1China's proposals to make Internet safer, interconnected and constructive

President Xi Jinping laid out China's proposals on global Internet governance at the opening ceremony of the Second World Internet Conference (WIC) in Wuzhen on Dec 16, calling for efforts to "jointly build a community of shared future in cyberspace".

He put forward the principles of respecting cyber sovereignty, safeguarding cybersecurity, encouraging cyber opening-up and building a constructive cyber order.

Believing that the future of cyberspace should be in the hands of all countries, Xi brought up five proposals: Speeding up the building of global cyber infrastructure and promoting inter-connectivity; constructing an online platform for cultural exchange and mutual understanding; encouraging innovative development of cyber economy for common prosperity; ensuring cybersecurity and promoting orderly development; and setting up an Internet governance system and boosting fairness and justice.

Xi's key words that define Internet sovereignty, governance and security...

Cyber surveillance, cyberattacks and cyberterrorism have become a global scourge as Internet has entered hundreds of millions of people's lives and transformed economy and society. China's proposals on Internet governance show that China is willing to shoulder more responsibilities for further development of the Internet.

China's proposals have received wide support.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev backed Xi's Internet governing proposals, noting that these plans should be thoroughly studied in order to be put into action. He added that global society should make Internet governing rules, respect national sovereignty, and not interfere in other country's internal affairs.

"The president put forward five specific proposals and mentioned many issues widely discussed in the international community. In terms of Internet governance, China's adherence to principles is recognized by the international community," said Wu Hongbo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

Robert E Kahn, the father of the Internet and the concept founder of information superhighway, said that Xi had stressed five proposals that deserve much attention and the proposals are astute and comprehensive.

2China's constructive role in regional and international issues

Two landmark agreements were reached over the past few months that were hailed as a model to solve regional and international issues through peaceful means.

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Dec 18, endorsing an international roadmap for a Syrian-led political transition in order to end the country's conflict, which calls for Syria peace talks to begin in early January.

How China worked for peace in Syria,
Iran and other places...

In July, the 15-member Security Council also unanimously endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and said it will lift its sanctions on Iran after receiving a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency verifying that Teheran will indeed implement the commitments it has made in the JCPOA.

The lift of sanctions came after a milestone agreement was reached between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members - China, France, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom - plus Germany).

China, a permanent member of UN Security Council, played a unique and constructive role on both of the issues.

The roadmap for a Syrian-led political transition is basically in accordance with China's proposals of a "UN-led ceasefire and dialogue."

On Iran, it was China that has put forward the idea of the modification of the Arak heavy water reactor and its uniquely constructive role has won praise from all the parties.

Experts said China never takes sides on such problems, but insists on promoting political dialogue and its constructive role carries significance far beyond the Iranian nuclear issue and the Syria conflict.

As a matter of fact, China also has been pushing for peaceful dialogue and reconciliation in South Sudan and Afghanistan.

3China's proposals on international relations and global cooperation

As President Xi Jinping said in his speech at the General Debate of the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly on September 28, all countries are interdependent and share a common future in today's world, and we should renew our commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation, and create a community of shared future for mankind.

As China's new proposal on international relations, the creation of a community of shared future for mankind requires efforts in five areas.

China's proposal on climate change, Belt and Road Initiative and more...

We should build partnerships in which countries treat each other as equals, engage in mutual consultation and show mutual understanding; we should create a security architecture featuring fairness, justice, joint contribution and shared benefit; we should promote open, innovative and inclusive development that benefits all; we should increase inter-civilization exchanges to promote harmony, inclusiveness and respect for differences; we should build an ecosystem that puts Mother Nature and green development first.

A community of shared future for mankind is a global outlook that goes beyond the boundaries of nations and ideologies, and represents China's pursuit of peaceful development and commitment to win-win cooperation, wrote People's Daily. It's China's proposal on the future of mankind.

Instead of empty talks, China honored its commitment to global cooperation with a number of deliverables, as pointed out by the international community.

As announced by President Xi, China has decided to establish a 10-year, $1 billion China-UN peace and development fund to support the UN's work, advance multilateral cooperation and contribute more to world peace and development.

China will also join the new UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System and has thus decided to take the lead in setting up a permanent peacekeeping police squad and build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops.

Besides, China will provide a total of $100 million of free military assistance to the African Union in the next five years to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis.

From UN summits to Paris climate change conference, from the One Belt and One Road Initiative to the global anti-terror campaign, President Xi went further to expound China's view and vision on global governance and call for creating a future of win-win cooperation instead of the so-called "zero-sum game."