Sound bites

Thein Sein, former president of Myanmar

Our three countries, which established the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, are neighboring countries that share long borders with each other. We have adhered to the five principles over the last 70 years, and respected the sovereignty of other countries and maintained friendship among us. If there is any border problem, we usually address the problem through peaceful solutions. There is no doubt that some countries that have practiced these principles have fewer conflicts and greater peace like us.

If you look to the West, some countries are devastated by war. It can be seen that people have lost their lives and homes, and cultural and religious buildings have been destroyed. Women, children and the elderly are also suffering from warfare. It is alarming as it may lead to a bigger and broader conflict.

Nong Duc Manh, former general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee

A lot of countries in this world, especially developing nations, are working to consolidate peace and development and are striving to make the international order more just, equitable and inclusive. They have also contributed to international justice, as well as the political settlement of hot spot issues.

As one of the first countries to put forward the five principles, China has made its contributions, and later proposed the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as important initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. This speaks to China's role as an important and responsible major country.

We need to work together to jointly cope with traditional and nontraditional challenges.

Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank and former Brazilian president

It is noteworthy that these principles have provided a moral compass for countries striving to navigate the complexities of the Cold War in the post-Cold War era, emphasizing dialogue over conflict, cooperation over competition and respect over domination. These principles are now even more timely given the fact that the world is facing unprecedented challenges today.

The complexity of global issues necessitates a global approach, as no single nation can effectively address these challenges alone. The United Nations and its incorporation of the five principles are a crucial initiative for mankind. Unfortunately, these accomplishments are eroded by zero-sum policies. It is important to consider as a continuity of the five principles President Xi Jinping's proposal of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

This concept is a core tenet of international order. It emphasizes the interconnection of nations and advocates mutual respect, mutual benefit, noninterference and win-win cooperation, and seeks to address common challenges for mankind.

Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, former president of Ethiopia

As we all recognize the international situation is going through profound changes, peace, development and cooperation remain the mainstream of our contemporary world.

In view of this assertion, the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence renders ample opportunities to find ways and means to further promote these principles in international relations, both at bilateral and multilateral levels.

Today, the spirit of the five principles remains as relevant as ever. And the significance remains as important as ever.

The global challenges facing mankind can only be addressed by upholding global peace and promoting common development efforts on the basis of the five principles.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which are widely accepted by the international community, have had an impact on the development of contemporary international relations, and still serve as the strong pillar of diplomatic relations between sovereign states.

Dominique de Villepin, former prime minister of France

Whenever you work on concrete peace, you find these five principles — namely, mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression, noninterference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence — to be the keys that can unlock almost any lock.

What are the key lessons of the formulation of the five principles for today's world? Beyond differences of cultures, histories and political systems, peace is possible based on shared principles rooted in our common humanity, rationality and spirituality.