Yale US China 2024 Distinguished Colloquium

A recording of these remarks can be found on YouTube and Tencent.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Greetings.

I thank the Yale Club of Beijing, the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars at Yale, the Yale School of Management Greater China Club, and the Yale Venture Club for the invitation to speak at the Yale US-China 2024 Distinguished Colloquium.

Your commitment to promoting open communication and deeper understanding between China and the United States exemplifies the spirit of cooperation that the international community needs.

Today, we are at a watershed moment in international relations, with concerns such as the climate crisis, geopolitical tensions, and the critical need for sustainable development straining the fabric. 

As we approach the halfway point of the timeframe for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world remains far from meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The annual SDG budget shortfall has widened to more than USD 4 trillion. We are rapidly running out of time to take the necessary actions to honour our pledges.

Major global shocks in recent years – including the COVID-19 pandemic, the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and the triple planetary crisis, among others – have challenged our international institutions. Unity around our shared principles and common goals is both crucial and urgent.

The Summit of the Future, being hosted by the UN Secretary-General in September 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments, including the SDGs and the UN Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that is better positioned to positively impact people’s lives. Building on the SDG Summit in 2023, Member States at this upcoming summit will consider ways to lay the foundations for more effective cooperation that can deal with today’s challenges as well as new threats in the future.

The leadership of China and the US is going to be critical for the success of this summit. 

Addressing these complex challenges requires international collaboration at both the global and regional levels. The deepening of bilateral collaboration between China and the United States can serve as an example to other countries of the value of international cooperation in promoting stability and prosperity. The China-US partnership remains one of the most consequential in the twenty-first century if we are to confront global problems and guide the world toward a sustainable and peaceful future. 

Historically, the relationship between China and the United States has demonstrated the potential for mutual understanding and collaboration. We cannot deny that bilateral conversation between China and the United States has produced significant benefits, from economic exchanges that have promoted growth and innovation in both countries to collaborative efforts to combat climate change through robust dialogue and collaboration in green energy development. 

Over the last year, the two countries have exchanged high-level visits, the most significant of which was a bilateral meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi at the APEC Summit in San Francisco. The two heads of state agreed on the importance of maintaining healthy and stable China-US ties, as well as deepening dialogue and collaboration in a variety of domains.

As we reflect on our accomplishments, we must remember that much more work has to be done. Looking ahead, it is critical that communication and collaboration between China and the United States fulfil the needs of our time. Mr António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, stated, "We need a political declaration (from world leaders) that renews and revitalizes the SDG promise."

Enhanced development collaboration between the two countries would be a viable way to accelerate SDG achievement. China, through its Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative, is offering financial and technical assistance to many developing nations for infrastructure construction and population well-being. 

The United States also helps developing countries through initiatives like the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. 

If these projects can be coordinated to leverage each other's efforts and expanded to include other areas of the multilateral system, developing countries and vulnerable populations will benefit more from them.

The United Nations is uniquely positioned to foster more cooperation. We try to develop platforms for frequent, high-level, open and frank discussions in order to build trust, share best practices, and mobilize resources to address global concerns. 

By cultivating a collaborative spirit, we can harness the power of bilateral and multilateral partnerships to advance the goal of a sustainable and equitable global economy.

Furthermore, we are committed to maintaining the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other international norms and standards in order to ensure the ideals of impartiality, professionalism, and respect for diversity in the face of any challenge.

Today's participants, notably the students and young intellectuals, are the architects of the future. Your participation in this debate is critical to creating a world that prioritizes peace over conflict, sustainability over depletion, and collaboration over divide. 

I encourage you to take an active role in talks, seek collaborative solutions, and embrace multilateralism and cooperation. Together, we can make steady progress toward the 2030 Agenda.

Finally, I hope that the Yale-China 2024 Distinguished Colloquium will continue to spark conversations, foster long-term relationships, and strengthen initiatives that contribute to the betterment of China-US relations and the achievement of our common goals.

Let us strive together to create a future in which cooperation and multilateralism lead to a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world.

Thank you.