BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Experts, scholars and specialists from various fields shared their insights in this column regarding China's diplomacy, global hotspots and international relations in 2023.
The following are some of the highlights.
In Guest Opinion: Fostering partnerships with BRICS energy investors, Anil Sooklal, South Africa's BRICS Sherpa, wrote:
-- The opportunities for BRICS to support transformative change in our economy are apparent. As Chair of BRICS this year, South Africa's strategic vision is to harness our existing mutually beneficial BRICS cooperation to address issues of national interest and national concern in a holistic and multidisciplinary way.
-- The depth and strength of our BRICS partnership allow us to bring multiple solutions to the table, including financing, trade, investment, industrialization, skills development and training, research, development and innovation, as well as a partnership with African countries and leading countries of the Global South.
-- With abundant natural resources, BRICS countries play an essential role in the global energy supply.
In Guest Opinion: Europe's green ambition frustrated by selfish Washington, Wang Shuo, a professor at the School of International Relations of Beijing Foreign Studies University, wrote:
-- The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act does not aim to target Europe, but it in fact has hurt Europe. As more European companies are tempted to produce in the United States, Europe's green plan has suffered major setbacks.
-- Washington will never sacrifice its interests for the sake of others, including its allies. The United States has supported Europe in many cases, but its purpose is to make Europe better serve the American hegemony.
-- This time, even if the United States makes a concession to Europe, Europe must give up something for exchange. That might be Europe's further involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, or following America more closely to contain China. For Europe, the price is too high.
In Guest Opinion: Strengthening cooperation in a turbulent world: renew, reimagine, reinforce, Lawrence Wong, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, wrote:
-- For the past ten years, Singapore has been China's largest foreign investor while China has been Singapore's largest merchandise trading partner. These close economic ties, built up over the decades, reflect our confidence in each other.
-- We should work together to reimagine our industries so that they remain competitive and future-ready, especially in new and emerging areas such as the green and digital economy, and other high-tech areas.
-- Despite our differences in size, history and context, our countries share many common aspirations and challenges. Working together, I am confident we can continue to contribute to each other's growth, catalyse new opportunities in emerging areas, and forge a better future for both our peoples.
In Guest Opinion: Belt and Road Initiative brings prosperity to Africa, Humphrey P. B. Moshi, a professor of economics and director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam of Tanzania, wrote:
-- What characteristics distinguish the Belt and Road Initiative from previous initiatives? Compactness and wide synergic effects. In other words, it is holistic and each of its objectives contributes to the attainment of two or more of the others.
-- The initiative is believed highly compatible with Africa's socio-economic aspirations as stipulated in continental, regional, and individual countries' blueprints.
-- African countries and other developing countries should continue being proactive in seizing the unfolding opportunities, offered by China's cooperation platforms and institutional frameworks, to accelerate the process of attaining higher levels of prosperity.
In Guest Opinion: Hurt thy neighbour as thyself, Xin Ping, a commentator on international affairs, who writes regularly for Xinhua News Agency, wrote:
-- It is noteworthy that sea discharge is neither the only option to dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water nor the safest and most optimized plan. Instead, it is the option with the lowest economic cost for Japan and the highest radioactive contamination for the global environment.
-- The actions taken by the Japanese government, which prioritizes its own interests over the well-being and health of humanity, have significantly harmed its credibility.
-- If Japan ignores scientific evidence and facts, it could lead to the accumulation of a dangerous toxin in our food and environment. This would cause irreparable harm to both people and our planet.
In Guest Opinion: China's key role in fighting climate change, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, COP28 president and the UAE minister of industry and advanced technology, wrote:
-- The world is far off-track from reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement and across all pillars of climate action: mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation.
-- In the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, we believe China can be a key partner in driving clean energy adoption across the Global South.
-- With new financing initiatives, such as the New Development Bank, China is positioned to scale additional South-South cooperation in a way that unleashes sustainable development gains. ■
