Senior Chinese diplomat calls for shared future of world

ROME, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- China hopes to see the world moving towards a community with a shared future, Chinese congresswoman and senior diplomat Fu Ying said at the Third Mediterranean Dialogue forum being held in Rome from Thursday to Saturday.

The world should have a common roof for all, and to share not to divide, said Fu Ying, chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (China's top legislature).

Talking about China's policy and stance in the context of globalization, Fu said it's widely believed in China that the most important driving force for economic growth in the first quarter of century after the Cold War has been economic globalization.

"The world economy has expanded more than three times, lifting many people out of poverty. Such an unprecedented wealth increase would not have been possible without economic globalization," she said.

According to Fu, the developed countries which were the first mover of globalization have gained huge benefit from it, while many developing countries have also seized the opportunity, and China is a successful example.

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), through painstaking reform and opening-up and with the Chinese people's dedicated efforts, China has grown into the second largest economy and people's living standard has significantly risen, Fu said.

"However, globalization is also criticized for its flaws and since the 2008 financial crisis, global wealth and trade has been shrinking and voices against globalization have grown louder. But we don't think turning-back is an option," she pointed out.

"In our view, the problem does not lie with globalization itself but the way it's pursued in some aspects and its inadequate management. Global governance has not kept pace and the current international order and institutions are not coping with the new and diverse global challenges effectively," she said.

Globalization in other fields is perceived with mixed feeling, Fu noticed. "But after 20 years, I guess most of us now agree that the attempt to transform the world with Western values and political system is far from achieving all of its purposes, and new problems are added to old woes," she said.

The negative result is still haunting some countries, leaving many people and families displaced, added Fu, China's former deputy minister of foreign affairs.

Fu also cited an ancient Chinese saying: "Sweet oranges grown in the south would taste sour once transplanted to the north. The orange trees may still look the same, yet the soil and climate conditions have changed."

"This wise teaching that has come down in history reminds us of the importance to respect differences not to impose on others," said the former Chinese ambassador to Britain. Enditem