecurity and poverty," and have helped ease tensions among countries, he added.

Update of world order

Nestled by the Huangpu River in Shanghai, the New Development Bank was founded by five BRICS countries in 2014 to provide financing support for member countries to bolster transport infrastructure, clean energy and digital infrastructure.

When Xi visited the bank a few days ago, he saw more than a mere financial institution. He described it as a "pioneering initiative for the unity and self-improvement of the Global South," underscoring an enduring commitment to building a more just and equitable international order.

BRICS countries stand at the forefront of the Global South. Xi has personally pushed for the BRICS' historic expansion in 2023 to create stronger unity among the Global South. The expansion, he said, would further strengthen the forces for world peace and development.

Developing countries remain underrepresented in the global governance system, which the West has long dominated. China maintains that only when the rise of emerging markets and developing countries is reflected in the global governance system will global development be more balanced and global peace be firmly based.

During the 2022 Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, Xi vocally supported the African Union in joining the leading multilateral mechanism. This made China the earliest and most vocal champion for amplifying Africa's voice in global governance.

In recent years, Xi has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative as key global public goods to create a more just and equitable global governance system.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who received the "Zun of Peace" from the Chinese president on behalf of the UN 10 years ago, said China's initiatives to promote global peace and development are inseparable from Xi's foresight.

"China is playing an increasingly important role on the world stage, and Xi has demonstrated proactive and crucial leadership," Ban said. "He always believes that China can only do well when the world is doing well, and when China does well, the world will get even better."

In Xi's own words, "every increase of China's strength is an increase of the prospects of world peace."

Xinhua