China's recipe for new multipolar world

Editor's note: Erik Solheim is a former undersecretary-general of the United Nations. The video reflects the interviewee's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

As we are going into a multipolar world, there can be no doubt. And the Africa-China summit symbolized the right attitude to this. I believe this event showcased the Chinese attitude to the world, to the new multipolar world, in a number of important aspects.

First, it was about economies and trade. China is now the total dominant trade partner for every nation in Africa, and China is a much bigger trade partner with Africa than the West.

Secondly, equal-level partnerships rather than top-down teaching from a few centers of the world. The West sometimes has the attitude of finger-pointing and teaching when it comes to the relationship with African or other developing nations. That attitude is not really appreciated by most Africans.

Some people have even said that when China is approaching an African nation, that nation will get an airport or a solar farm, while if the United States of America comes to Africa, they deliver a lecture.

So this true attitude of partnership: people-to-people partnership, economic, political, learning partnerships. That's appreciated by all, and that's the true vision for the new multipolar world.

Thirdly, China brings the attitude of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations. China works with everyone. They work with every nation in Africa, whatever the political system of that nation. China has no idea of interfering, replacing presidents, or changing the political systems. They leave that to the Africans themselves. That's also very much appreciated.

To sum up these three ideas: an all-comprehensive economic partnership, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and the ideal mutual partnership between different nations – some are bigger, some are more powerful than others, but still with respect to mutual cooperation.

Then we have the recipe for a more peaceful world in the next decades and a very clear indication as to the way forward to this much more peaceful, much more prosperous, greener future.

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