Expert Perspective

On June 7, 2019, the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum Plenary Session was held in St. Petersburg. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Putin, Bulgarian President Radev, Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan, Slovak Prime Minister Peregrini, and UN Secretary General Guterres attended the meeting. President Xi Jinping delivered a speech entitled "Insist on Sustainable Development and Create a Prosperous and Beautiful World Together", pointing out that sustainable development is the "golden key" to solving current global problems.

Persist in sustainable development and create a prosperous and beautiful world

——Speech at the Plenary Session of the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

(St. Petersburg, June 7, 2019)

President of the People's Republic of China 　 Xi Jinping

Dear President Putin,

Dear colleagues and guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends:

I am very pleased to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum at the invitation of President Putin. I sincerely thank President Putin and Russian friends for their warm reception and thoughtful arrangements.

St. Petersburg is Russia's largest port and the world-renowned "Baltic Pearl". More than 300 years of historical accumulation and rapid development in recent years have given this city a strong classical temperament and distinctive era style, which is amazing. President Putin once played a Russian song: "There is a city on the Neva River, that is the crystallization of our labor", which vividly reflects the special position of St. Petersburg in the hearts of the Russian people.

Since its establishment in 1997, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has been expanding in scale and increasing influence. It has become an important platform for all parties to exchange ideas, gather wisdom, and seek cooperation. The theme of this forum is "Building a Sustainable Development Agenda", which is in line with the common concerns of the international community and has important practical significance.

The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century. The rise of emerging market countries and developing countries is unprecedentedly fast, the metabolism and fierce competition brought about by the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation are unprecedented, and the inadaptability and asymmetry of the global governance system and the changes in the international situation are unprecedented.

In the face of changes, teamwork and win-win cooperation are the correct choices for all parties. Looking at the world, sustainable development is the point where the best interests of all parties meet and the best entry point for cooperation. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development focuses on coordinating the harmonious coexistence of man and nature, taking into account the development needs of mankind and future generations, and proposes three major tasks of coordinated promotion of economic growth, social development, and environmental protection, drawing a new vision for global development.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China. As the world's largest developing country and a responsible power, China has always unswervingly fulfilled its commitment to sustainable development and has achieved world-recognized achievements.

China attaches great importance to strengthening international cooperation for sustainable development. In 2013, I proposed the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative, which aims to achieve mutual benefit, win-win and common development among all countries. The joint construction of the “Belt and Road” is highly compatible with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in terms of goals, principles, and implementation paths, and has received positive responses and support from the international community. In April this year, the second “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum was successfully held in Beijing. All parties agreed to promote high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, uphold the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and adhere to the concept of openness, greenness and integrity. Achieve high standards, benefit the people's livelihood, and sustainable goals, build a global connectivity partnership, and effectively connect the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” with the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and coordinate the economic, social and environmental relations , Take the road of green, low-carbon and sustainable development.

International cooperation is inseparable from sincere mutual trust and like-minded partners. Russia is China's largest neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, and an important priority partner for cooperation in various fields. Both parties uphold the concept of sustainable development, actively carry out cooperation in clean energy such as natural gas, take technological innovation, digital economy, and online e-commerce as new cooperation growth points, and carry out effective cooperation on the use and protection of cross-border resources and the construction of cross-border nature reserves.

President Putin and I reached a consensus on the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and the Eurasian Economic Union. At the same time, the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" is in line with the concept of the "Greater Eurasian Partnership" proposed by President Putin. The two major initiatives can support and promote each other, and go hand in hand. It is believed that this will strongly promote regional economic integration and help achieve common sustainable development.

Ladies, gentlemen, friends!

Sustainable development is an inevitable product of the development of social productivity and technological progress, and it meets the common demands of most countries in the world. The Chinese say: "Aspirations are endless." No one can stop people from all over the world's yearning for a better life. China is willing to continue to work with the international community to translate its solemn commitments into concrete actions and jointly open up a new path of sustainable development.

First, we must insist on extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and work together to create an open and diversified world economy. China will continue to open wider to the outside world, relax market access, and create a market environment for fair competition. We will advance the process of economic globalization with a clear-cut stand, safeguard the multilateral trading system, and strive to solve the problem of uneven and unequal world economic development. We are willing to develop trade cooperation with all parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect to achieve a win-win situation. We will promote synergy between the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” and the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promote the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund, the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund, etc. to play their due role, and create more for developing countries opportunity. China is willing to share the latest scientific research results including 5G technology with other countries, jointly cultivate new core competitiveness and transform economic growth models.

Second, we must persist in putting people first and strive to build a happy society that is inclusive and inclusive. Improving people's living standards is the top priority of governments of all countries. This year, China will continue to fight for the targeted poverty alleviation, and strive to achieve all rural poor people out of poverty by 2020. Efforts will be made to create more than 11 million new jobs. Vigorously support vocational education, support the healthy development of voluntary services and charity, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of disadvantaged groups. We are also willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other countries on poverty reduction, social security and other topics, and learn from each other, so as to bring greater sense of gain, happiness, and security to people of all countries.

Third, we must adhere to green development and strive to build a beautiful home where man and nature coexist harmoniously. The famous Russian writer Dostoevsky has a famous saying: "Beauty can save the world." It is our duty to leave a beautiful world with clear water and blue sky for future generations. China's development will never come at the expense of the environment. We will uphold the development concept that green water and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains, resolutely win the three defense battles of blue sky, clear water and pure land, encourage the development of green environmental protection industries, vigorously develop renewable energy, and promote resource conservation, intensive and recycling. We will also pay more attention to environmental protection and ecological civilization in our foreign cooperation, work with all parties to address urgent issues such as global climate change and biodiversity protection, and implement the international consensus on climate change such as the Paris Agreement.

Ladies, gentlemen, friends!

Peace and development are still the themes of the current era. The destiny of mankind has never been so closely linked as it is today, and the interests of countries have never been so deeply integrated as they are today. The trend of the times of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win is unstoppable. At the same time, with the rise of anti-globalization, hegemonism, and power politics, new issues and challenges facing the international community are increasing day by day. Human beings are once again at the crossroads of history. Sustainable development is the "golden key" to solving current global problems. It has similar goals and similar ideas to building a community with a shared future for mankind, and will benefit all mankind and the world. China is willing to continue to work hand in hand with all parties to uphold the concept of sustainable development, embody the responsibility of a community with a shared future for mankind, advocate multilateralism, improve global governance, and jointly promote the sustainability and peace of the global village, and jointly create a more prosperous and beautiful world.

thank you all.

Source/Xinhua News Agency