Remarks of Professor Huang Jin,
President of the Chinese Society of International Law, at the
2024 Second Forum on Developing Countries and International Law,
jointly organized by
Chinese Society of International Law,
Asian Academy of International Law, and
Wuhan University Institute of International Law,
Beijing, 23 April 2024

Thank you, Ms. Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah,

His Excellency Mr. Miao Deyu, Assistant Minister of Chinese Foreign Ministry,
Mr. Ma Xinmin, Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Chinese Foreign Ministry,
Professor John Dugard of the Leiden University,
Distinguished panel moderators and speakers,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning!

On behalf of the Chinese Society of International Law, I would like to warmly welcome you to attend the Second Forum on Developing Countries and International Law. Although this forum is very young, it is probably the only regular forum in the world specifically presenting your original ideas on diverse international law issues relating to, concerned by, or even fascinated by developing countries. I would like to thank our partner organizers of this forum, the Asian Academy of International Law, and the Wuhan University Institute of International Law. Under our joint effort, this forum was made a reality. I am also pleased to have all of you here, I believe your participation will make this forum a place reflecting on the current international legal order and producing some ideas on how the status of developing countries in the current international legal order could be improved.

Distinguished speakers, like last year’s forum, this year’s forum also has three panels, however, the titles of the panels have some differences. While the panel on international law and international order, and the panel on Third World Approach to International Law remain unchanged, this year’s forum has a panel specifically on the five principles of peaceful coexistence and the development of international law, this is because this year represents the 70th anniversary of the raising of the five principles of peaceful coexistence. Moreover, this year’s forum has two keynote speeches. Mr. Ma Xinmin and Professor John Dugard will bring their thinkings in the keynote speeches. For our distinguished speakers, this year’s forum has a lot of old friends, but also has many new friends. I am confident you will make this year’s forum a successful and fruitful event just as last year.

Distinguished speakers, developing countries occupy over 80% of all countries and the population of developing countries occupies also over 80% of the world population. However, developing countries only occupy less than 50% of the world GDPs. Such enormous economic unbalance between developed countries and developing countries results from the historical colonization and unfair industrial division of labors and chains. In fact, in the field of international law, the majority of current international legal regimes are made by the developed countries in history which the developing countries have to accept. Developing countries did not have chance to participate in the formation of many important international legal regimes in the early time. They have reasons to speak out the injustice imposed on them by those international legal regimes. For decades, developing countries have been aware of their unfavorable status in some international legal regimes, but they are still wrestling with the obstacles created by those international legal regimes and are unable to find a proper solution to have their interests enshrined in international legal documents. For this reason, to convene a regular forum having your voices and original ideas is of particular importance for the benefits of all developing countries.

Distinguished speakers, China has achieved an unprecedented success in political, economic, and social development since the Reform and Opening-up in 1978. China has become the second largest economy in the world and China’s human development index (HDI) has increased from 0.499 in 1990 to 0.788 in 2022. China is the only country in the world that has leapt from the group of low human development to the group of high human development since this index was first measured in 1990. Since the beginning of reform and opening-up, the population lifted out of poverty in China has accounted for over 70 percent of the world’s total. China has made the historic achievement of eliminating absolute poverty and realized the poverty reduction target of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. However, China remains a developing country. China’s per capital GDP is 12,700 US dollars in 2022, ranking after 60th place in the world. Therefore, China stands in the developing countries.

As a developing country, China strongly supports developing countries to demand international rule of law, in other words, a more fair, just, and reasonable international legal order. Such an international legal order needs to be based on the respect of the five principles of peaceful coexistence and a community with a shared future for mankind. I am happy to see that they will also be addressed in your speeches, and I look forward to seeing more concrete and specific ideas on how they can play an important role in the reforming of the current international legal order and global governance.

Distinguished speakers, the Chinese Society of International Law attaches very importance to the pursuit of a more fair, just, and reasonable international legal order. In the recent annual conference proceedings of our Society, how to improve international legal order more friendly to developing countries has been the title of a panel discussion. In last year’s annual conference proceedings, in Panel 5 the topic of developing countries and international law was addressed, and some respectful Chinese scholars spoke in that panel.

Distinguished speakers, dear friends, the Chinese people has an old saying, “When everybody adds fuel, the flames rise high”. If you add your fuel to the flames of this year’s forum, the status of developing countries in international law will rise.

I look forward to having your ideas, thought and suggestions.

Finally, I would like to extend my gratitude to all of you for your participation of this event. Your participation is a great incentive to our arrangement of this forum in the future. I hope you enjoy the presentations and discussions, and continue to support our future event. Thank you!