Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy Research Center: Adhering to Promoting the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC): "China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and it is dedicated to promoting a community with a shared future for humanity." This important discourse solemnly declares the firm determination and sense of mission of the CPC to work together with the international community to build a better world. Building a community with a shared future for humanity is an essential component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, particularly Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the proposal of the concept of a community with a shared future for humanity. At this significant historical juncture, it is of great importance to profoundly understand the majestic power and practical achievements of this concept.
A Chinese Solution to the Questions of the Times
Since the beginning of this century, and especially since entering its second decade, the international situation has undergone profound and complex changes. The world's great changes unseen in a century [1] are accelerating, the international balance of power is undergoing profound adjustment, and our country’s development faces new strategic opportunities. The historical trend of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win results is unstoppable; dialogue, exchange, mutual learning, and win-win cooperation are the only path for human society to move toward a bright future.
At the same time, however, humanity is experiencing rare and multiple risks and challenges. Hegemonism, power politics, and the Cold War mentality [2] have dealt a serious blow to world peace and pose an immense threat to global security. Regional security hotspots emerge one after another, local conflicts and turbulence occur frequently, and traditional and non-traditional security threats such as climate change and terrorism are intertwined and superimposed. The trend of anti-globalization is rising, protectionism has increased significantly, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for the international community to form a synergy in responding to global and transnational challenges. The changes of the world, of the times, and of history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. The peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit, and governance deficit have become more prominent, and the world stands once again at a crossroads of history.
At this historical turning point, General Secretary Xi Jinping, with the responsibility and commitment of a leader of a major country, has deeply reflected on major issues concerning the future and destiny of humanity, such as "what kind of world to build and how to build it." He farsightedly proposed the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, providing a Chinese solution to answer and resolve the questions of the times facing the world. Over the past decade, the concept of building a community with a shared future for humanity has been continuously enriched and developed. It has formed a scientific theoretical system with the overall goal of building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness, and beauty; with the construction of a new type of international relations [3] as the fundamental path; with the shared values of all humanity [4] as the value system; with the "Belt and Road" as the practical platform; and with the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative as important pillars. This system has been formally written into the Party Constitution and the Constitution and has been included many times in documents of international organizations such as the United Nations, reflecting the common aspirations of people of all countries and gathering a broad consensus in the international community.
An Expression of Global Vision and Concern for the World
The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out: "Building a community with a shared future for humanity is the future for all peoples of the world" and "The Chinese people are willing to join hands with the people of the world to create a better future for humanity." This clear stance brings light and hope to a world battered by the pandemic and mired in economic downturns and conflicts. It provides a powerful counterattack against the historical undercurrents obsessed with "decoupling and breaking chains" [5] and engaging in bloc confrontation, leading the trend of the times and pointing out the direction of human progress.
When the Great Way prevails, the world is for the public [6]. Persisting in maintaining a global vision is a precious historical experience gained from our Party's century of struggle. Since its founding, throughout the various historical periods of revolution, construction, and reform, the CPC has always monitored the destiny of humanity with a world-oriented perspective. As early as the 1950s, Mao Zedong clearly stated that China should make a greater contribution to humanity. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Chinese communists, with Comrade Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have taken "striving for the cause of human progress" as an unremitting goal.
Building a community with a shared future for humanity is in the same lineage as persisting in maintaining a global vision. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out: "The Communist Party of China is a party that seeks happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation; it is also a party that seeks progress for humanity and the Great Harmony [7] for the world. We must broaden our global vision, gain profound insight into the trends of human development and progress, actively respond to the universal concerns of the people of all countries, and contribute to solving the common problems facing humanity. We should learn from and absorb all the outstanding achievements of human civilization with a mind as broad as the sea embracing a hundred rivers [8], and promote the construction of a better world." This important discourse, standing at the height of coordinating the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the world's great changes unseen in a century, profoundly elucidates the essential connection between maintaining a global vision and building a community with a shared future for humanity. It proclaims that building a community with a shared future for humanity is the contemporary manifestation of our Party's global vision. It has charted the blueprint and pointed out the path for our Party to realize the lofty ideal of China making a greater contribution to humanity. It transcends the narrow thoughts, theories, and policy propositions currently popular in the world, occupies the heights of thought and morality, and demonstrates the style of the CPC as a major party and China's responsibility as a major country.
Embodying the Essential Requirements of Chinese-path Modernization
On the basis of long-term exploration and practice since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and especially since the beginning of reform and opening up, and through theoretical and practical innovations and breakthroughs since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has successfully advanced and expanded Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization shares common characteristics with the modernization of other countries, but it also possesses Chinese characteristics based on our own national conditions. The report to the 20th CPC National Congress pointed out that Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of taking the path of peaceful development. Our country will not take the old path of some countries that achieved modernization through war, colonization, and plunder. We firmly stand on the right side of history and the side of human civilizational progress. We hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and win-win results, seeking our own development while resolutely safeguarding world peace and development, and better safeguarding world peace and development through our own development.
The report to the 20th CPC National Congress explicitly identified the promotion of a community with a shared future for humanity as one of the essential requirements of Chinese-path modernization. It elucidated the complementary and inseparable organic connection between the two, demonstrated the great significance of promoting a community with a shared future for humanity for Chinese-path modernization, and profoundly revealed the essential connotation and world impact of Chinese-path modernization. Chinese-path modernization is a modernization that follows the path of peaceful development, which essentially requires a commitment to building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness, and beauty during the process of Chinese-path modernization. China will always be an important force in maintaining world peace and promoting common development.
Chinese-path modernization, which persists in the path of peaceful development and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, transcends the modernization models of traditional major powers, breaks the myth that "modernization = Westernization," and creates a new form of human civilization. China follows the path of peaceful development, and other countries should also follow this path. Only when all countries take the path of peaceful development can humanity share tranquility and seek common development. When countries respect each other, coexist peacefully, and cooperate for win-win results, Chinese-path modernization can enjoy a favorable international environment. As Chinese-path modernization continues to advance and expand, it injects new connotations and momentum into the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, guiding the way forward for humanity and opening up development prospects for the world.
A Brilliant Banner Leading China’s Diplomacy in the New Era
In the ten years of the New Era, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has held high the banner of promoting world peace and development and building a community with a shared future for humanity, achieving all-around and pioneering historical accomplishments. The building of a community with a shared future for humanity has made the leap from concept to practice. From traditionally friendly countries to more cooperative partners, from the periphery to the globe, and from bilateral to multilateral levels, the building of a community with a shared future for humanity has yielded fruitful results. Concepts such as a global community of health for all, a community of life for man and nature, and a community with a shared future in cyberspace have become increasingly rooted in the hearts of the people. In the nearly ten years since the "Belt and Road" initiative was proposed, it has continuously deepened and solidified, becoming an important practical platform for building a community with a shared future for humanity. More than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations have signed more than 200 cooperation documents with our country.
General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the Global Development Initiative, calling on all countries to work together to build a global community of development. More than 100 countries and international organizations, including the United Nations, have expressed their support, and the initiative is currently being put into practice and taking root. General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative, advocating for the joint construction of a community of security for humanity, which has gained the appreciation and support of more than 70 countries and has been included in cooperation documents between our country and multiple countries and regional organizations.
In an era of great changes, there is an even greater need for the guidance of great thoughts. Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, serving as the fundamental basis and guide for action for China's foreign work in the New Era. Promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity has enhanced the interaction between China and the outside world, deepened China's friendly cooperation with other countries, and gathered broad consensus on jointly responding to global challenges. China's international influence, appeal, and power to shape [9] have significantly increased, and the relationship between China and the outside world has entered a brand-new era.
Under the new situation, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It will persist in the foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development, and dedicate itself to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. China will always be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order, striving with all its might to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the historical journey of promoting continuous human progress.