Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Good afternoon! At the beginning of the new year, I am very delighted to attend this seminar on “The Concept and Practice of Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics”, organized by the Bosnia and Herzegovina–China Friendship Association. Tomorrow coincides with Chinese Xiaonian, the Little New Year, which marks the beginning of the entire Spring Festival celebration—a grand prelude to the festivities. On this day, people traditionally worship the Kitchen God, sweep away dust, cut paper window decorations, paste Spring Festival couplets, and prepare to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, ushering in blessings and good fortune. As the Lunar Year of the Horse is just around the corner, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone here a happy New Year, a strong and successful start, and every success in the year ahead.

At this joyous moment, the world, however, is far from tranquil. Just over a month into 2026, various "black swan" and "gray rhino" events have frequently emerged, stirring profound turbulence across the globe. People cannot help but ask: Is the world getting better or worse? Will we feel better or find it harder to adapt to these changes? What are the positions of different regions, countries, and individuals within this great transformation? With these questions in mind, I have observed that three terms have recently become buzzwords, widely discussed online.

The first is “Tariff.” Certain country has weaponized economic interdependence, frequently wielding the tariff stick, launching trade wars and imposing unilateral sanctions. These actions seriously disrupt the stability of global industrial and supply chains and undermine the momentum of economic globalization.

The second is “Intervention”. Certain country has recklessly used force against sovereign states and openly declared their intention to seize the territory of others. Such bullying behavior gravely violates international law. In essence, they attempt to apply the tools of the 19th century to address the challenges of the 21st century, seeking to drag the world back into an era governed by the “law of the jungle.”

The third is “Strength”. At the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, the debate raged between the "Value of Strength" and the "Strength of Value." When traditional values conflict with practical interests, what choices should we make? Some nations adhere to "might makes right," yet bullying the weak highlights only an advantage in power, not in morality.

In sharp contrast, there is another set of buzzwords that has also drawn widespread attention.

The first is “Independence.” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a highly representative speech at Davos, calling on middle powers to unite and build a new international order to resist coercion from aggressive superpowers. Leaders from many countries, particularly in Europe, have urged the pursuit of strategic autonomy and freedom from dependence.

The second is “Diversification.” Global diversity is facing severe challenges from unilateralism, bloc-based confrontation, and economic decoupling, leading to growing fragmentation in the international order. Countries increasingly recognize the importance of diversifying their external relations, no longer "putting all their eggs in one basket." Instead, they are seeking partners based on functional cooperation, promoting a more balanced and multipolar global political and economic landscape.

The third is Resilience. Renowned Singaporean scholar Kishore Mahbubani noted that the world is resilient. When the United States, as the world's largest economy, launched a tariff war, other countries did not follow suit. Instead, they actively promoted free trade and upheld the multilateral trading system. The global economy and trade also achieved "dual growth" in 2025. This indicates that the international community broadly rejects a return to "jungle rules," advocates adherence to the principles of sovereignty and international law, and seeks to accelerate economic globalization through technological innovation.

As some strategists note, the old international order has come to an end, and a new one is on the verge of emerging.  Amidst global turbulence, a growing number of countries are looking East, pinning their hopes for the world's future on China and actively exploring its role within the global system. At the same time, some countries are concerned that either China–U.S. co-governance or confrontation could bring catastrophic consequences to the world. Here, I wish to reiterate: in the face of a turbulent world, China's policies maintain high stability – we are a predictable and reliable partner; in the face of hegemony and bullying, China dares to say "no," firmly defending the existing international system and the principles of international law; In an era of major-power competition, China does not seek expansion, hegemony, or confrontation, but remains fully focused on development.

Against this backdrop, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative, aiming to answer the fundamental questions of what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance. This does not mean to overturn the existing international order or to create another framework outside the current international system. Instead, it focuses on innovation and improvement, holding particular practical significance today. I would like to elaborate on this through several key words.

First, “Equality”. China advocates the principle of sovereign equality. The essence of sovereign equality is that all countries, regardless of size, strength or wealth, shall have their sovereignty and dignity respected, their domestic affairs free from external interference, the right to independently choose their social system and development path, and the right to participate in, make decisions in and benefit from the global governance process as equals.

Second, “Multilateralism”. China advocates that global affairs should be decided by all, the governance system built by all, and the fruits of governance shared by all. Practice of unilateralism must be rejected. The U.N. is the core platform for practicing multilateralism and advancing global governance, whose role must be enhanced, not weakened. 

Third, “Order”. International law is the fundamental safeguard for global governance. International law and international rules are common standards, which should be jointly formulated, maintained, and implemented by all countries, and there is no and should be no exception. We believe that international law and rules must be applied equally and uniformly, without any double standards or imposition.

Just as President Xi Jinping emphasized, a strong belief in fairness and justice and an unyielding commitment to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation are the only way to maintain world peace and achieve common development. China not only advocates this but also acts accordingly. We have gained widespread acclaim from the international community through the concept and practice of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Last week, President Xi Jinping held telephone conversations with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump of the United States. President Xi has made it clear that it is duty-bound to pool global efforts to firmly uphold fairness and justice, and China and the U.S. should enhance dialogue and communication, manage differences properly, expand practical cooperation, and find the right way to get along.

Since the beginning of the year, China’s diplomacy has made a strong start, with leaders of many countries, including South Korean, Ireland, Canada, Finland and Britain, visiting China. At the end of last year, French President Emmanuel Macron also visited China. This demonstrates that the world increasingly values China, recognizing it as a peaceful nation, eager to seize China's development opportunities, and hoping to be friends rather than adversaries with China. China's diplomacy, by building extensive friendships and connecting with partners worldwide, injects valuable confidence and strength into a turbulent and changing world.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

China and the EU are both constructive forces for multilateralism and openness and cooperation. The more challenging and complex the international situation becomes, the more China and the EU need to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation. China has always viewed and developed relations with Europe from a strategic and long-term perspective, regards Europe as an important pole in a multipolar world, and has consistently supported European integration and the EU's strategic autonomy. We are willing to work with the EU to uphold multilateralism, safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, jointly address global challenges such as climate change, promote the peaceful resolution of regional hotspot issues, and make new contributions to world peace, stability, prosperity, and progress with the spirit of "shared responsibility on the same planet."

Over the past more than 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Bosnia and Herzegovina relations have maintained steady and positive momentum. As President Xi has stated, both sides have developed bilateral relations based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation, setting an example of friendly coexistence and joint development between countries of different sizes, histories, cultures, and social systems. China-BiH relations, based on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, carry even greater significance in today's turbulent world. The two sides have always respected each other's political systems and development paths, offering mutual support on issues concerning their core interests. China respects Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, adhering to the principle of treating all countries as equals regardless of their size. We hope that Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to firmly adhere to the One-China principle and support China’s position on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, and other issues. China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina in various fields, including science, technology, and humanities, to contribute to Bosnia and Herzegovina's economic development and social stability. For example, in the field of AI, many universities in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and China have established AI centers, indicating significant potential for cooperation that can empower the younger generation to realize their dreams through AI technology. In the cultural and people-to-people exchange, both countries are multicultural societies. We are actively considering further enhancing exchanges and cooperation in various fields between China and Bosnia and Herzegovina by sending more delegations, enriching training programs, and establishing "Ambassador Scholarships," so as to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in all fields, bring our two peoples closer together, and usher China-Bosnia and Herzegovina relations into the next, even better 30 years.

Thank you!