Mutual respect key to cooperation, says ex-ambassador

Mutual respect and multilateralism are essential to managing international differences and strengthening cooperation, former Chinese ambassador to France Kong Quan said on Wednesday at the Paris Peace Forum, stressing that China's development offers opportunities rather than threats to other countries.

Speaking at a session titled "Making Sense of China's Global Role and Impact", Kong, who is also a standing member of the China Economic and Social Council, said countries should recognize their differences in political systems and stages of development while seeking common ground through dialogue.

"The diversity of the world is what makes humanity beautiful," he said. "China has never asked any country to embrace all its policies. What we want is to be understood on the basis of China's realities, in all their complexity and diversity."

Kong identified mutual respect as one of four principles guiding China's approach to international relations, alongside responsibility, multilateralism and cooperation based on respect for sovereignty.

Regarding multilateralism, Kong said China supports making international governance fairer and more equitable rather than establishing exclusive blocs. Global South countries remain underrepresented in international affairs despite their growing importance, he said.

"The goal is neither to replace the United Nations nor to ask countries to choose sides, but to give more countries the opportunity to participate in discussing international rules and sharing the benefits of development," he said, referring to China's support for BRICS and other South-South cooperation mechanisms.

Mauricio Favero, head of the Special Office for Diplomatic Planning at Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said multipolarity must be accompanied by multilateralism.

"Multilateralism anchored in dialogue, negotiation and peaceful coexistence is basic," he said, adding that the challenges facing humanity demand a collective action.

Kong said national sovereignty and international cooperation are not mutually exclusive. "China respects the sovereignty of all countries, as well as their legitimate security concerns," he said.

Addressing emerging challenges in AI, data governance and critical technologies, Kong called for distinguishing genuine security risks from generalized and politicized security anxieties.

"We support a greater role for open-source communities and open standards, which can make innovation more transparent, more inclusive and less monopolized by a minority," he said.

Kong also called for strengthening technological capabilities in developing countries to prevent them from being marginalized in the latest wave of technological transformation.

Concluding his remarks, Kong said China is not and will never be a danger to anyone, but an opportunity for development and cooperation.

"It is not a rival, still less an adversary, as some claim, but rather a reliable partner," he said, noting that China remains consistent in its strategy and actions.

zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn