By: Zhao Xing; Chinese Ambassador in Afghanistan-
We are living in a changing and turbulent world, where certainty is becoming a scarce resource. The choices made by countries, especially major countries, will determine the trajectory of our times and shape the future of the world. At the recently concluded Third Session of the 14th National People’s Congress and the Third Session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China announced a series of firm and decisive policy measures. These actions fully demonstrate the superiority of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and a high level of confidence in the nation’s governance system and capabilities, providing the world with unprecedented “certainty”.
I. Upholding the Leadership of Communist Party of China and Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively
This year marks the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan(2021-2025). Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China has successfully fulfilled the targets and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan to a high standard, thereby laying a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). The Two Sessions have clarified specific measures for steadily advancing various deepening reforms. Those measures of improving a unified national market, further reforming state-owned enterprises, spurring the growth of the private sector, coordinating urban and rural development, improving the people’s well-being, and strengthening environmental protection, reflect a people-centered development philosophy. In the future, when faced with various risks and challenges, China will always maintain strategic determination to ensure policy continuity.
II. Pursuing Progress While Ensuring Stability to Achieve High-Quality Development
At a time when the global economic recovery is sluggish and external uncertainties continue to mount, China has consistently adhered to the principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability. In 2024, China’s GDP grew by 5% year-on-year, contributing approximately 30% to global economic growth.With humanoid robots making a debut on the Spring Festival Gala, DeepSeek astonishing the world, and IP such as Black Myth and Nezha becoming global sensations, new industries, business models, and development modes emerge in rapid succession. In 2025, the Report on the Work of the Government clearly set an economic growth target of around 5%, reflecting China’s confidence in actively confronting risks and challenges amid global economic competition. From expanding domestic demand and promoting consumption upgrades to intensifying technological innovation and industrial transformation, China is advancing structural economic optimization with a series of precise policy measures. This approach ensures ample endogenous momentum for economic development and contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to global economic stability.
III. Adhering to the Foundational Mission of China’s diplomacy and Safeguarding World Peace and Stability
In the face of unprecedented global changes unseen in a century, China is demonstrating its great power responsibility through concrete actions—injecting strong momentum into world development and providing invaluable governance wisdom and opportunities for international cooperation. The Report on the Work of the Government once again emphasized that, China will continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, would consolidate and expand partnerships across the world, stay committed to true multilateralism, and play a positive and constructive role in addressing global challenges and resolving regional and international hotspot issues. With these efforts, China will make important contributions to peace and development in the world. China’s diplomacy will stand firm on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. China will always provide certainty to this uncertain world.
In addressing regional hotspot issues, China’s stance has always been objective and impartial. China advocates for peaceful negotiation and political settlement for the Ukraine crisis and calls for adherence to the two-State solution as well as the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In expanding cooperation with the Global South, China has actively promoted the construction of a community with a shared future with Africa and Latin America, continuously built the BRICS mechanism bigger and stronger, and announced eight actions China would take in support of global development, generating new energy for faster Global South development. Regarding the relations with neighboring countries, China adheres to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and advocates the building of a common home. China firmly opposes the U.S. deployment of mid-range capability missile system in the region and the use of the “Indo-Pacific Strategy” to create discord in the region. China actively works with ASEAN countries on implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), accelerating the formulation of Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) to ensure long-term stability in the region.
Afghanistan and China share a friendship that spans over a thousand years, and are important neighbors to both countries. In 2024, China announced a zero-tariff policy on all products for Afghanistan, and bilateral trade exceeded US$1.5 billion. On multilateral platforms, China has firmly advocated on behalf of Afghanistan, calling for the lifting of sanctions and the return of frozen overseas Afghan assets.
2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Afghanistan. China is willing to continue supporting Afghanistan’s post-war reconstruction and development through concrete actions. Together with Afghan, China will promote the building of a community with a shared future between the two countries, thereby adding further “certainty” to regional long-term stability and lasting prosperity. We have every reason to believe that, with the joint efforts of China and all peace-loving countries around the world, a more peaceful, stable, and prosperous world is gradually taking shape.
