Illustration: Chen Xia

While the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was being held fervently in China, US President Joe Biden flew to Israel on Wednesday to express support to this US staunch ally, which is currently in the midst of war and facing criticism and condemnation.

China and the US are truly different. China calls for and supports global construction, such as building roads, bridges and ports, while the US encourages war and supports confrontation. Currently, there are two wars in the world, and China has not joined either of them. China is calling for a ceasefire and resolving issues through negotiations. In contrast, the US "stands with" one side in both wars, providing money and weapons to support that side in achieving victory.

You cannot help but think that there may be a major reason behind this. China is a big nation in construction and infrastructure development, so we encourage the world to join us in promoting infrastructure construction, allowing China's tremendous advantages to benefit the world. On the other hand, the US has the fastest weapon iteration and it's the No.1 military power in the world. Hence, it needs tension and frequent wars because the more wars it fights in, the more important the US becomes, and also the better its weapons sell. There will be also more countries seeking US' assistance from different perspectives.

China maintains cooperative relationships with all countries, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the world's largest platform for consultation, construction, and cooperation. The US claims to be a leader, but often acts more like a kidnapper. It promotes various conflicts and tensions, and then offers the so-called "protection," causing many countries to be swept along in the major conflicts and situations driven by the US.

China sends engineering teams and machinery to various parts of the world, while the US deploys military forces. American aircraft carriers roam the major oceans, and US intelligence agencies are also very active. American modern war films and spy films have an endless supply of real-life materials.

After the Cold War, peace and development had become the theme of the world. However, it was the US that destroyed the cooperative relationship among major countries and brought the world back to the era of the so-called "great power competition." It seems that the US is familiar with and only adapts to a pattern of fighting and confrontation in order to regain its sense of purpose.

Let the US go crazy and provoke hatred around the world. China needs to stick to its own path. A bright future cannot be achieved through fighting alone; it must be built through cooperation, just like the principles advocated by the BRI. China has sufficient military strength to defend itself, and our development path aligns with the aspirations of countries around the world. The return to the path instigated by the US will surely become narrower in the course of time, while the future path pioneered by China will only become wider.

The author is a Chinese media professional. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn