Politicians, scholars, and experts from around the world attended "The Third International Forum on Democracy: The Shared Human Values" in Beijing on March 20, 2024. Photo: Qian Jiayin/GT

The forum, titled "The Third International Forum on Democracy: The Shared Human Values," was held in Beijing on Wednesday. All countries should have the opportunity to sit equally at the table and participate in international affairs in order to truly promote the democratization of international relations, -- this sentiment was agreed upon by scholars and former diplomats worldwide as they gathered in Beijing to share thoughts on democracy at the international forum.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said recently on behalf of the Global North, in the international system, "if you're not at the table in the international system, you're going to be on the menu." This claim was dismissed at the democracy forum in Beijing. It's important to recognize that all countries have the opportunity to sit at the international negotiation table, and the menu provided by the Global South can help us build a more inclusive, just, and peaceful world, Professor Evandro Menezes De Carvalho of the Getulio Vargas Foundation at the Fluminense Federal University from Brazil, said in his speech.

A few countries insist on advocating for a so-called rules-based international order, trying to impose their will and standards on others, essentially attempting to maintain their own small group order following clique rules. They also want to replace universally accepted international rules with those set by a few countries, in an attempt to replace the international community's expectation of democratizing international relations with unilateral hegemony.

"Let all countries have the opportunity to sit equally at the table and participate in international affairs in order to truly promote the democratization of international relations," said Chen Bo, President of the China Institute of International Studies. China opposes hegemonism and power politics, as well as the monopolization of international affairs by a few countries, and allows each country or group of countries to find their place in the global multipolar system.