Thank you for the invitation to attend this international symposium. It serves as an important platform to reflect on China’s development over the past decades and to discuss together how we can advance a better shared future.Thank you to the People’s Republic of China for hosting the event and inviting me to this symposium and the International Expo here in Shanghai.Today I will make a few remarks based on the Afghanistan experience. I am a proud Afghan citizen, as well as a proud global citizen. Afghanistan, a country with a long history and epitomises some of the major challenges of our generation. China and Afghanistan have a friendship that gets stronger every day, week, month and year.Before I begin, allow me to recognise the People’s Republic of China’s recent anniversary: 70 years since its founding as the People’s Republic of China. This momentous anniversary is a time to celebrate and reflect on the enormous progress this country has made in many areas - including economic development, poverty reduction, and international trade and enterprise. It is an honour to be here in China in this historic year.Ladies and gentlemen,Sitting at the cross-roads between East and West, Afghanistan has a rich cultural history. Afghanistan is one of China’s western neighbours and enjoys a positive relationship built upon the principles of the “shared future” paradigm. Afghanistan is emerging from decades of war which is a result of — among other things — geo-political factors. With approximately one-third of the population living under the poverty line there are indeed serious issues that need to be addressed. Peacebuilding, and the pursuit of peace, is the foundational stone required for development and poverty reduction in Afghanistan. We are making advancements in this respect, including holding our recent national election which was conducted relatively peacefully.The concept and framework of “a community with a shared future for mankind” can offer us new hope in finding lasting solutions. In the modern era, no country can go it alone. We are linked by a common destiny and future. The security and wealth of each individual, household, village, city, country, and region are now connected more than ever before.The concept of “a community with a shared future for mankind” challenges us to think differently and develop new tools for regional and global peace and development. Constructive dialogue, respect, and consultation must be the basis to resolve any conflict. The sovereignty of countries and their treatment as equals within the international geo-political context is the basis for effective regional engagement and action.The concept also reaffirms that human development and security are interlinked and must be tackled together. Regional economic imbalances, as well as inequality within countries, are two key issues that can better be addressed as a collective responsibility when we are driven by “our shared future”. How and where investments are made - and who they ultimately benefit - are of critical importance.Ladies and gentlemen,In preparing these remarks I reflected on China’s significant progress over the past 70 years. I thought to myself - what were some of the key drivers that enabled China to develop at such a rapid pace?It seems to me that there are three key areas which have been catalysts in this development journey.First, promoting economic development and creating livelihoods opportunities for all. China has significantly expanded its manufacturing sectors over the past decades and can be considered the “production hub” for the world. More recently, the Belt and Road Initiative is underpinning China’s export-led approach to economic growth and regional stability and cooperation. Afghanistan is strategically located along this corridor. This strategic value to look beyond the national borders and connect to global markets is a lesson from China, one which Afghanistan is also implementing, despite being landlocked. Investment in infrastructure along this corridor is crucial to unlocking the potential of Afghan-led development and prosperity, which will benefit the entire region by accelerating economic growth.Second, mutual learning and exchange across the country and with other countries seems to have been an important catalyst for China’s development in recent times. Our planet is so interconnected - socially, politically, culturally and ecologically - and so we must understand each other better, and act together. We must preserve and respect the diversity of civilisation as this is also a source of our connectedness to this earth, our histories, and to each other. China has shown that opening up a country to the world can bring enormous benefits for it’s citizens and for mankind as a whole.Third, infrastructure investment. China has shown the importance of investing in critical infrastructure projects to facilitate human and economic progress. Investments in ports, roads, airports reap enormous dividends for the productivity of societies. At a time where infrastructure investment levels are decreasing in many countries, China is showing the world that ambitious and targeted infrastructure investments are essential to expanding opportunities for mankind to advance. More recently, it is pleasing to see China’s massive investments and prioritisation of green infrastructure, such as solar panel farms to harvest the energy of the sun to generate electricity. Again, we see China being a global leader at the forefront of technological and infrastructure investments which is commendable.Ladies and Gentlemen,To conclude, let me thank the organisers once again for inviting me to share my ideas and reflections on “China’s 70-Year Development and the Construction of the Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”.In this historic year, it is opportune we reflect on China’s 70-year experience and see what others can learn, including us in Afghanistan, with the goal of making a real improvement in the lives of all peoples across our shared planet.There is no clear “blueprint” for a country to follow. Therefore, symposiums like this one are important to share experiences and lessons learned and generate new ideas and ways of working to advance our collective efforts.Thank you.