All Leads to a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

It is increasingly difficult to explain today’s world with conventional theories of international relations. The notion that countries are destined to seek hegemony once they grow strong and the zero-sum game mindset are only breeding more disputes and conflicts. Against such a backdrop, humanity is in great need of new ideas that conform to the trend of the times and history. With humanity’s interests at heart, China envisions a community with a shared future for mankind. This vision addresses the question of where humanity should be headed, the question of our times that carries global and historical significance.

Humanity has come a long way from the early days of a primitive society, undergoing revolutions in agriculture, industrial production and information technology. Though this process has brought a steep increase in productivity, it does not change one fundamental reality—the Earth is the one and only home of mankind. All countries bear responsibilities for safety of this planet and the future of humanity. Resorting to vicious competition or even war for the sake of profit and power will only lead mankind to self-destruction.

Peace and development have been the most basic wish of humanity throughout history. Having experienced the ravages of wars and conflicts, especially two devastating world wars, people around the globe are keenly aware of the need to cherish peace, expand cooperation and seek common development. The idea that “humanity is one big family” is taking deeper root in people’s hearts, and the desire for a community with a shared future grows stronger than ever.

As the wheels of history move forward, the world has become a global village where the interests of all countries are intertwined. Globalization has connected countries in a way like connecting scattered lakes and rivers into a vast ocean. With the rapid growth of the Internet, big data, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence, exchanges among people have reached unprecedented depth and breadth, and countries are more interconnected and interdependent than ever before.

Meanwhile, our world is undergoing major changes not seen in a century and faces unprecedented challenges. The deficit in peace, development, security and governance is becoming more serious. Amid global challenges in such areas as food and energy security, resource and environmental conservation, climate change, and wealth inequality, countries won’t be able to withstand battering winds and waves if they ride 190-plus small boats separately. Only by sticking together in one big ship can they overcome the waves and sail toward a better future.

The vision of a community with a shared future for mankind is rooted in traditional Chinese culture, of which harmony is a core tenet. The Chinese culture values the primary importance of peace and harmony without uniformity, sees all nations as belonging to one and the same family, and champions the belief that the strong should not bully the weak and the rich should not insult the poor. For the Chinese nation, one should also help others succeed while pursuing one’s own success, as helping others is helping oneself, and one should not do to others what he does not want others do to him. The Chinese nation also believes that the laws of Nature govern all things and that man must seek harmony with Nature, which shows a respect and love for the world and the longing for harmonious coexistence between man and Nature.

The vision of a community with a shared future for mankind is also inspired by the wisdom of other civilizations. This vision finds similar propositions in different civilizations. Ancient Greek philosophers explored the idea of a human community on the basis of city-states, advocating the need to pursue common interests through concerted actions. The traditional African philosophy of Ubuntu holds that “We are, therefore I am.” It highlights the interdependence of everyone and profoundly shapes governance in African countries. An Indonesian proverb says, “Sugarcane and lemongrass grow in dense clumps.” Mexican poet Alfonso Reyes wrote, “The only way to be profitable on a national level is to be generous on a universal one.” All of this points to how the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind is a common ideal among different cultures.

Whether it’s addressing crises at hand or creating a better future, history and reality have proven time and again that countries must pursue robust communication, solidarity and cooperation, foster extensive consensus on global issues, and make a concerted response, so as to build a community with a shared future for mankind and generate stronger confidence and impetus for bringing about a bright future.