Saturday, May 28, 2022

《送柴侍御》[Farewell to Assistant Inspector Chai]: Brief Thoughts on 习近平在中华人民共和国恢复联合国合法席位50周年纪念会议上的讲话(全文)[Remarks by Xi Jinping at the Commemorative Meeting of the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Legal Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations (full text)]


 

By now virtually anybody with public responsibilities (except perhaps within China) has dutifully or careless forgotten Xi Jinping's speech delivered  at the Commemorative Meeting of the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Legal Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations [习近平在中华人民共和国恢复联合国合法席位50周年纪念会议上的讲话] (25 October 2021). The remarks are worth revisiting now.  There are two reasons, one obvious and the other far more interesting. The obvious touches on the relationship of the rhetoric of the remarks in the shadow of Chinese policy (and actions) in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war. 

The first part of the remarks continues to make the case for the worthiness of the People's Republic as a good world citizen, evidenced by the nature of its relaxations with foreigners, its engagement with foreign states in international forums, and especially by its own development through the internal version of its external narratives of stability and peace grounded in the vertically ordered interplay between leadership cores and their collectives. It is ion the second half of these remarks thaty Chinese socialist internationalism is again summarized--and in ways that have soem relevance to the position of China in the Russo-Ukraine war.

The core concept of peace, stability and development are contextually dependent and semiotically transient. The words and concepts can mean only what they are meant to means at the time that meaning is expressed by the actions of others and one's own:   "Whether a country's path is feasible or not depends on whether it conforms to its own national conditions, whether it conforms to the trend of the times, whether it can bring about economic development, social progress, improvement of people's livelihood, and social stability, whether it can win the support and support of the people, and whether it can serve the human race. Contribute to progress." [一个国家走的道路行不行,关键要看是否符合本国国情,是否顺应时代发展潮流,能否带来经济发展、社会进步、民生改善、社会稳定,能否得到人民支持和拥护,能否为人类进步事业作出贡献。] ( Xi Jinping's speech).

But the second, and perhaps more subtle, reason touches on the discursive projections embedded in the speech. These draw on a famous poem by Tang dynasty (唐朝) poet, statement, soldier--Wang Changling (王昌齡; 698–756) in his 《送柴侍御》[Farewell to Assistant Inspector Chai S].
流水通波接武冈,送君不觉有离伤。青山一道同云雨,明月何曾是两乡。

The flowing water connects Wugang with waves, sending you off without realizing hurt. The green hills are together with the cloud and the rain, and when  two townships were under the bright moon.

Xi Jinping used only the second line to close his speech--and to summarize the complicated view from China of its entanglements with the international community.

“青山一道同云雨,明月何曾是两乡。”让我们携起手来,站在历史正确的一边,站在人类进步的一边,为实现世界永续和平发展,为推动构建人类命运共同体而不懈奋斗!["The green mountains are the same as the cloud and the rain, and the bright moon was once two towns." Let us join hands, stand on the right side of history, stand on the side of human progress, and make unremitting efforts to achieve sustainable and peaceful development of the world and to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. struggle!] ( Xi Jinping's speech)

It was used as well by others: for example in 2017 by Liang Jianyong, at the time Fujian' s Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee to describe the relationship between Fujian and Taiwan  (reported here). Nonetheless, to understand it, both lines are useful (something quite familiar to Chinese readers but lost in the West--and perhaps deliberately so); one can in this way speak to a Chinese audience while appearing to the speak to foreigners).  The poem is famous for speaking of connection, certainly.  But it also speaks to the way that one captures the moment when detachment becomes necessary as duty draws two friends apart. Duty to self and to a higher power (ion this case perhaps of national culture and sovereign imperatives; see discussion here).  It speaks to severance and detachment, when friends must part and distance (conceptual and physical) must now produce a distance between them, though one bridged by good feeling for the connection of friendship. It is an affectionate rather than a divisive parting. A nice Chinese language commentary  on the poem may be helpful here:

说到这里,读者便可以感到诗人未必没有“离伤”,但是为了宽慰友人,也只有将它强压心底,不让它去触发、去感染对方。更可能是对方已经表现出“离伤”之情,才使得工于用意、善于言情的诗人,不得不用那些离而不远、别而未分、既乐观开朗又深情婉转的语言,以减轻对方的离愁。* * * 流水和波浪感觉不到离别的滋味,仍不知疲倦地在武冈流淌。诗人说:马上就要离开你了,在这送别之际,我却不觉得悲伤。同在一条江边,风雨共进,明月哪里知道我们身处两地?仍然照耀着我们的前方。[Having said this, readers can feel that the poet may not be without "severance", but in order to comfort his friends, he can only press it down in his heart and prevent it from triggering and infecting him. It is more likely that the other party has already shown a feeling of "disengagement", which makes the poets who are intentional and good at romance have to use those words that are not far away, separate but not separated, optimistic, cheerful and affectionate and tactful to relieve the other party. of sorrow. Flowing water and waves do not feel the taste of parting, and they are still flowing in Wugang tirelessly. The poet said: I will leave you soon, but I don't feel sad at the time of farewell. We are on the same riverside, wind and rain advance together, how does the bright moon know that we are in two places? It still shines before us.] (王昌龄《送柴侍御》翻译赏析)

Pix Credit here
This is not a poem of coming together but of physical separation and emotive unity. based on friendship and community. It is a recognition of parting, but it is an amicable parting among friends who remain united under the heavens. It is a recollection of the warmth generated by the memory of a time together at the moment when it ends (this stage in the historical development of the relationship).  What lingers is the amity cementing a connection through which each, from their own place, may continue to interact in a positive way. Here is the essence of the Chinese "win -win" strategy, and more generally of Chinese Socialists internationalism. Two towns--one moon; each connected in the way that the green mountains are connected to the clouds and rain--each feeding off the other but connected by the greater (ideal) under the same moon.  Detachment and severance, but one that comes together at a greater level of generality (conceptual space). The friendship is so deep that geographical distance becomes irrelevant; it is in that sense that at some level the necessary distance between friends can be overcome through the sharing of common experiences under a common sky. This is a warm yet fragile metaphor for states. And a warning.
 
But why the fuss over what in the liberal democratic discursive universe would be a flourish and a conceit? The reason is simple--the poetry of 唐朝 the Great Tang reveals more about the imaginaries of Chinese foreign policy than any hundreds of pages of more academically dense prose. One sees in the New Era the rise of a Socialist 唐朝 internationalism. And it might be useful to have that in mind as one trudges through the more densely packed prose of official documents and the even more veiled intimations from action and inaction on the international stage.  It is as much about the calculus of Chinese-Russian friendship as it is about the calculus of Ukraine. One bright moon over all, as friends depart for duty in an ordered world under the heavens.

The text of Xi Jinping's speech follows, along with a crude English translation.

 

 

在中华人民共和国恢复联合国合法席位50周年纪念会议上的讲话

(2021年10月25日)

中华人民共和国主席 习近平

尊敬的古特雷斯秘书长,

各位驻华使节和国际组织驻华代表,

女士们,先生们,

朋友们,同志们:

  50年前的今天,第二十六届联合国大会以压倒性多数通过第2758号决议,决定恢复中华人民共和国在联合国的一切权利,承认中华人民共和国政府代表是中国在联合国的唯一合法代表。这是中国人民的胜利,也是世界各国人民的胜利!

  今天,在这个特殊的日子里,我们汇聚一堂,回顾历史,展望未来,很有意义。

  新中国恢复在联合国合法席位,是世界上的一个大事件,也是联合国的一个大事件。这是世界上一切爱好和平和主持正义的国家共同努力的结果。这标志着占世界人口四分之一的中国人民从此重新走上联合国舞台。这对中国、对世界都具有重大而深远的意义。

  在这里,我谨代表中国政府和中国人民,向联合国大会第2758号决议所有提案国和支持国,表示衷心的感谢!向一切主持正义的国家和人民,致以崇高的敬意!

  女士们、先生们,朋友们、同志们!

  新中国恢复在联合国合法席位以来的50年,是中国和平发展、造福人类的50年。

  ——这50年,中国人民始终发扬自强不息精神,在风云变幻中把握中国前进方向,书写了中国以及人类发展的壮阔史诗。在新中国成立以来国家建设和发展的基础上,中国人民开启了改革开放历史新时期,成功开创和发展中国特色社会主义,不断解放和发展社会生产力,不断提高生活水平,实现了从生产力相对落后的状况到经济总量跃居世界第二的历史性突破。经过艰苦奋斗,中国人民用自己的双手在中华大地上实现了全面建成小康社会的目标,打赢了脱贫攻坚战,历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题,开启了全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程,迎来了中华民族伟大复兴的光明前景。

  ——这50年,中国人民始终同世界各国人民团结合作,维护国际公平正义,为世界和平与发展作出了重大贡献。中国人民热爱和平,深知和平安宁的珍贵,始终奉行独立自主的和平外交政策,主持公道,伸张正义,坚决反对霸权主义和强权政治。中国人民坚定支持广大发展中国家维护自身主权、安全、发展利益的正义斗争。中国人民致力于推动共同发展,从“坦赞铁路”到“一带一路”,向发展中国家提供力所能及的帮助,不断以中国发展为世界提供新机遇。在新冠肺炎疫情席卷全球的危难之际,中国积极同世界分享防控经验,向各国输送了大批抗疫物资、疫苗药品,深入开展病毒溯源科学合作,真诚为人类彻底战胜疫情而积极努力。

  ——这50年,中国人民始终维护联合国权威和地位,践行多边主义,中国同联合国合作日益深化。中国忠实履行联合国安理会常任理事国职责和使命,维护联合国宪章宗旨和原则,维护联合国在国际事务中的核心作用。中国积极倡导以和平方式政治解决争端,派出5万多人次参加联合国维和行动,已经成为第二大联合国会费国、第二大维和摊款国。中国率先实现联合国千年发展目标,带头落实2030年可持续发展议程,对世界减贫贡献超过70%。中国始终遵循联合国宪章和《世界人权宣言》精神,坚持把人权普遍性同中国实际结合起来,走出了一条符合时代潮流、具有中国特色的人权发展道路,为中国人权进步和国际人权事业作出了重大贡献。

  女士们、先生们,朋友们、同志们!

  世界潮流,浩浩荡荡,顺之则昌,逆之则亡。过去50年,尽管国际形势跌宕起伏,但在世界各国人民共同努力下,世界总体保持稳定,世界经济快速发展,科技创新日新月异,一大批发展中国家成长壮大,十几亿人口摆脱贫困,几十亿人口不断走向现代化。

  当前,世界百年未有之大变局加速演进,和平发展进步力量不断增长。我们应该顺应历史大势,坚持合作、不搞对抗,坚持开放、不搞封闭,坚持互利共赢、不搞零和博弈,坚决反对一切形式的霸权主义和强权政治,坚决反对一切形式的单边主义和保护主义。

  ——我们应该大力弘扬和平、发展、公平、正义、民主、自由的全人类共同价值,共同为建设一个更加美好的世界提供正确理念指引。和平与发展是我们的共同事业,公平正义是我们的共同理想,民主自由是我们的共同追求。世界是丰富多彩的,多样性是人类文明的魅力所在,更是世界发展的活力和动力之源。“非尽百家之美,不能成一人之奇。”文明没有高下、优劣之分,只有特色、地域之别,只有在交流中才能融合,在融合中才能进步。一个国家走的道路行不行,关键要看是否符合本国国情,是否顺应时代发展潮流,能否带来经济发展、社会进步、民生改善、社会稳定,能否得到人民支持和拥护,能否为人类进步事业作出贡献。

  ——我们应该携手推动构建人类命运共同体,共同建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界。人类是一个整体,地球是一个家园。任何人、任何国家都无法独善其身。人类应该和衷共济、和合共生,朝着构建人类命运共同体方向不断迈进,共同创造更加美好未来。推动构建人类命运共同体,不是以一种制度代替另一种制度,不是以一种文明代替另一种文明,而是不同社会制度、不同意识形态、不同历史文化、不同发展水平的国家在国际事务中利益共生、权利共享、责任共担,形成共建美好世界的最大公约数。

  ——我们应该坚持互利共赢,共同推动经济社会发展更好造福人民。中国古人说:“为治之本,务在于安民;安民之本,在于足用。”推动发展、安居乐业是各国人民共同愿望。为了人民而发展,发展才有意义;依靠人民而发展,发展才有动力。世界各国应该坚持以人民为中心,努力实现更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展。要破解发展不平衡不充分问题,提高发展的平衡性、协调性、包容性。要增强人民发展能力,形成人人参与、人人享有的发展环境,创造发展成果更多更公平惠及每一个国家每一个人的发展局面。不久前,我在第七十六届联合国大会上提出全球发展倡议,希望各国共同努力,克服新冠肺炎疫情对全球发展的冲击,加快落实2030年可持续发展议程,构建全球发展共同体。

  ——我们应该加强合作,共同应对人类面临的各种挑战和全球性问题。地区争端和恐怖主义、气候变化、网络安全、生物安全等全球性问题正摆在国际社会面前,只有形成更加包容的全球治理、更加有效的多边机制、更加积极的区域合作,才能有效加以应对。气候变化是大自然对人类敲响的警钟。世界各国应该采取实际行动为自然守住安全边界,鼓励绿色复苏、绿色生产、绿色消费,推动形成文明健康生活方式,形成人与自然和谐共生的格局,让良好生态环境成为可持续发展的不竭源头。

  ——我们应该坚决维护联合国权威和地位,共同践行真正的多边主义。推动构建人类命运共同体,需要一个强有力的联合国,需要改革和建设全球治理体系。世界各国应该维护以联合国为核心的国际体系、以国际法为基础的国际秩序、以联合国宪章宗旨和原则为基础的国际关系基本准则。国际规则只能由联合国193个会员国共同制定,不能由个别国家和国家集团来决定。国际规则应该由联合国193个会员国共同遵守,没有也不应该有例外。对联合国,世界各国都应该秉持尊重的态度,爱护好、守护好这个大家庭,决不能合则利用、不合则弃之,让联合国在促进人类和平与发展的崇高事业中发挥更为积极的作用。中国愿同各国秉持共商共建共享理念,探索合作思路,创新合作模式,不断丰富新形势下多边主义实践。

  女士们、先生们,朋友们、同志们!

  追昔抚今,鉴往知来。站在新的历史起点,中国将坚持走和平发展之路,始终做世界和平的建设者;坚持走改革开放之路,始终做全球发展的贡献者;坚持走多边主义之路,始终做国际秩序的维护者。

  “青山一道同云雨,明月何曾是两乡。”让我们携起手来,站在历史正确的一边,站在人类进步的一边,为实现世界永续和平发展,为推动构建人类命运共同体而不懈奋斗!

  谢谢大家。

__________



Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 25th

Speech at the Commemorative Meeting of the 50th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Legal Seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations

(October 25, 2021)

President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping

Dear Secretary-General Guterres,

Distinguished diplomatic envoys in China and representatives of international organizations in China,

ladies and gentlemen,

Friends and comrades:

Fifty years ago today, the 26th United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed Resolution 2758, which decided to restore all rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations and recognize that the representatives of the government of the People's Republic of China are the only legitimate representatives of China in the United Nations. This is a victory for the Chinese people and a victory for people from all over the world!

Today, on this special day, it is very meaningful for us to gather together to review the history and look forward to the future.

The restoration of the new China's legitimate seat in the United Nations is a major event in the world and a major event in the United Nations. This is the result of the joint efforts of all peace-loving and justice-loving countries in the world. This marks that the Chinese people, who account for a quarter of the world's population, have once again stepped onto the stage of the United Nations. This is of great and far-reaching significance to China and the world.

Here, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all sponsors and supporters of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758! To all the countries and people who uphold justice, I pay high tribute!

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and comrades!

The 50 years since the People's Republic of China regained its legitimate seat in the United Nations is the 50 years of China's peaceful development and the benefit of mankind.

——In the past 50 years, the Chinese people have always carried forward the spirit of self-improvement, grasped the direction of China's progress in the changing circumstances, and wrote a magnificent epic of the development of China and human beings. On the basis of national construction and development since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese people have ushered in a new historical period of reform and opening up, successfully created and developed socialism with Chinese characteristics, continuously liberated and developed social productive forces, continuously improved living standards, and achieved a transition from relatively backward productive forces. The situation has reached the historic breakthrough that the total economic volume has jumped to the second place in the world. After arduous struggle, the Chinese people used their own hands to achieve the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on the land of China, won the battle against poverty, solved the problem of absolute poverty historically, and started a new journey to build a modern socialist country in an all-round way. Here comes the bright prospect of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

——In the past 50 years, the Chinese people have always united and cooperated with people from all over the world, safeguarded international fairness and justice, and made great contributions to world peace and development. The Chinese people love peace and know the preciousness of peace and tranquility. They always pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, uphold justice, uphold justice, and resolutely oppose hegemonism and power politics. The Chinese people firmly support the just struggle of developing countries to safeguard their sovereignty, security and development interests. The Chinese people are committed to promoting common development, from the "Tanzan Railway" to the "Belt and Road", to provide assistance to developing countries within their capacity, and to continuously provide new opportunities for the world with China's development. As the COVID-19 epidemic swept the world, China actively shared its prevention and control experience with the world, sent a large number of anti-epidemic materials, vaccines and medicines to various countries, carried out in-depth scientific cooperation in virus traceability, and sincerely worked hard for mankind to completely defeat the epidemic.

——In the past 50 years, the Chinese people have always upheld the authority and status of the United Nations, practiced multilateralism, and the cooperation between China and the United Nations has been deepening day by day. China faithfully fulfills the duties and missions of a permanent member of the UN Security Council, upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and safeguards the central role of the UN in international affairs. China actively advocates the political settlement of disputes through peaceful means, and has sent more than 50,000 people to participate in UN peacekeeping operations. China has become the second largest contributor to the UN and the second largest contributor to peacekeeping. China has taken the lead in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals and in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, contributing more than 70% to world poverty reduction. China has always followed the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, insisted on combining the universality of human rights with China's reality, and embarked on a path of human rights development that is in line with the trend of the times and with Chinese characteristics, and has made significant contributions to the progress of China's human rights and the cause of international human rights. contribute.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and comrades!

The world trend is mighty and mighty, if you follow it, you will prosper, if you go against it, you will perish. In the past 50 years, despite the ups and downs of the international situation, thanks to the concerted efforts of people from all over the world, the world has maintained overall stability, the world economy has developed rapidly, technological innovation has changed rapidly, a large number of developing countries have grown and grown, and more than one billion people have been lifted out of poverty. Millions of people are constantly moving towards modernization.

At present, the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, and the evolution is accelerating, and the forces of peaceful development and progress are constantly growing. We should conform to the general trend of history, insist on cooperation rather than confrontation, openness rather than closure, mutual benefit and win-win results, and no zero-sum game, resolutely oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and resolutely oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.

——We should vigorously promote the common values ​​of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for all mankind, and jointly provide correct conceptual guidance for building a better world. Peace and development are our common cause, fairness and justice are our common ideal, and democracy and freedom are our common pursuit. The world is rich and colorful. Diversity is the charm of human civilization, and it is also the source of vitality and driving force for the development of the world. "If you don't have the beauty of a hundred schools of thought, you can't be a miracle of one person." There is no superiority or inferiority in civilization. There are only differences in characteristics and regions. Only through communication can we integrate and progress. Whether a country's path is feasible or not depends on whether it conforms to its own national conditions, whether it conforms to the trend of the times, whether it can bring about economic development, social progress, improvement of people's livelihood, and social stability, whether it can win the support and support of the people, and whether it can serve the human race. Contribute to progress.

——We should work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly build a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanness and beauty. Humanity is a whole and the earth is a home. No one or any country can survive alone. Human beings should help each other and coexist in harmony, move forward in the direction of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly create a better future. Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind is not about replacing one system with another, or replacing one civilization with another, but with countries with different social systems, ideologies, histories, cultures, and levels of development in international affairs. The interests, rights, and responsibilities of China and China coexist, forming the greatest common denominator for building a better world.

——We should adhere to mutual benefit and win-win results, and jointly promote economic and social development to better benefit the people. An ancient Chinese said: "The foundation of governance lies in the security of the people; the foundation of security for the people lies in their adequacy." Promoting development and living and working in peace and contentment are the common aspirations of the people of all countries. Development for the sake of the people makes development meaningful; development depends on the people, and development has momentum. All countries in the world should adhere to the people-centered approach and strive to achieve higher-quality, more efficient, more equitable, more sustainable and more secure development. It is necessary to solve the problem of unbalanced and insufficient development, and improve the balance, coordination and inclusiveness of development. It is necessary to enhance the people's development capacity, create a development environment in which everyone participates and enjoys, and create a development situation in which more and more development achievements benefit everyone in every country. Not long ago, I put forward a global development initiative at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, hoping that all countries will work together to overcome the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic on global development, accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and build a global development community.

——We should strengthen cooperation and jointly address various challenges and global issues facing mankind. Regional disputes and global issues such as terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity, and biosecurity are facing the international community. Only by forming more inclusive global governance, more effective multilateral mechanisms, and more active regional cooperation can they be effectively dealt with. Climate change is nature's wake-up call to mankind. All countries in the world should take practical actions to maintain the safe borders for nature, encourage green recovery, green production and green consumption, promote the formation of a civilized and healthy lifestyle, and form a pattern of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, so that a good ecological environment can become an inexhaustible source of sustainable development. .

——We should resolutely safeguard the authority and status of the United Nations and jointly practice true multilateralism. Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind requires a strong United Nations and the reform and construction of the global governance system. Countries around the world should uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. International rules can only be formulated jointly by the 193 member states of the United Nations, not by individual countries or groups of countries. International rules should be observed by the 193 member states of the United Nations, and there should be no exceptions. All countries in the world should respect the United Nations, cherish and protect this big family, and never use it if it is suitable or discard it if it is not, so that the United Nations can play a more active role in the lofty cause of promoting human peace and development. . China is willing to work with other countries to uphold the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, explore cooperation ideas, innovate cooperation models, and continuously enrich the practice of multilateralism under the new situation.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and comrades!

Chasing the past and touching the present, learning from the past and knowing the future. Standing at a new historical starting point, China will adhere to the path of peaceful development and always be a builder of world peace; adhere to the path of reform and opening up, and always be a contributor to global development; adhere to the path of multilateralism and always be the international order maintainer of .

"The green mountains are the same as the cloud and the rain, and the bright moon was once two towns." Let us join hands, stand on the right side of history, stand on the side of human progress, and make unremitting efforts to achieve sustainable and peaceful development of the world and to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. struggle!

thank you all.

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