The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence——和平共处五项原则

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were proposed by the Chinese government in the 1950s. They were subsequently confirmed by China, India, and Myanmar as the basic norms for diplomatic relations and for exchanges and cooperation among countries.

Before and after the PRC was established, the CPC Central Committee and the Central People's Government issued several statements that China was ready to establish diplomatic relations with all countries which were willing to observe the principles of peace, mutual benefit and mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In December 1953, China proposed for the first time the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence during its negotiations with India on the outstanding bilateral problems, especially India's contacts with the Tibet region. The Indian side responded with agreement. These were: mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual nonaggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.

They were incorporated as the guiding principles of bilateral relations into the agreement between China and India on trade and exchanges between China's Tibet region and India in April 1954. In June 1954 Premier Zhou Enlai visited India and Burma, and released a joint statement each with his counterparts in these two countries. Both documents affirmed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as guiding principles in bilateral relations, and proposed making them norms governing international relations.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence served as an effective weapon for the newborn Chinese government to break through the isolation and containment posed by the US and expand its exchanges in the international arena. As an open and inclusive principle of international law, they reflect the values of sovereignty, justice, democracy, and respect for law. They also embody the essential features of a new international relationship, which is suitable for countries with different social systems and development levels, and different in size. They were a great step forward in the history of international relations.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence have withstood the test of the time, and fluctuations in the international situation, for more than 60 years. The principles that China initiated together with India and Myanmar have been accepted by the overwhelming majority of countries in Asia and elsewhere. As the basic norms in developing international relations and international laws, they have been approved and adopted by the international community, contributing to the establishment of new international relations that are fair and rational.