Kofi Annan

“ I know you are used to thinking of your country as a developing one, and so it is – probably the fastest developing country the world has ever seen. But the more successfully it develops, the more it too will be expected to show solidarity with smaller and poorer countries that still need a helping hand.
By the same token, as China's geopolitical weight grows, so does its share of responsibility for world security. As well as global solidarity, the Millennium Declaration expressed a shared vision of collective security, rooted in the United Nations Charter. ”

“ Order and stability have to be preserved, but without choking off the freedom to enquire, and experiment, and express oneself, since – as you young researchers know better than anyone – knowledge and science have a vital role in national development. And technical expertise needs to be harnessed to the development and security of society as a whole, so that it not only creates greater wealth for the few, but enables all citizens to feel safer and more prosperous.
The development of such a great country as China cannot happen in isolation. ”

“ You young educated people have so much to contribute to development, and to meeting the global challenges that I have spoken about – safeguarding world peace and security, developing friendly relations among peoples of different faith or culture, and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
You already have a well-developed network of solidarity between richer and poorer regions within China, and I know many of you will be serving in poor areas, after you graduate. ”

“ They need the help of the richer and more powerful countries – through the removal of unfair trade barriers and subsidised competition; through the elimination of the debts which oblige so many poor countries to spend more on repaying and servicing their creditors than they can on the social needs of their own people; and through more generous official development aid – which the rich countries have repeatedly promised to provide. ”

“ Here, as in so many other places in China, no visitor can help feeling the excitement of a great country developing at breakneck speed, and every day opening up new vistas of knowledge and opportunity to its citizens. You can be really proud of your country and what it has achieved in the last 25 years. ”

“ For 191 nations to agree on a common path forward, many debates will be needed over the coming year, both within countries and among them. Governments will have to work together and reach compromises, sometimes involving the sacrifice of cherished national goals or interests. And they can do so only if their peoples understand what is at stake, and firmly support it
China, with its remarkable experience in development and expertise in security, can make a leading contribution to this vital global breakthrough. ”

“ Foreign investment plays an essential role in your growth, while your holdings of foreign currencies – and your management of your own currency – are coming to play a vital part in the international monetary system. ”

“ I hope that its recommendations will help us to rebuild and improve our global security system, so that in future no state feels it has to face global threats on its own, and all can feel confident that others will respect the rules. ”

“ It affects the whole world, and it draws you into new relationships with other parts of the world. Increasingly, your economy depends on exchanges with other countries – both imports and exports, of both goods and capital. ”