China, South Asia friendship forum releases joint declaration

The 7th China-South Asia Friendship Organizations' Forum co-hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Organization for South Asian Regional Friendship and Cooperation with China by video link issued a joint declaration on Dec 22.

Lin Songtian, president of CPAFFC, Anoop Bhatarrai, president of OSARFCC and Nepal-China Executives Council, Chinese diplomatic envoys in South Asian countries, South Asian diplomatic envoys in China, representatives of 23 provincial friendship associations of China, 14 friendship-with-China organizations from six South Asian countries and 140 guests from all walks of life attended this Forum.

Under the theme of "Win-win Cooperation for Common Development", representatives held candid, friendly and in-depth exchanges, and reached broad consensus on enhancing people-to-people connectivity between China and South Asian countries, joining hands to build the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthening win-win cooperation for common development, and promoting the building of a community of a shared future for mankind. They released the joint declaration, which is as follows:

We warmly congratulate the Communist Party of China on its 100th anniversary and the successful convening of the 6th Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, highly appreciate the CPC's founding mission of seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, speak highly of historic achievements and valuable experience achieved by the CPC over the past century, especially since the 18th National Congress. We are confident that the CPC will draw lessons and create a bright future, unite and lead the Chinese people to realize the Second Centenary Goal, make new and greater contributions to maintaining world peace, stability and promoting global development and prosperity.

We highly commend and support President Xi Jinping's great initiative to promote the building of a community of a shared future for mankind and the two major paths to realize it: firstly, to uphold the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind, develop whole-process people's democracy and forge a new type of international relations; secondly, to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative, implement the Global Development Initiatives, and to commit ourselves to win-win cooperation for common development.

We are ready to seize the opportunities for Asia, work closely with each other, give full play to the complementary advantages, and contribute Asian spirit, wisdom and strength to the building of a community of a shared future for mankind. We are willing to firmly safeguard international justice, maintain world peace and stability, promote global development and prosperity, and resolutely oppose any attempts or practice to undermine Asian unity, cooperation and common prosperity.

We agree that the pandemic ravaging the world is the most urgent threat and challenge today. We highly appreciate that China and South Asian countries are standing together with solidarity amid difficulties and joining hands to address global challenges. We are willing to uphold justice, safeguard common interests and resolutely oppose the politicization of natural viruses.

We are glad to see that, with joint efforts of all parties, the Belt and Road Initiative has yielded fruitful results in South Asian countries, laying a solid foundation for the independent and sustainable development and bringing tangible benefits to the peoples. We are ready to give full play to our unique resources and advantages to actively create a favorable public and social environment for win-win cooperation and common development, and promote friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and South Asian countries.

We look forward to the success of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and wish the athletes of all countries attain outstanding results. We highly value China's remarkable contributions to the promotion of the Olympic spirit and the development of the Olympic cause, and firmly oppose any attempts, words or deeds to undermine the Olympic spirit or politicize the Olympic sporting event.

We are willing to continue with sincerity and proper frequency, bilateral and multilateral friendship exchanges and dialogues both online and offline between the Chinese and South Asian non-governmental friendship organizations. It is unanimously agreed that the 8th China-South Asia Friendship Organizations' Forum be held in 2023.