Dialogue, multilateralism highlighted at peace forum

Against a backdrop of growing global uncertainty, participants at a peace forum held in Beijing on Friday emphasized the importance of safeguarding world peace through dialogue, multilateralism and enhanced global governance.

Their remarks came as the international community faces mounting challenges, with the Ukraine crisis showing no clear end in sight, heated conflict in the Middle East undermining global stability, and concerns growing over issues including artificial intelligence, climate change and economic fragmentation.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 14th World Peace Forum, Vice-President Han Zheng said that the world is undergoing accelerated changes unseen in a century, with geopolitical conflicts emerging one after another and governance deficits becoming increasingly prominent.

Han said that all countries require a peaceful and stable international environment for development, while reforming and improving global governance is a shared aspiration.

He expressed willingness to work with other countries to promote the implementation of the Global Governance Initiative, which was proposed by China last year.

He called for upholding the authority and status of the United Nations, expanding and deepening cooperation through multilateral mechanisms, improving global economic governance and strengthening governance in emerging areas such as AI.

Kim Sung-hwan, former minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, said, "We have entered an era in which peace can no longer be taken for granted."

"History also teaches us another lesson: the greater the uncertainty, the greater the need for dialogue," Kim said.

He added that lasting peace is rarely achieved through military strength alone, but rather through communication, mutual trust and the willingness to understand different perspectives.

Bruce Golding, former Jamaican prime minister, said at a plenary session of the forum via video that the international order requires substantial reform to make it fairer, more inclusive and equitable for all people around the world.

He said that peaceful coexistence is the only viable choice, and called for greater dialogue among nations.

The achievements that the international community has made over the past 80 years must not be allowed to go in vain, he added.

Mushahid Hussain Syed, former chairman of the Defense Committee of the Pakistani Senate, said that the order initiated by the West was neither based on rules, nor was it promoting order. Instead, it was based on a lot of double standards.

He noted that the results of regional conflicts in South Asia and the Middle East demonstrate that "size does not equal strength" and that "right is might, not might is right".

He highlighted the proactive role and the joint efforts made by Pakistan, China and other countries in promoting peace and brokering the ceasefire between Iran and the United States.

He said that the world is moving toward a direction that has been very clearly specified in terms of governance rules centered on sovereign equality, multilateralism and people-centered development.

Despite the difficulties, he expressed optimism that countries of the Global South, working together with China and the broader international community, can help to build "a peaceful and prosperous tomorrow".