The 13th World Peace Forum, which ran from Wednesday to Friday in Beijing, saw attendants from both China and abroad exchanging views on how to share the responsibility of maintaining peace and promote development while seizing the opportunities brought by globalization.Cui Tiankai, former Chinese ambassador to the U.S., said the international community should pursue common security and universal security for all countries.If some nations persist in a "zero-sum" mentality, seeking to maximize their own interests at the expense of others and harming others' security to seek their own absolute security, they will find themselves trapped deeper in a predicament with a narrowing path forward, Cui added.During a luncheon meeting, Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said when responding to a question related to commemorative events marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War that 80 years represent a major cycle in the human development process."Looking back, people in 1945 hoped for a lasting peace.
Yet 80 years later, we see the return of traditional security threats.
This provides an opportunity for people worldwide to sit together and reflect on how to build an effective, long-term global security architecture to truly ensure peace," Liu added.As for promoting development, Herman van Rompuy, former Belgian prime minister and ex-president of the European Council, mentioned the tariff war.A tariff war is also a blow to mutual trust, especially when it is not based on rational economic considerations, said van Rompuy, adding, "There are no winners in a tariff war – neither for the country imposing it nor for the global economy."Liu also emphasized that international relations must be based on cooperation and mutual benefit.
"It cannot be a 'win-lose' scenario.
It should not be the goal to make the other side lose.
We can compete, but the goal is not to 'leave others far behind,' but rather to advance faster and become stronger ourselves," Liu added."China focuses on doing its own things well, developing itself, improving the well-being of its people and ensuring a better life for everyone.
We also hope for the same for the people of all countries, including the U.S.," Liu said, adding that "We cannot set up barriers, impose obstacles or shift blame onto others, as this harms both sides."Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama called for enhanced East Asian cooperation and diplomatic independence from the United States in his keynote address at the forum.Hatoyama, a seven-time forum participant known for promoting China-Japanese friendship, argued that the U.S., facing internal divisions and a relative economic decline, could no longer sustain its traditional global leadership role.
"America has changed, and it can't go back," he stated, warning that protectionist policies like tariff wars harm global trade and stability.Hatoyama championed the third path – ​​strengthening autonomy,​​ particularly in foreign policy.
Achieving this necessitates ​close collaboration within East Asia, he stressed, specifically urging accelerated trilateral cooperation with China and South Korea. Hatoyama called for a swift Japan-China-South Korea leaders' summit and concrete progress towards a high-standard trilateral free trade agreement, building upon the existing Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership framework.Besides, the former Japanese prime minister also called on Japan to deeply reflect on its history of aggression and expressed regret that Japan has not fully come to terms with this part of its past.Themed "advancing global peace and prosperity: shared responsibility, benefit and achievement," the forum was hosted by Tsinghua University and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs.(Cover: The 13th World Peace Forum is held in Beijing, China, from July 2 to 4.
/Xinhua)