Experts say China remains constructive force in changing world
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, addresses the "China in the World" session of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 14, 2025. China will remain a global stabilizing factor and a constructive force in the transformation of the world, Wang said here Friday.
The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) concluded here on Sunday. In interviews with Xinhua, Chinese experts attending the MSC said the event addressed numerous emerging global uncertainties, while China reaffirmed its commitment to being a constructive force in a changing world.
A security report was released ahead of the conference with a focus on multipolarization and its US section noted that the US administration of President Donald Trump "promises more selective, often unilateral, international engagement, only when narrowly construed US interests are at stake."
And it also stated that the administration's "toying with the idea of coercively absorbing Greenland, Panama, and Canada" suggests it will not feel bound by key international norms.
Wang Junsheng, a researcher at the Institute of Asia-Pacific and Global Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the key focus of the conference was the uncertainties stemming from the Trump administration. He said the administration's past statements and acts have indicated a disrespect for international order and a disruption of the existing international system.
Policemen stand guard near the hotel holding the 61st Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 16, 2025. The three-day Munich Security Conference concluded here on Sunday.
The report stated that the Trump administration's indifference toward United Nations' agencies and climate change will negatively impact the Global South countries.
Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China, said the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization not only undermined the authority and effectiveness of the global governance system but also dampened the momentum for multilateral cooperation. This, he argued, has deepened the fragmentation of the international order and hastened the world's shift toward a more disordered state.
During his speech at the MSC, US Vice President J.D. Vance criticized European countries, including Germany, on issues concerning democracy and immigration. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday criticized Vance for interfering in German politics. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Saturday emphasized that Europe would not accept external imposition.
This photo shows the snow-covered logo of Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 16, 2025. The three-day Munich Security Conference concluded here on Sunday.
Wang Junsheng said Vance's speech was condescending, undermining the principle of equal exchanges between nations. He added that Vance's blatant interference in Germany's internal affairs violates other's sovereignty and reflects unilateralism, which could provoke diplomatic tensions.
Xiao Qian, deputy head of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, said Vance's speech failed to address issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and tariffs, disregarding the concerns of countries in Europe and beyond. European officials and scholars have expressed deep disappointment.
Wang Junsheng said the Russia-Ukraine conflict remained a key issue at this year's MSC. While the Trump administration has been pursuing a negotiated resolution, widespread concerns persist in Europe regarding the fairness and justice of the US proposal, its potential to achieve lasting peace, and whether it primarily serves American interests.
Policemen guard outside the main conference site of the 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, February 14, 2025. The 61st Munich Security Conference is held here from Friday to Sunday.
With regard to US wielding the big stick of tariffs, Wang Yiwei said this move has undermined the global free trade regime and World Trade Organization rules, fueled trade protectionism and economic nationalism, disrupted global supply chains, and heightened uncertainties in the development of world economy.
Addressing the "China in the World" session of the MSC, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged that China will remain a global stabilizing factor and a constructive force in the transformation of the world. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, elaborated on China's four key views regarding multipolarity, including advocating equality among nations, respecting the rule of international law, practicing multilateralism, and upholding openness and win-win cooperation.
The Chinese experts said Wang's speech addressed concerns of all parties and provided the greatest certainty in this uncertain world. China's proposal to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world was widely discussed and received high praise from attendees.
