The Symposium on "Building a Community O fShared Future for Mankind and International Law" held in Beijing

On September 3, 2018, the Symposium on "Building a Community Of Shared Future For Mankind and International Law" was held in Beijing. This Symposium was moderated by Ambassador Huang Huikang, member of the UN International Law Commission. Prof. Kennedy Gastorn, the Secretary-General of AALCO, Mr. Santiago Villalpando, Chief of Treaty Section , UN Office of Legal Affairs, Prof. Sienho Yee from Wuhan University, Prof. He Zhipeng from Jilin University, Prof. Yenkong Ngangjoh Hodu from Manchester University and Prof. Emilia Onyema from London University made presentations at the Symposium. Around 50 legal officers from Asian and African States participated in the Symposium.

Ambassador Huang Huikang introduced the background and meaning of the concept of building a community of shared future for mankind. He emphasized that building a community of shared future for mankind was a common aspiration for the people in all countries and it was increasingly accepted as an international consensus through the platforms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative. Ambassador Huang called upon Asian and African states to strengthen cooperation, explore the tools and means of international law and make joint efforts to realize that aspiration.

The speakers identified and commented highly on the values embodied in the concept of the community of shared future for mankind and agreed that the relevant visions and goals were consistent with the UN Charter and the Sustainable Development Agenda. Some speakers noted that the concept gave due regard not only to national interests of individual states, but also to the common interest of the international community. Some speakers pointed out that the concept took a clear position in supporting multilateralism, respecting and upholding cultural diversity, and that it accorded with the right direction of the development of international law and would contribute to a more just and equitable world order .

The speakers believed that building a community of shared future for mankind required Asian and African states to jointly maintain the rule-based international order and promote the development of international law. Some speakers proposed that Asian and African states should pay closer attention to the issues of customary international law in order to reflect more of the practice of Asian and African states. Some speakers were of the view that relevant treaties and mechanisms should be further strengthened to safeguard the collective interests of the international community. Some speakers believed that the existing multilateral trading system characterized by the rule of law should be defended, the inclusiveness of international law should be strengthened, and international law should further progress from "international law of cooperation" to "international law of co-progressiveness".

This Symposium was part of the fourth training session organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China under the China-AALCO Exchange and Research Program on International Law.