Zivadin Jovanovic, The Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals
November, 2021
                                                       
1.    First of all I would like to congratulate friendly people and the leadership of the Peoples Republic of China, historic jubilee of the 50th anniversary of the restoration of all its rights as the sole representative to the United Nations and all other international organizations. It is greatest achievement of the Peoples Republic of China in favor of peace, stability, universality of the UN  and democratization of the world relations. Overwhelming support to the General Assembly’s Resolution 2758 reflected global recognition of reality and the truth that PR of China commands immense potentials for peace, equitable development, and maintenance of the law based world order and peaceful coexistence. These premises, in fact, represent basic UN principles and objectives. Thus, the world community adopted and ever since supported the policy of one China and refused any unilateral separatism as the threat to peace and stability. It was the most important step toward achieving universality of the UN since its foundation in 1945.
Today, 50 years after, the world needs again understanding of the new realities as it did in 1971. Cold war perceptions and prejudices are counter-productive.

2.    Chinese people have experienced through history horrors of foreign aggressions, occupations and imposed foreign domination. This is why China has been investing tremendous efforts in safeguarding peace and stability in the world. Being the largest contributor to the UN peace keeping operations among the permanent members of UN SC and the second largest funding contributor to the UN and UN peacekeeping operations, China demonstrates in practice her continuous devotion to peace and solution of all international problems by peaceful means. As the permanent member of UN SC China has always advanced principled, constructive and conducive positions for peaceful, just and sustainable solutions of all disputes. We recall that in May 1992 China’s representative had not voted in favor of UN SC inhumane sanctions against FRF of Yugoslavia. Peace and global development are unthinkable objectives without equitable economic cooperation and inclusive development. In this regard, BRICS, Shanghai Organization for Cooperation, New Development Bank and a number of other new international institutions initiated, founded or cofounded by China, clearly illustrate China’s comprehensive approach to safeguarding peace and stability through cooperation and development. Peace through development and win win cooperation without any political, ideological or other preconditions, have become main features of China’s international policy.

3.    NATO 1999 aggression against Serbia (FRY) was the peak of moral bankruptcy of the USA led Western Alliance. It was illegal act based on untruths. Illegal, because it was launched without authorization of the UN Security Council, in violation of the UN Charter, OSCE Final Document (1975) and International Law, in general. Based on untruths, because there was nothing of alleged “massive violation of human rights” of Albanian national minority in the autonomous region of Kosovo and Metohija, there was no alleged “massacre of civilians” in Rachak, there was no alleged “horseshoe plan” and so called “Rambouillet talks” were only cover up, alibi, to justify premeditated military aggression against one independent, sovereign, peace loving European country. In fact, NATO aggression was notorious abuse of alleged human rights for geopolitical expansion of NATO to the East. Thousands people (including three Chinese journalists in the premises of Chinese Embassy in Belgrade) had been killed, our economy, infrastructure, schools, hospitals, all destroyed,  depleted uranium sewed to poise the soil, waters and air for billions of years. But, they also inflicted irreparable damage to the European and global UN security order established after the end of the Second WW. The time has come for the western powers to recognize historic mistake committed toward Serbia and Serbian people, to apologize for the crimes and pay the war damage estimated at over 100 billion USD.

It is of paramount importance for the UN to reinforce full respect of the international law, particularly UN Charter, to reaffirm the role of the Security Council as the highest authority for peace and security, to upgrade efficiency of preventive measures and, particularly, to stop any abuse of human rights for interfering in internal affairs of other countries.

Humanity of the 21 century is fed up of the policy of force, cold war alignments and perceptions, “theories” of limited sovereignty and exceptionality of any country or nation, reminiscent of not too glorious strategies of “higher races”. Multi polar, equitable and inclusive new world order is irreversible reality providing the ground for democratic, inclusive New World Order.

4.    China’s success in eradicating poverty 10 years ahead of the target set up by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is unique achievement of global importance for humanity. In the period of growing socio economic gaps and poverty, China’s success continues to attract worldwide attention and to inspire new approaches and strategies to future development. No doubt, that the system of socialism of Chinese characteristics placing people’s needs in the very center of development strategy have played primary role. Consequently, eliminating of poverty is historic contribution to human rights, be they of socio economic, political, or cultural. China’s multi millennium culture, deep rooted sense of humanity, justice and solidarity as well as Chinese people’s devotion their glorious identity, creativity and progress, have also contributed to this unprecedented achievement of eliminating poverty of millions of people.

5.    Success of China in eradicating poverty is shining example of responsible approach to the internationally accepted objectives as well as encouragement to other governments and nations to reinforce their resources and energy in the same direction. China has proved that poverty is not human destiny but the challenge which can be resolved by appropriate strategy, including international coordination and solidarity. Eliminating poverty globally require active, coordinated and comprehensive approach. This includes openness of reach countries to reexamine their relative policies in practice, including redistribution and the level of budget funds for the elimination of global poverty. Generally, there is need for broader understanding that the poverty is often the source of instability, extremism, massive migrations, national and international conflicts. It is disturbing to see such level misunderstanding among political elites of some rich countries who believe that new walls, barb wired and militarized borders, destroyer fleet patrols and alike, are appropriate defense against  massive migrations of desperate, hungry people from the war thorn countries and regions, primarily from Africa and Euro-Assia .

6.    China is the leader in contributing to the global GDP growth, her contribution being higher than contribution of EU, USA and Japan together. The global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched by the President Xi Jinping in 2013, supported by 140 countries and 32 international organizations, has further reinforced global role of China in recovering the world economy, reforming the global economic system to be based on equality, openness and inclusiveness.

Serbia and China being comprehensive strategic partners have been developing closest cooperation bilaterally and in international forums supporting one another. Serbia plays important role in the process of realization of BRI and cooperation format CEEC+China, under BRI, since its inception. The results are impressive. First Chinese bridges on European soil has been constructed in Serbia, first high speed railway Belgrade – Budapest (in progress by Chinese, Russian and Serbian companies), first steel factory (Smederevo), first thermo electric factory (Kostolac B), first Scientific - Industrial Park (Belgrade). First water purification factory, first Covid 19 laboratories. Hundreds of kilometers of modern highways in Serbia have been constructed by Chinese companies. In addition, Serbia is the first European country to have signed agreement with China on abolishment of entry visa system.
The newest statistics show that the two Chinese companies operating in Serbia, have become the largest exporters from Serbia – Zijin, Bor Copper and Gold Mining with 805,9 million euro- and HIBIS, Smederevo Steel Factory, with 619,6 million euro, in the period of January-October 2021. The both employ over 10.000 employees.
Thus, Serbia, actively cooperating with China, particularly taking part in the global BRI, as well as in CEEC+China format of cooperation, has intensified reindustrialization, modernization of infrastructure and economic growth, expansion of employment and trade. On the other hand, China has reinforced connectivity with European market, expanded trade and investments, as well as people to people exchange.

7.    In the globalized world multilateralism has become the only viable framework for resolving the most important challenges of contemporary humanity. Peace, sustainable development, elimination of socioeconomic gap North-South, poverty, inevitable reforms of global governance and many other challenges are unthinkable without multilateral framework. United Nations have played vital role strengthening multilateralism; therefore it is of ultimate importance to 3further reinforce the UN role.

China has been and continues to be the strong and trusted supporter of multilateralism, strengthening of the role of UN, respect of UN Charter and basic principles of International law. Many strategically important initiatives of China, particularly in the fields of global, open and inclusive development, presented at the UN conferences have been adopted. China played exceptionally important role in overcoming severe consequences of financial and economic crises 2008-2012. In addition, China has been co-founder of a number of multilateral forums such as G-20, BRICS, NDB, AIIB and other regional or universal organizations clearly showing constructive position and full understanding of relevance and the role of multilateralism in the era of globalized world.
Any unilateralism, protectionism or exceptionalism are signs of misreading of new reality and future development needs. As the struggle to contain pandemic Covid 19 has proved, today and in the future, no one should believe to be self-sufficient and omnipotent. The need for openness, partnership and solidarity have become the order of the day.

8.    Having regard to multiple crises, fundamental changes in the global relations, accumulation of global challenges and crises, in my opinion, the first and foremost step should be to normalize and intensify the dialogue among the leaders of the most responsible countries, meaning, among the leaders of of the countries - permanent members of UN Security Council.  The aim would be to consider and prioritize global challenges with the view of their impact on the security and stability in the world, to find common denominator for the ways to stop further aggravation of the situation.

Some challenges and problems have been already considered at the multiple conferences under the UN auspices such as sustainable development, climate change, Covid 19 pandemic. Common positions have been taken, the documents adopted, but their implementation lags behind of what has been agreed, or is hindered because os some narrow interests. Only dialogue could help removing whatever obstacles and reaffirming common, coordinated action. The fact that only few percent of all anticovid 19 vaccines went to the less developed world must  have long ago ignited red light, especially especially in the offices of the leaders western wealthiest countries. The burden of resolving problem of climate change can’t be carried by developing and pore countries but primarily by the most industrialized ones.

The President Xi Jinping’s proposal to build community of the shared future of mankind is visionary one comprising positive and constructive approach to the future, to building the new open and inclusive World Order free of any narrowness, national egoism or double standards. The proposal is based on the profound understanding of contemporary trends and proven experiences that nobody is self-sufficient. As Covid 19 pandemic has shown, nobody, rich or pore, big or small, militarily strong or weak on the planet can claim to be protected, isolated or exempted from calamities. To put it simply, all human beings and all nations are sovereign and equal , regardless of races, religions, or regional origins. Globalized reality calls for connectivity, solidarity understanding of interdependence; inward minded policies have become anachronism. This is why the President Xi Jinping’s conception of community of shared future, does have future.

9. China deserves highest recognition for extraordinary efficiency in putting under control Covid 19 pandemic. Having regard that China I the most populated country on the planet, this success was, at the same time important contribution in the global efforts to control the spread of pandemic to other regions of the world. It is already historic fact that China has been the first country in the world to globally provide direct assistance to other countries of the world in terms of medical personnel, disinfection materials diagnostic equipment, vaccines, masks… The scopes and quality of Chinese assistance, efficiency and perfection of distribution have set new world standards to be proud of.
China was the first country to help Serbia in this struggle which continues without certain terms of ending. First and foremost, we received teams of Chinese doctors and medical personnel for weeks working hand in hand with Serbian doctors and personnel.  Providing masks at the beginning was soon replaced by sending machines for mask production. China has helped establishing the two diagnostic centers (Belgrade and Nis) known as “Fire Eyes” with the total capacity of 20.000 diagnoses a day. Finally, delivering of millions of vaccines from China is being replaced now by factory producing Chinese vaccines in Belgrade as the joint venture of China, Serbia and Arab Emirates.

Serbia and China are lasting steel friends.