The 10th World Peace Forum (WPF) opened on July 3 under the theme “Preserving International Stability: Commonality, Comprehensiveness and Cooperation.”
Tsinghua University President Wang Xiqin, who is also Chairman of the forum, delivered opening remarks at the forum's opening ceremony.
He noted that this year marked the 10th anniversary of the forum and thanked all those who have provided support to the forum.
Wang Xiqin said that for the past decade, the World Peace Forum has closely followed the trend of international security, with topics covering both traditional and non-traditional security. The forum would continue to uphold the concept of seeking security through development, equality, mutual trust, cooperation, and innovation, and to play a positive role in promoting international security exchanges.
“At present, complex factors such as the global pandemic, regional conflicts and competition among major powers are intertwined. The international community urgently expects to achieve win-win cooperation and safeguard world peace through solidarity and coordination,” said Wang, adding that the theme of this year’s forum highlighted the new features of the complexity of security issues.
He expressed his hope that all the guests at the forum would have in-depth exchanges and express their views freely, so as to provide valuable reference for all countries in the world to judge the international security situation and grasp the orientation of development; enhance mutual understanding among countries by building a common discourse system and letting ideas collide with each other; explore innovative ideas to coordinate both traditional and non-traditional security; figure out effective ways to strengthen international security cooperation and to promote world peace.
The WPF is China’s first non-governmental high-level forum on international security, jointly initiated by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs in 2012.
The 10th WPF was held in a hybrid online and offline format.
Among the speakers at the forum are Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan (2009-2010), Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN (2007-2016), Kevin Michael Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia (2007-2010, 2013), Dominique de Villepin, President of France (2005-2007), Igor Ivanov, President of the Russian International Affairs Council, Surakiart Sathirathai, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand (2005-2006), Rashid Alimov, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and Kamal Kharazi, Advisor to the Iranian Supreme Leader and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran (1997-2005).
Wang Chao, President of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, and Yan Xuetong, Secretary-General of the World Peace Forum, attended the forum’s opening ceremony, which was moderated by Tsinghua University Vice President and Provost Yang Bin.
The opening ceremony was followed by a plenary session held under the theme “Preserving World Peace.” During this session, Yukio Hatoyama, Prime Minister of Japan (2009-2010), Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN (2007-2016), and Kevin Michael Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia (2007-2010, 2013), delivered their remarks.
Yukio Hatoyama said that major powers like China, the United States, and Japan should work together in the spirit of friendship and forgiveness and uphold world peace and stability.
Ban Ki-moon highlighted the significance of multilateralism and international cooperation under the United Nations in preserving world peace and ensuring a more sustainable future for humanity and the planet.
Kevin Michael Rudd shared his views on China-US relations and preserving world peace and security.
Four plenary sessions and 16 panel discussions were held as part of the 10th WPF. Topics such as European security order, stabilizing China-US relations in an unstable world, the United Nations and world order, regional institutions and order, were covered.
The forum concluded on July 4.
Writer: Sangeet
Editors: Huang Fei, John Olbrich
