Building a China-Seychelles community with a shared future |15 January 2024

• Chinese ambassador to Seychelles, Lin Nan, talks about China’s Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs

China held the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in Beijing on December 27-28, 2023. President Xi Jinping delivered an important address to the conference. While taking stock of achievements of our diplomacy over the past decade, the conference further elaborated China’s foreign policy and draw a blueprint for the external work in the coming years.

It was stressed that Xi Jinping’s thought on Diplomacy had been serving as the fundamental guideline for China’s external work. China will continue to act as a force for world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order, and promoter of progress of human civilisations. The lofty goal of China’s diplomacy is to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

I. Building a community with a shared future for mankind

Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping proposed the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind. The concept was well received and echoed by the international community, and has been transformed from vision to practice, leading the progress of human society.

With the guidance of this noble idea, we are working with all partners to build a world of lasting peace. We advocate the peaceful settlement of international dispute through dialogue and consultation. We encourage the formation of partnership among countries based on the principles of mutual respect, equal consultation, avoiding confrontation and alliances. 

We are committed to building a world of common security for all. President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative, with the aim of fostering a new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We will take a holistic approach to address traditional and non-traditional security threats jointly with other countries.

We will spare no efforts to build a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation, promoting common development of all countries. We will join hand with partners to implement the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping.

We will continue to build an open and inclusive world through exchanges between civilisations. The Global Civilization Initiative, proposed by President Xi Jinping, set up a valuable platform to enhance people-to-people exchange and mutual learning among civilisations.

We will build a clean and beautiful world. Lush mountains and clean waters are invaluable assets. We will advocate green, circular, sustainable and low carbon production and life style, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

It was during the conference that some major issues and challenges facing the world were raised. What kind of international order suit the trend of our time? We call for an equal and orderly multi-polar world, where all countries, regardless of size, are treated as equals. Hegemonism and power politics should be rejected, and democracy truly promoted in international relations. The progress toward multi-polarity should be generally stable and constructive, with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter observed by all. The universally recognised basic norms governing international relations must be upheld by all, and true multilateralism be practiced.

What kind of globalisation conforms to the common interests of international community? We call for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation. This globalisation will meet the common needs of all countries, especially the developing countries, and help to address the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources. It will ensure full and balanced development that delivers benefit to all. It opposes all forms of unilateralism, protectionism, and the attempt to roll back globalisation and abuse the concept of security. It promotes trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation, ensures stable and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains. These efforts will help to overcome structural problems hindering the healthy development of world economy, and realise a more open, inclusive, balanced globalisation that is beneficial to all.

II. China’s Africa Policy

Africa is a land full of potential, and an important force in shaping the world order. China treats African countries as true friends and partners in maintaining world peace and promoting common development. And we are partners in promoting the process of multi-polarisation and greater democracy in international relations.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the guiding principle of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith in developing relations with Africa. We firmly supported each other in safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests. We have broad consensus on adhering to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, practicing true multilateralism, opposing external interference, unilateral sanctions, racial discrimination, and hegemonism in all forms. Last September, we supported African Union to become a full member of G20.

It is the common aspiration of China and African to build an open and inclusive world economy. Under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative and China-Africa Cooperation Forum, China and Africa are forging synergies among development strategies. China has helped Africa to build a large number of connectivity infrastructures, including the AU Conference Centre, roads, ports and railways. China supports the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and is encouraging the exportation of African commodities to Chinese market. China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, and bilateral trade volume reached US $282 billion in 2022. By the end of 2022, China's investment stock in Africa exceeded US $56 billion, double that of 10 years ago.

Over the past years, China-Africa cooperation in culture, education, health, media, think tanks, youth has been increasingly expanded, which helped to improve African people's livelihood, enhancing people-to-people ties. China and Africa entered the new stage of jointly building a high-level community with a shared future.

III. China’s relations with Seychelles

Since diplomatic ties were established, the relations between China and Seychelles have achieved fruitful results. We supported each other in safeguarding sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests. In the cause of bringing prosperity and happiness to our peoples, we are brothers, friends and partners, be it in good time or in bad time.

After the ‘12•7’ disaster in Seychelles, China was among the first to render assistance. The Chinese government donated 100,000 dollars to renovate the National Bureau of Standards building and support other relief work. The Chinese embassy in Seychelles contributed 100,000 rupees to help local resettlement efforts.

Holding dear to the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, we worked together to foster the formation of a fairer and more equitable international system with the UN at its core. China appreciates the One-China policy adhered by Seychelles government and people, and supports the formulation of Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI), with a view to addressing the special need of small island developing countries.

Over the years, we have witnessed numerous China-Seychelles practical cooperation outcomes. The National Assembly building and Palais de Justice are the symbols of bilateral friendship. Looking into the future, our cooperation is facing new opportunities. We will tap the cooperation potential in blue economy, fisheries, agriculture. We will encourage more export from Seychelles to Chinese market, and more tourists from China to Seychelles. We will hold more cultural events both in Seychelles and China, with a view to strengthening mutual understanding and advancing the progress of human civilisations. In terms of maritime security, China will continue to render support to Seychelles in combating pirate and drug, human trafficking.

China-Seychelles friendship has become a model for sincerity, equality, solidarity and cooperation between countries of different sizes. China is ready to work hand in hand with Seychelles to build a community with a shared future.

Lin Nan

Chinese ambassador to Seychelles