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The world is at a historical crossroads, facing unprecedented dangers from climate change, a global pandemic, and uneven development that leaves many without basic living necessities.

In the face of these threats, humanity has the choice of working together for the common good of all, or choosing to exploit this period of turbulence and transformation for selfish and narrow gains.

The three most crucial threats facing mankind at this moment are climate change, the pandemic, and a movement toward division and war over multilateralism and cooperation.

Some people are under the mistaken impression that protecting the environment must come at the cost of economic growth, but this is not true. Protecting the environment and pursuing development are not at odds, but can work together to bring a better life for everybody.

In recent years, China has demonstrated this again and again with domestic development projects that drive local growth by protecting local natural resources.

China is now demonstrating to the world how this principle can work.

In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Xi Jinping committed to stopping financial support to any new coal-fired power plants abroad, and redirecting China's support to green and low-carbon energy.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised Xi's pledge, saying that accelerating the global phase out of coal is the single most important step to keep the 1.5-degree goal of the Paris Agreement within reach.

The development of green technology, an area in which China is a global leader, is key to reaching climate change goals, and also keeping a balance between man and nature.

Another threat facing humanity at this crossroads is the COVID-19 pandemic. People's lives must be given priority in the battle against the coronavirus.

Shockingly, some countries have still not learned this lesson.

Some countries, in a rush to put their economy first by sidetracking science, have ended up hurting their economies and people more if they had just implemented simple public health measures in the first place.

World leaders need to respect science, take a science-based approach, and follow the laws of science when fighting COVID-19. Nations must work together to enhance a coordinated global COVID-19 response and minimize the risk of cross-border virus transmission.

Vaccination is the most powerful weapon against COVID-19. President Xi has stressed on many occasions the need to make vaccines a global public good and ensure vaccine accessibility and affordability in developing countries. China is doing its part by aiming to provide 2 billion vaccine doses to the world by the end of this year. China is also donating $100 million to COVAX, and donating 100 million vaccine doses to other developing countries in the course of this year.

But as China tries to help fight COVID-19, others are taking advantage of this plague upon humanity to isolate and alienate their political rivals. China will continue to support and engage in global science-based virus origins tracing, and stands firmly opposed to scapegoating and silly political games that cost people's lives.

In this period of turbulence and transformation, some nations, fearful about their future, are turning to new military alliances and flexing their combat capacity to counter their fading influence.

No one country has a monopoly on democracy. The recent events in Afghanistan show the disastrous results of one country imposing a vision of modernization on another. Not only is this kind of cultural arrogance wrong, it also always backfires.

A world of peace and development should embrace civilizations of all shapes and forms, and must accommodate diverse paths to modernization.

When the Communist Party of China was founded 100 years ago, capitalist nations were in a panic that socialism threatened the very foundation of free markets, religious freedom and liberal democracy.

Today, the people of China are more satisfied with their government than Americans are with theirs. Extreme poverty has been eliminated, and China is on track to becoming the world's biggest economy. 

All countries will encounter differences with each other. This is unavoidable. The important thing is how leaders choose to manage these differences.

War and the threat of force can never be taken as the only choice in international affairs. One country's success does not have to mean another country's failure, and the world is big enough to accommodate the common development and progress of all countries.

Problems can be solved with dialogue, as long as each side is willing to compromise and does not hold an unyielding vision that it alone is exceptional and a shining city on a hill that serves as the sole model for all of humanity.

The way forward to get through these turbulent times is improving global governance and practicing true multilateralism.

In contrast to some countries that have spent almost their entire history at wars, the Chinese people have always celebrated and striven to pursue a vision of peace, amity and harmony.

Just as President Xi said in his address to the UNGA, China urges the UN to hold high the banner of true multilateralism and serve as the central platform for countries to jointly safeguard universal security, promote development and chart the course for the future of the world. This is the solution to the threats facing mankind.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)