Following the opening ceremony of the 13th World Peace Forum on July 3, 2025, Vice President Zou Xiaoli of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA) presided over the Forum’s first plenary session themed “International Order and World Peace”.

Zou noted that Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, in his address at the opening ceremony, expounded the proposition of working together to promote world peace and prosperity and build a better world, and, on that basis, put forward four proposals. It was a highly inspiring speech.

Zou stressed that peace is humanity’s eternal pursuit. Founded in the same year as the People’s Republic of China, the CPIFA has, in its history of nearly 76 years, pursued a mission of making friends for the nation and safeguarding peace. It is our firm belief that the people of all countries are the most powerful force for world peace, and dialogue and exchanges are indispensable to better mutual understanding and trust. This is where the value of the World Peace Forum lies. Guided by the spirit of shared responsibility, benefit and achievement, the CPIFA will work closely with Tsinghua University and all other parties to strive tirelessly for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, and former Belgian Prime Minister and former European Council President Herman van Rompuy delivered speeches at the first plenary session.