Peace and development are shared aspirations of mankind, the pursuit of which, however, is hampered by unprecedented global changes, intertwined with emerging security risks and a widening development gap.

As the world is wobbling under the pressure of a downward spiral of insecurity and recession, it is high time that the Global Security Initiative (GSI), proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, be acted on to tackle the "peace deficit" and security challenges through international cooperation.

As a long advocate of the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, China has the best peace and security record among the major countries. According to a Gallup poll in 2020, China ranks third worldwide in the Law and Order Index, reflecting the Chinese people's confidence in the public security and governance of their country.

Beyond its domestic safety and security, China has made positive contributions to the global endeavor for peace, setting a prime example as a responsible major country.

As the only country which clearly says in its constitution that it sticks to the path of peaceful development, China has never initiated a war, never occupied one inch of foreign land, never engaged in proxy wars and never participated in or organized any military bloc.

"If you look at Chinese history, it has never colonized other countries, and there is no tradition in China's foreign policy of taking other people's territory," former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt said.

While China was always a pacifistic country in history, its words and deeds in recent decades have further forcefully demonstrated its pacifistic nature. From the Palestine-Israel conflict and the Iran nuclear issue to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and the transition of the Afghan situation, China has acted as a steadfast mediator wherever pro-peace efforts are needed.

Nowadays, flames of war have been reignited on the European continent. Unlike some of the world's top arms exporters that can't wait to send more ammunition to the battlefields in Ukraine, China takes an objective and fair stance on the basis of the merits and demerits of the issue, vigorously promotes peace and encourages talks.

China has put forward a six-point initiative on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, and provided several shipments of emergency humanitarian aid. British political commentator Carlos Martinez described China's constructive role in the Ukraine issue as "admirable."

Based on China's independent foreign policy of peace and its practice of this policy, the GSI embodies "the diplomatic tradition and wisdom with unique Chinese characteristics," said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in an article published in April.

By offering public goods for global security, upholding the UN-centered international system and practicing true multilateralism, China has been turning into actions its commitments to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as well as the principle of indivisible security.

As the second-largest financial contributor to the UN Peacekeeping, China has dispatched the most peacekeepers among the UN Security Council permanent members. It has also taken an active part in international arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation treaties.

"China has played a very, very important role in multilateralism and strengthening the United Nations," said Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, when speaking to Xinhua last year.

Calling for cooperation to address all forms of non-traditional security challenges, China has provided more than 2.1 billion COVID-19 vaccines doses to the international community to help bridge the "immunization gap." It has also taken big strides forward in tackling climate change and reinforcing digital governance, by setting its own carbon peak and neutrality goals, and launching the Global Initiative on Data Security.

What China has done is highly recognized by the international community, particularly by a vast number of developing countries.

In a world shadowed by the U.S.-led West's obsession with a new Cold War, power politics and bloc confrontation, the biggest strength to break through the mist toward a bright and peaceful future comes from cooperation and solidarity.

Having put forward the GSI, China is ready to join hands with all peace-loving and development-oriented countries to blaze a path toward lasting peace and universal security, and forge a strong synergy to build a community with a shared future for mankind.