By He Yin, People’s Daily

“Amid global turbulence, China is charting a course for the future,” reads a recent international media commentary on China’s “two sessions” — the annual sessions of China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The commentary highlights how China utilizes this crucial political platform to shape its own trajectory and influence the world’s direction.

Today, changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace, the world is undergoing greater transformation and turbulence and recurring conflict. The pressing question of humanity’s future path demands clear direction, renewed confidence, and collective strength. Major countries must shoulder greater responsibilities and play a larger role.

Pointing to a world facing various risks and challenges, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that a collective response from the international community is essential, and major countries, in particular, should take the lead in upholding equality, the rule of law, cooperation and integrity. His remarks underscored the importance of stability — precisely what the world seeks amidst current uncertainties.

Head-of-state diplomacy serves as the anchor of China’s diplomacy. Since the beginning of the year, China’s head-of-state diplomacy has gathered strong momentum.

On the day of “Lichun, the traditional Chinese solar term marking the Beginning of Spring, the Chinese and Russian Presidents held a virtual meeting, while the Chinese and U.S. presidents talked over phone, demonstrating China’s active efforts to promote the stable development of major-country relations.

Xi also held talks and meetings with a number of visiting foreign leaders — both from Global South and Western countries — bringing together forces for cooperation amid uncertainty. Through letters and other forms of communication, he has also maintained warm interactions with international friends, helping sustain the cause of people-to-people friendship.

This series of major diplomatic engagements vividly embodies China’s conviction: As changes not seen in a century are unfolding at a faster pace, countries should tackle challenges together and pursue a shared future.

The international community increasingly recognizes that China’s diplomacy — personally charted and guided by Xi — has provided the most valuable stability and certainty to a turbulent world, serving as an indispensable pillar amid global uncertainty.

Safeguarding peace is China’s mission and commitment. In the face of protracted crises, China has always stood on the side of peace and justice. The situation surrounding Iran has recently drawn widespread international attention. China has put forward five points to help create conditions for a ceasefire and an end to hostilities, urging all parties to work together to restore order in the Middle East, bring tranquility to its people, and return peace to the world.

In the face of unilateral bullying that tramples on international law and the basic norms governing international relations, China firmly maintains that all countries should abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, thereby strengthening the foundations of global peace and security and preventing the world from sliding back into a “law of the jungle.”

China also leads by example in promoting cooperation. The imposition of tariffs and attempts by a handful of countries to pursue decoupling and disrupt supply chains are tantamount to adding fuel to the fire and will ultimately backfire. China firmly supports the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, safeguards the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains, and upholds the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, while defending a fair and open international economic and trade order.

In response to the headwinds confronting economic globalization, China advocates addressing these challenges through more sustainable development and more equitable and effective governance, while continuing to build consensus for an economic globalization that is universally beneficial and inclusive.

China practices what it advocates in strengthening global governance. At a time when global challenges are emerging one after another, governance deficits are becoming more pronounced, and multilateralism faces serious headwinds, China has proposed the Global Governance Initiative, supports the leading role of the United Nations, and promotes reform and improvement of the existing international system and multilateral mechanisms.

The “Group of Friends of Global Governance,” initiated by China, has been launched at both the UN Headquarters in New York and the UN Office at Geneva, attracting broad participation from countries around the world, especially those of the Global South.

Principles such as sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, the people-centered approach, and real actions are increasingly being translated into concrete efforts to build a more just and equitable global governance system.

The true greatness of a major country lies in its efforts to seek benefits for all. China is vigorously advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, with more and more “roads to happiness” extending across borders. It continues to expand platforms for international cooperation such as the China International Import Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services, and the China International Consumer Products Expo, steadily expanding institutional opening-up. In doing so, China not only fulfills its role as a “world factory,” but also strives to create opportunities as a “world market.”

China will soon fully implement zero tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for African countries. By making this “subtraction” in tariffs, it aims to achieve “addition” in trade and “multiplication” in the well-being of the people. As the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030) begins, China will continue to act in the shared interest of the Chinese people and peoples around the world, working with all countries to paint a new picture of win-win cooperation.

Transformation and turbulence intertwine, while hope coexists with challenges. As one of the world’s most important forces for peace, stability and justice, China remains confident in humanity’s future and steadfast in its commitment to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

China stands ready to work with all parties to gradually turn the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity into reality, continuing to write new chapters of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit for the times.