Remarks by Ma Zhaoxu at Vision China Program

马朝旭在“新时代大讲堂”活动上的致辞

I want to begin by thanking Vision China for inviting me to talk about this very important topic for both China and the United Nations: Poverty Eradication and Peaceful Development.

很高兴出席今天的“新时代大讲堂”活动，围绕“中国与联合国：消除贫困、和平发展”主题同大家进行交流。

Seventy-five years ago, when the world finally emerged from the rubble of the World War II, nations came together to found the United Nations. In the years since, the UN has lived up to its role as the most representative, authoritative, and comprehensive platform of international cooperation, and has made tremendous contribution to world peace, stability, and common development.

75年前，联合国在第二次世界大战的废墟中应运而生，75年来，联合国作为代表性最强、权威性最高、机制最完备的国际合作平台，为维护和平稳定、促进共同发展作出重要贡献。

Today, our world is facing unprecedented challenges. COVID-19 is still spreading. The world economy is in deep recession. Efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda are suffering major setbacks. An estimate of 70 to 100 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty. Yet, despite these challenges and the profound changes we face unseen in a century, peace and development remains the defining trend of our times, and the shared aspiration of the people across the world. So it has become ever more important that we stand firmly committed to multilateralism with the UN at its core, and combine our efforts towards a community of shared future for mankind. To be successful in that endeavor, we must do right four things. Let me take each in turn.

当前，新冠肺炎疫情仍在肆虐，世界经济陷入深度衰退，2030年可持续发展议程落实遭遇重挫，全球7000万至1亿人可能因疫情陷入极端贫困。新冠肺炎疫情来势汹汹，但并未改变和平与发展的时代主题。世界正在经历百年未有之大变局，求和平、促发展仍是各国人民的共同期盼。我们要坚定支持多边主义，支持联合国发挥核心作用，推动构建人类命运共同体。

First, we must safeguard the international system with the UN at its core. The Charter of the United Nations is not only the constituent instrument of the United Nations as an organization. It is also a legal manifesto encompassing the basic principles and norms for its 193 member states. Faithfully observing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and upholding the international order based on international law, is crucial for world peace and development. We must reject any act that undermines the norms governing international relations. And we must act together to defeat the attempt of certain country to start a new "Cold War".

要维护以联合国为核心的国际体系。《联合国宪章》是联合国的基本法，也是联合国193个会员国的基本行为准则。恪守宪章宗旨和原则，维护以国际法为基础的国际秩序，和平发展才有保障。我们要反对一切破坏国际关系准则的行径，制止个别国家挑起“新冷战”的企图，共同维护国际和平、稳定与发展。

Second, we must uphold multilateralism. Decisions on world affairs need to be made through consultation. No country should be allowed to dominate over others. Any attempt to bring back the law of the jungle and barbarism is a lost cause. While multilateralism gives us solutions and options, unilateralism will only lead us astray to a dead end. It is a choice between the right and wrong. When certain country goes full steam with its unilateralism, protectionism, and bullyism, breaking commitments and back-stepping from international cooperation, the whole world is paying a heavy price. We must say no to these acts of unilateralism and bullying, and jointly promote a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation.

要遵循多边主义黄金法则。世界上的事需要各国共同商量着办，任何国家都不能主宰他国命运，更不能奉行丛林法则，将世界拉回弱肉强食的蛮荒时代。解决全球性的威胁和挑战，多边主义是正道，会越走越宽；单边主义是邪路，只会走入死胡同。个别国家大搞单边主义、保护主义、霸凌主义，“退群”、“毁约”，使世界各国深受其害。我们要对单边主义、霸凌行径说不，共同推动建设相互尊重、公平正义、合作共赢的新型国际关系。

Third, we must prioritize development on the agenda. Development is the master key to all problems, and poverty eradication deserves our most strategic focus. We must leverage the Decade of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals, support the work of the United Nations' Alliance for Poverty Eradication, and jointly advance cooperation on poverty eradication and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is crucial and must be upheld. We urge the developed countries to honor their ODA commitments on time and in full, and provide adequate and stable capital, technical and capacity building support to the developing countries. Economic growth is the fundamental driving force for poverty eradication and development. We must strive for a safe and orderly return to work and maintain stability and integrity of the global industrial and supply chains. To this end, during the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting earlier this month, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward a Chinese initiative on Facilitating Cross-border Flow of People and Goods. We welcome all interested parties to join this initiative. It is also important that the international community implement the Paris Agreement to achieve a green recovery.

要切实践行发展优先理念。发展是解决一切问题的总钥匙。要抓住减贫这个牛鼻子，以“可持续发展目标行动十年”为契机，积极支持联合国消除贫困联盟工作，携手推进国际减贫合作，加快落实2030年议程。要按照“共同但有区别的责任”原则，深化国际发展合作。发达国家要按时足额履行官方发展援助承诺，为发展中国家提供稳定充足的资金、技术和能力建设支持。经济增长是减贫和发展的源动力。要在确保防疫的前提下有序复工复产，维护全球产业链供应链稳定畅通。王毅国务委员兼外长在二十国集团外长视频会上提出“人员与货物跨境流动便利化倡议”，希望各方积极响应。要落实气候变化《巴黎协定》，推动世界经济绿色复苏。

Continue on the point of development, I want to emphasize that every country in this world is entitled to development. It is an inherent right of all nations. Alarmingly, some country is now trying to monopolize that right, using threats, coercion, and sanction to deny the right to development of other countries. But make no mistake, such despicable acts are doomed to failure.

发展是世界各国天经地义的权力。个别国家只许自己发展，不允许别国发展，试图垄断发展权力，不择手段地对别国进行制裁、打压，这种行为十分卑劣，也是根本行不通的。

Fourth, we must continue to strive for a community of shared future for mankind. This pandemic has taught us a good lesson. We have come to realize more keenly than ever before that all countries' interests are closely interconnected, and the whole humanity share a common destiny. Only by standing together can we defeat the pandemic. We support the continued leading and coordinating role of the United Nations and the World Health Organization in this fight. And we call on everyone to reject politicization, stigma, blame game and scapegoating. Despite the strong headwinds, we must remain committed to win-win cooperation and continue to steer economic globalization in the right direction.

要坚定不移推动构建人类命运共同体。疫情告诉我们，各国利益紧密相连，人类命运休戚与共。我们要携手战胜疫情，支持联合国和世卫组织发挥领导和协调作用，反对把疫情政治化、病毒标签化，反对甩锅推责。我们要秉持合作共赢的精神，引导经济全球化朝正确方向发展。

Ladies and Gentleman,

女士们，先生们，

As the first country to sign the UN Charter, and as a responsible country and permanent member of the UN Security Council, China supports the important role of the United Nations, and upholds the UN's authority and core status in the international system. No matter how the world changes, China will always stand firmly committed to building peace, promoting development, maintaining international order, and providing global public goods. Our resolve to safeguard multilateralism, fairness and justice will never waver. Our resolve to push for just and reasonable solution to hot-spot issues, and to bring about a more fair, just, and reasonable international order will never waver. Our resolve to build a community of shared future for mankind will never waver. And our resolve to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative, and achieve the SDGs will never waver.

中国是第一个在《联合国宪章》上签字的创始会员国。作为一个负责任大国和联合国安理会常任理事国，中国始终坚定支持多边主义，支持联合国发挥重要作用，维护联合国权威和核心地位。无论国际风云如何变幻，中国坚定不移地做世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者、全球公共产品的提供者。中方捍卫多边主义的决心不会动摇，推动政治解决热点问题、构建更加公平、公正、合理的国际秩序的决心不会动摇，推进构建人类命运共同体的决心不会动摇，推动共建“一带一路”、实现2030年可持续发展目标的决心不会动摇。

As the world's largest developing country, China takes poverty eradication as a central priority. From end of 2012 to end of 2019, impoverished population in China had reduced from 98.99 million to 5.51 million with poverty incidence rate dropping from 10.2 percent to 0.6 percent. For 7 years in a row, 10 million plus people were helped out of poverty annually. In total, China has successfully lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty during the 4-decade-and-more Reform and Opening Up, accounting for over 70 percent of poverty reduction worldwide in the same period. In the past 7 years, rural per capita disposable income in 832 poverty-stricken counties has increased to 11,567 RMB Yuan from 6,079 Yuan, averaging a yearly growth rate of 9.7 percent. Tarmac and cement roads have been paved in all administrative villages where conditions allow. All villages have had clinics and medical practitioner. Over 99.9 percent of registered poor population have been covered by the basic medical care insurance. Reliability ratio of rural power grid has reached 99 percent. And the teaching conditions of 108,000 compulsory education schools have been improved.

作为最大的发展中国家，中国始终把脱贫攻坚摆在治国理政的突出位置。2012年底至2019年底，中国贫困人口从9899万人减少到的551万人，贫困发生率从10.2%降至0.6%，连续7年年均减贫1000万人以上。改革开放40多年，中国7亿多人摆脱贫困，对世界减贫贡献率超过70%。过去7年来，中国832个贫困县农民人均可支配收入从6079元增加到11567元，年均增长9.7%。具备条件的建制村全部通硬化路，村村有卫生室和村医，农村建档立卡贫困人口基本医疗保险参保率达99.9%以上，农网供电可靠率达99%，10.8万所义务教育薄弱学校办学条件得到改善。

Our poverty eradication endeavors have profoundly changed the lives of many. In the Ethnic Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, a woman artisan named Li Congmei not only lifted herself out of poverty by making embroidery pieces, but also motivated many others to follow. Together, they have successfully explored a path to better life through stay-at-home businesses, while at the same time helped preserving ethnic culture and traditional craftsmanship. In a poverty-stricken village in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dr. Li Yan, an agriculturalist, runs a vegetable farming service business. Dr. Li has spent 28 years traveling to all corners of the region, teaching science-based vegetable farming, empowering many peasants to end poverty for good.

中国的减贫事业深刻改变了贫困人口的命运。云南省楚雄彝族自治州绣娘李从梅通过刺绣技艺，从脱贫户变成了致富带头人，成功走出了一条“文化传承、居家就业、脱贫增收”的特色增收之路。广西脱贫攻坚贫困村蔬菜产业科技服务团团长黎炎博士，28年跑遍广西所有的县，教农民种菜，带农民致富，传经送宝、授人以渔。

There are numerous stories such as these. There are millions of Chinese people like Li Congmei and Li Yan. Through relentless efforts, they have shaken off poverty and achieved a life of affluence and happiness. This year, we are determined to overcome the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, win the battle against poverty, and achieve, 10 years ahead of schedule, the Sustainable Development Goal of ending extreme poverty, thus making historic contribution to the global fight against poverty and efforts for peace and development.

这样的故事不胜枚举。中国人民用自己勤劳的双手摆脱贫困，走上了致富的道路，过上了幸福的生活。今年，中国将克服疫情影响，打赢脱贫攻坚战，提前10年实现2030年可持续发展议程消除绝对贫困的目标，为世界范围内消除贫困、实现和平发展做出历史性贡献。

Going forward, we will continue to fully implement COVID-19 response and cooperation measures that President Xi Jinping outlined at the 73rd World Health Assembly. We will support economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing ones. We will take active steps to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China. And we will continue to implement the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative for the poorest countries, and fulfill the promise of making the COVID-19 vaccine a global public good once it comes out. China stands ready to work with all international partners, and make further contribution to the global pandemic response and the world economic recovery.

面对疫情挑战，中国将全面落实习近平主席在第73届世界卫生大会上宣布的抗疫合作举措，支持受疫情影响国家特别是发展中国家抗击疫情斗争和经济社会重建，积极推进在华设立全球人道主义应急仓库和枢纽，落实二十国集团“暂缓最贫困国家债务偿付倡议”，实现疫苗作为全球性公共产品的承诺，为国际社会战胜疫情、恢复经济作出更大贡献。

That concludes my remarks today on poverty eradication and peaceful development. I would like to close by wishing the Vision China program a great success. Thank you all for listening.

最后，祝愿“新时代大讲堂”取得圆满成功，谢谢大家！