In the coming time, the world and regional situation will continue to have many complex and unpredictable changes, opportunities and challenges will continue to intertwine. The good news is that peace, cooperation and development are still the major trend, the common aspiration of all peoples.

Our world model was built specifically to investigate five major trends of global concern – accelerating industrialization, rapid population growth, widespread malnutrition, depletion of nonrenewable resources, and a deteriorating environment. The model we have constructed is, like every model, imperfect, oversimplified, and unfinished... Our conclusions are : (1.) If the present growth trends in world population, industrialization, pollution, food production, and resource depletion continue unchanged, the limits to growth on this planet will be reached sometime within the next one hundred years. The most probable result will be a rather sudden and uncontrollable decline in both population and industrial capacity...

The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. A large group of emerging markets and developing countries are growing rapidly. At the same time, unilateralism, protectionism and bullying practices are on the rise in international affairs, bringing more uncertainty and instability to the world.

The world today faces both unprecedented development opportunities and structural adjustments unseen in the past centuries. From a historical perspective, we live in a time of rapid scientific and technological progress, huge material abundance, flourishing prosperity of civilizations and rising interdependence among countries. The trend of peace and development has never been stronger. However, we also face the reality of increasing uncertainties and destabilizing factors in human society where intertwined risks appear in multiple fields and new challenges and regional conflicts keep cropping up.

Today, as we look around, we see sluggish global economic recovery, resurging cold war mentality, rising regional conflicts, and security threats emerging one after another. Our world is far from tranquil, and people across the countries long for peace, development and cooperation.

Since the inception of the new century, international situations have undergone complex and profound changes. Against the background of the in-depth development of economic globalization, interdependence among countries is continuously deepening. To peruse peace, promote cooperation and seek development has become the theme of the current era. However, our world is far from peaceful, and destabilizing and unpredictable factors are obviously growing. Blood-shed and clashes resulting from ethnic, religious, territorial issues and other traditional security factors have not become fewer and non-traditional threats to security represented by transnational crimes, epidemic diseases, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are increasing day by day. Mankind is facing an unprecedented severe challenge.

The world seems to be under the strong influence of three major dynamics. Firstly, instability and uncertainty are increasing, opportunities are mixed with challenges, requiring countries to enhance adaptability and promote international cooperation. Second, the world is transitioning to a multi-polar, multi-center situation and is influenced by the strong development of science and technology. Third, Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean are the most dynamic developing regions, leading in innovation, creativity, economic integration and witnessing the rise of new powers, but also areas of strategic competition, sovereignty and territorial disputes, potentially leading to tension and confrontation if not well controlled.

Today, humanity is at a turning point in its path of development and the nature of international relations is changing dramatically. The transnational threats to peace, security and sustainable development are growing. The climate is rapidly changing. The mass migration flows are increasing and traditional values are declining.

To begin with, I would like to share with you some of my observations on the current world situation. With only three years to go before the 20th century ends, mankind is about to cross the threshold of another millennium, bringing what we accomplished in the past into the future. At this turn of the century, we can see a world that is caught in profound and complex changes; profound because such changes touch upon the fundamental question of "where the world is headed," and complex because they involve the readjustment of interrelations between various forces in the world. This is a time of difficulties and challenges on the one hand and opportunities and hopes on the other. At present, the international situation as a whole is moving towards relaxation and the trend towards a multipolar world is accelerating.

In this new Millennium, we are being challenged by four megatrends that are converging upon us over the next twenty years, namely:

At the beginning of the 21st century peace has become pivotal to the survival of society as we know it. The major challenges facing humanity today are global – climate change, lack of fresh water, ever-decreasing biodiversity and over-population. It is hard to over-state the devastating effects that these problems will have on business unless global actions are taken that have the agreement of most nations. No nations or individuals will be untouched.

We also have a world facing multiple crises: a wave of brutal armed conflict,the negative effect of climate change , increasing polarized societies , inequalities discrimination and rising cost of living.

The world is once again at a historical crossroads. I am convinced that the trend of peace, development and advancement for humanity is irresistible. Let us bolster confidence and jointly address global threats and challenges, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind and a better world for all.

What is happening in the world today? We have been living through an epoch in which wars, tyrannies and privations seem to have reached their peak...