Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of a commemorative event for the International Day of Peace in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

NANJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday called on all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, to behave as peace keepers, promoters, supporters and practitioners.

The call was made by Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan during his speech at the opening ceremony of a commemorative event for the International Day of Peace, held in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.

"The International Day of Peace represents good wishes for world peace from people all around the globe," Wang said. "Chinese people, always peace-lovers, hope to pursue, maintain and enjoy peace with people from other countries."

Calling on all sides to adhere to peaceful coexistence and work for building a new type of international relations, Wang said China sincerely hopes all countries would "treat each other in the spirit of mutual-respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, to find out a new interaction model featuring dialogue rather than confrontation, partnership rather than alliance."

He called on all parties to create "a peaceful environment and build a community with a shared future for mankind," follow the trend of historical progress, and strive for a world of lasting peace and common security.

Wang also met with foreign guests attending the event, including Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Ulziisaikhan Enkhtuvshin, former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, former Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, and President of the National Regeneration Movement Yeidckol Polevnsky Gurwitz of Mexico.

Wang told the foreign guests that in globalization, people are more inter-dependant than ever before. Reform and opening-up is an imperative path for China, a country with more than 1.3 billion people, in its modernisation drive. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is an imperative proposal from China.

He voiced hope for further mutual understanding and trust, and joint efforts in dealing with the relationship between fairness and efficiency, as well as subsistence and development.

He also called for mutually-beneficial cooperation to contribute to balanced development and a better future for all.

The foreign guests expressed their support for solving current problems through multilateral approaches, saying differences could be managed through equal-footed negotiation in the spirit of mutual respect, mutual learning, understanding and inclusiveness.

They called for a peaceful environment for development, and a coordinated solution to deal with challenges such as the social divide between the rich and poor, political extremism, and global environmental changes.

The foreign guests voiced their appreciation for the idea "building a community with a shared future for mankind" proposed by China, support of the Belt and Road initiative, and expectation of China's leading role in the building of a new type of international relations.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his congratulations to the commemorative event in a video at the opening ceremony.

The International Day of Peace falls on Sept. 21 each year.