Upon learning that Britain, France, and other powers were pressuring nations seeking contact with Great Qing, Su Ran acutely realized that the situation was as critical as an arrow notched on a bowstring, demanding a decisive shift in strategy. No longer satisfied with the low-profile approach of clandestine contacts, he decided to publicly declare to the international community Great Qing's firm stance of seeking equal cooperation and jointly opposing hegemony, breaking through the heavy obstacles set up by the powers with an open and aboveboard momentum.
Su Ran had a Peace and Cooperation Declaration carefully drafted. Like a sharp blade forged from the wisdom and determination of Great Qing, this declaration elaborated in detail Great Qing's profound views on the international order. It emphasized that all countries, regardless of size or strength, should respect and treat each other on the foundation of equality, firmly opposed the acts of powers trampling on the rights and interests of other nations by means of force and hegemony, and vigorously advocated that all countries advance together in coordination and develop collectively to build a fair, just, harmonious, and symbiotic international environment.
As soon as the Peace and Cooperation Declaration was released, it landed like a blockbuster bomb in the ocean of international public opinion. Newspapers in various countries prominently featured it with striking headlines, and people discussed it warmly in streets an…
Chapter 17