Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and Sino-Canadian Relations

A grand commemoration event was held in Beijing on June 28 to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with visiting Myanmar President U Thein Sein and Indian Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansare, participated in the commemoration.

All three leaders stressed that the Five Principles, despite being initiated 60 years ago, are not outdated but remain as relevant and important as ever in handling international relations. Many analysts and international scholars also expressed their view that in today's world, the Five Principles are becoming increasingly important in solving disputes between countries as a useful instrument.

The Five Principles, which include mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence, were proposed by the leaders of China, India and Myanmar in 1954. Thanks to their importance and relevance, the Principles gained more acceptance by the international community.

In 1955, they were incorporated in a statement of the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia. Having been tested by the evolution of international relations in the past six decades, the Principles have become open and inclusive principles of international law. They showcase the values of sovereignty, justice, democracy and rule of law in international relations, as President Xi pointed out in the commemoration.

In the past six decades, a lot of observers believed that the Five Principle had effectively upheld the rights and interests of the developing countries in their efforts to build a more equitable and rational international political and economic order. Sixty years later, the world we live in is undergoing unprecedented transformation.

Peace and development has become the common aspiration of all peoples. Economic, social and cultural linkages between different countries have become closer than ever. However, conflicts and local wars are still ravaging various regions. Injustice and inequality are still pronounced problems in international relations.

As many politicians and scholars pointed out, the Five Principles, as an integrated, interconnected and indivisible concept, should continue to play an important role in guiding countries to solve disputes, facilitate cooperation and create a prosperous world for all.

It is well observed that many challenges facing the international community are caused by the misunderstanding or lack of trust due to differences in social systems, ideologies and stages of development. Different countries hold various views on issues ranging from trade to security.

It is very likely that their interests and concerns may differ in a thousand ways. But we have to realize that in the age of the global village, common challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation and poverty call for concerted efforts by all countries to address. With the world economy increasingly integrated, the prosperity of one country is gradually dependent on the prosperity of others. The goal for sustainable development has brought more and more countries on the boat of common destiny.

One key spirit of the Five Principles is putting aside differences and seeking common ground. Disputes may arise in international relations, but they will not necessarily escalate into direct conflicts if the Five Principles can be applied in dealing with complicated problems. The Principles provided to us are a useful and wise tool in seeking common grounds while settling disputes. It outlined the expertise needed to surpass differences and identify common aims in international relations.

China and Canada are two countries with different social systems, values, culture and historical backgrounds, as well as very contrasting size in population. In 1970, we established formal diplomatic relations with the ideas of the Five Principles agreed upon by both sides. In the past 44 years, the Sino-Canadian relations progressed smoothly and yielded numerous positive outcomes to our peoples.

In 2013, the bilateral trade volume reached C$73.2 billion (the statistic by the Canadian side). At the end of the same year, China's stock investment in Canada reached C$50 billion. Today, China is the second-largest trade partner of Canada. And nearly 100,000 Chinese students are studying on the campuses of Canadian universities.

Last year, nearly 500,000 Chinese tourists visited Canada. Meanwhile, famous Canadian companies such as Bombardier and Manulife are doing a lot of profitable business in China. In addition to the bilateral dimension, China and Canada also have good cooperation in international forums such as United Nations, APEC and G20. We share the same or similar positions on many issues such as counterterrorism, climate change and addressing the international financial crisis.

The mutual beneficial cooperation between our two countries fully demonstrated that countries with different social systems can work together and create a common good not only for their peoples, but also for the whole world. The different economic development level, culture and history should not be obstacles to our friendship. On the contrary, as one Chinese saying goes, difference produces attractiveness. Because of different development stages, China and Canada have the opportunity to complement each other on market, capital, human resources and technology. Because of different cultures and history, we can learn each other's merits and enrich our respective social and cultural lives.

However, there are still some misunderstanding in our bilateral relations. Recently, a few people openly objected to the Confucius Institute in Toronto. The Confucius Institute is a language-exchange program conducted by relevant institutes from both countries, which was approved several years ago.

The opposition may have confused many Chinese and Canadians. They cannot understand why a mutually beneficial educational cooperation project can be portrayed as detrimental to Canada. To some extent, misgivings were caused by the lack of understanding on China and its principles in developing relations with other countries. If Canadian people take a serious and deeper look at the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, they will have a better understanding of China's foreign policy and its goodwill for cooperation with Canada.

Sixty years ago, leaders from China, India and Myanmar jointly put forward Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and added new elements to international law. The echo of history is still hovering in the world. Today, China is committed to seeking win-win cooperation and common development with all the countries in the world.

Sino-Canadian cooperation is full of opportunities and we are willing to further promote bilateral relations on the basis of the Five Principles. It is our hope that with joint efforts, China and Canada could develop a relationship that may stand as the model of cooperation between developing and developed countries, and between Eastern and Western countries. It is the demand of our time.

The author is consul general of China in Toronto