刘光源特派员在亚非法协第59届会议一般性辩论上的发言
（2021年11月30日）
尊敬的主席女士：
首先，祝贺你当选亚非法协第59届会议主席，相信在你的出色领导下本届会议将取得圆满成功。
我愿借此机会，对肯尼迪·加斯顿秘书长在过去5年来推动亚非法协不断进步和发展表示衷心感谢，对皮尼普瓦多博士当选秘书长表示热烈祝贺。期待亚非法协在新任秘书长的领导下，进一步推进亚非国家交流合作，为维护以国际法为基础的国际秩序贡献力量。
我也愿作为东道国代表，诚挚欢迎各国代表团参加首次以线上线下混合方式举行的年会，对秘书处和香港特别行政区政府克服新冠疫情挑战、精心筹备会议表示感谢。在这一特殊背景下举办法协年会，充分表明疫情无法阻挡亚非国家加强国际法合作的步伐，也将为香港留下具有历史意义的“法协印记”。
主席女士，
当今世界充满不确定性，全球性挑战层出不穷。面对“世界怎么了、我们怎么办”这一时代之问，习近平主席提出了推动构建人类命运共同体的重大倡议。昨天，李克强总理时隔六年再度出席亚非法协年会并致辞，充分彰显了中方对亚非法协的支持，体现了中方对亚非国家国际法交流合作的重视。致辞中，李克强总理围绕着亚非国家如何坚守国际法治、共建人类命运共同体提出了五点建议。我愿结合亚非法协工作和亚非国家实践，谈一些具体的理解和看法。
一是要做国际法的维护者。李克强总理在昨天的讲话中表示，公平正义的事业需要国际法去维护，和平发展的环境需要国际法去保障。亚非国家作为命运与共的好伙伴，曾共同提出万隆会议“十项原则”、推动和平共处五项原则等国际法基本准则，为战后国际法体系做出了重要的历史贡献。亚非国家要继续维护国际法的权威性，为国际法的编纂和逐渐发展贡献力量。同时，我们应该警惕个别国家对国际法“合则用、不合则弃”的虚伪立场，共同反对打着所谓“规则”旗号搞霸权主义。
二是要做多边主义的践行者。亚非法协作为唯一横跨亚洲和非洲的国际法合作平台，有力推动各国开展国际法协商交流，本身就是多边主义的典范。亚非国家应携手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。面对当今全球性挑战，亚非国家要继续促进开放包容的多边合作，以实际行动回应亚非人民对和平发展的期盼、对公平正义的呼声、对合作共赢的追求。同时，对于以意识形态划线站队、以民主和人权制造对立分裂的“伪多边主义”，亚非国家要明辨是非，坚决抵制。
三是要做全球治理的建设者。广大亚非国家从独立之初，就共同致力于反对霸权主义，积极倡导国际关系民主化。亚非国家拥有世界四分之三的人口，也拥有最大的“国际市场”，深度融入世界发展潮流。建立更加公平合理的全球治理体系，事关亚非各国人民的切身利益和公平正义。亚非国家应积极参与世界贸易组织、世界卫生组织等重要国际机构的改革进程，提高发展中国家的代表性和决策权。在深海、外空、网络、数字等新兴领域，亚非国家应加强沟通协调，积极参与国际规则制定，发出亚非声音、贡献亚非智慧。
主席女士，
当前世界多极化、经济全球化深入发展，各国利益广泛交融，国际法越来越多地关注国际社会共同利益。蔓延全球的新冠肺炎疫情再次证明，世界各国是休戚与共的命运共同体。推动构建人类命运共同体符合亚非人民的根本利益，也应是亚非各国推动国际秩序和国际法发展的方向。亚非国家应当顺应时代呼唤，共同应对全球性挑战，共同坚守国际法治，维护人类社会共同利益。
今年是中国共产党成立100周年，中国全面建成小康社会，历史性地解决了绝对贫困问题，正向着全面建成社会主义现代化强国的第二个百年奋斗目标迈进。今年也是中华人民共和国恢复联合国合法席位50周年。50年来，中国始终践行真正的多边主义，是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者，并以实际行动积极维护广大发展中国家正当权益。
本月初，中国共产党召开十九届六中全会，全面总结了党的百年奋斗的重大成就和历史经验。一百年来，中国共产党既为中国人民谋幸福、为中华民族谋复兴，也为人类谋进步、为世界谋大同。展望未来，中方将继续同各国一道，共同维护和发展国际法，为推动构建人类命运共同体贡献力量。
最后，预祝本届法协年会圆满成功！
Statement by Commissioner Liu Guangyuan on the
General Debate of The 59th Annual Session of the AALCO
November 30, 2021
Madam President,
Congratulations on your election as President of the 59th Annual Session of the AALCO. I believe that under your excellent leadership, this session will be a full success. Please allow me to use this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to Secretary-General Kennedy Gastorn for his contributions to the development of the AALCO over the past five years, and extend my warm congratulations to Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol on his election as Secretary-General. We expect that under the leadership of the new Secretary-General, the AALCO will promote closer exchanges and cooperation between Asian and African countries in international law, and further contribute to maintaining the international order underpinned by international law.
As the representative of the host country, I sincerely welcome all delegations to this annual session held both online and on site for the first time. My appreciation also goes to the Secretariat and the HKSAR Government for their thoughtful arrangement despite challenges brought by Covid-19. The session in such a special backdrop indicates that the pandemic cannot stop Asian and African countries from strengthening international law cooperation. It will leave a historic “AALCO mark” in Hong Kong.
Madam President,
Today’s world is full with uncertainties and emerging global challenges. Faced with the major questions of our time – “what is happening in the world?” and “what shall we do about it?” – President Xi Jinping has called for building a community with a shared future for mankind.Yesterday, Premier Li Keqiang came back to the AALCO annual session and delivered a speech after six years, which fully demonstrates China’s support for the AALCO and the high importance China attaches to exchanges and cooperation between Asian and African countries on issues concerning international law. In his speech, Premier Li Keqiang made five proposals on how Asian and African countries should uphold the international rule of law and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. Here, I wish to share some of my suggestions based on the work of the AALCO and practice of Asian and African countries.
First, we need to be a defender of international law. Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday that international Law is crucial in upholding the cause of fairness and justice and safeguarding the environment for peaceful development. In the last century, Asian and African countries, as good partners with a shared future, jointly put forward the basic norms of international law, such as the Ten Principles of Bandung Conference and the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, thus making important historical contributions to the post-war international law system. Going forward, Asian and African countries should continue to defend the authority of international law and contribute to the codification and gradual development of international law. At the same time, we must guard against the hypocritical position of certain countries exploiting or discarding international law at their own will, and jointly oppose their acts of seeking hegemony under the cover of “rules”.
Second, we need to be a follower of multilateralism. The AALCO is the only international law cooperation platform across Asia and Africa. It promotes consultation and exchanges in the field of international law between different countries, and is a model of multilateralism. Asian and African countries should join hands to uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. In the face of global challenges in today’s world, Asian and African countries should continue to advance open and inclusive multilateral cooperation, and take practical actions to meet Asian and African people’s aspirations for peaceful development, fairness and justice as well as their pursuit of win-win cooperation. On the other hand, Asian and African countries must tell right from wrong, and resolutely resist “pseudo-multilateralism” that draws ideological lines and creates division in the disguise of “democracy” and “human rights”.
Third, we need to be a builder of global governance. Since our independence, Asian and African countries have worked together to oppose hegemony and advocate democracy in international relations. With three-fourth of the world’s population and the largest global market, Asian and African countries have been deeply integrated into the global trend of development. A more just and equitable global governance system is in the vital interest of Asian and African people and a matter of fairness and justice, so Asian and African countries should take an active part in the reform of important international institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization, so as to increase the representation and decision-making power of developing countries. In the emerging fields of deep sea, outer space, cyberspace and digital development, Asian and African countries need to step up communication and coordination, engage in international rules-setting, have a bigger Asian and African voice, and contribute more Asian and African wisdom.
Madam President,
Our world is moving towards greater multi-polarity and economic globalization. In such a world, interests of countries around the world are deeply inter-connected, and more attention has been paid to the common interests of the international community in the field of international law. The Covid-19 pandemic has once again driven home the message that all countries are a community with a shared future where we share weal and woe together. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is in the fundamental interest of the Asian and African people. It should be what Asian and African countries work for in promoting the development of international order and international law. Asian and African countries need to answer the call of our time, jointly respond to global challenges, uphold the international rule of law together, and safeguard the common interests of human society.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. China has built a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eliminated absolute poverty. It is moving towards the second centenary goal of fully building a great modern socialist country. This year is also the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the lawful seat of the People’s Republic of China in the UN. Over the past half a century, China has stayed committed to true multilateralism as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order. It has taken concrete actions to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
Earlier this month, the Communist Party of China held the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee, which had a comprehensive review of major achievements and historical experience of the Party over the past century. During the 100 years, the Communist Party of China has been not only seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, but also pursuing progress for mankind and common good for the world. Looking to the future, China will continue to work with other countries to defend and develop international law and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.