Zheng Bijian

Founding Chairman and Chairman of Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy

Your excellency, Mr. Li Shulei, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee,

Your excellency, Mr. Huang KM, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee,

Distinguished guests and friends from various countries and across China, welcome to the Ninth Session of the "Understanding China" Conference!

Incidentally, the Valdai International Discussion Club from Russia is attending our conference as a delegation, among guests from around the world. Let's extend a warm welcome to them!

Ladies and gentlemen,

This year’s conference has introduced two new topics for "Understanding China." The first is to understand the "Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development," adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The second is to understand the "Four Global Initiatives," including the "Global Governance Initiative", as proposed by President Xi Jinping.

The agenda has been specially designed to help us better perceive and grasp the direction of China's future actions and the trends of global development and transformation. It fully reflects the consistent purpose of our shared mission: to help the world better "understand China" and better "understand the Communist Party of China," while also assisting China in better "understanding the world" and "understanding the transformations unseen in a century."

I

To understand China today, the key lies in understanding Chinese modernization. The Communist Party of China intends to achieve the nation's modernization in roughly a hundred years, from 1949 when the PRC was founded to 2050. The current phase of this endeavor aims to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035, with per capita GDP reaching the level of a moderately developed country. Subsequently, we will spend another 15 years, to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of this century.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" currently on our agenda outlines the national economic and social development plan for the period from 2026 to 2030. It represents a "new blueprint" designed to reinforce the foundation and make all-round efforts toward basically achieving socialist modernization. This "new plan" will bring about "new development" for China, which is centered on economic growth, focused on achieving high-quality development, driven by reform and innovation, and ultimately aimed at meeting people's ever-growing expectations for a better life.

I must also note that the exploration and practice of Chinese modernization, exemplified by the "15th Five-Year Plan", further dispels the myth of "modernization equals Westernization" and provides a "new choice" for Global South countries in their pursuit of modernization, thereby facilitating their collective rise.

Moreover, the "new plan" "new development" and "new choices" reflect a deeper strategic assessment: while major-country relations shape the international landscape, and evolving global dynamics increasingly impact China’s domestic development, the Communist Party of China, through clear analysis of both favorable and unfavorable conditions at home and abroad, will consistently maintain strategic resolve. With a spirit of historical initiative, we will courageously confront severe challenges and daunting risks. The 1.4 billion Chinese people will continue to concentrate their efforts on running their own affairs well. They will more consciously plan national development within the global context and secure strategic initiative amid fierce international competition.

To sum up, I’d like to emphasize the following four messages:

First, development remains the key to solving all of China's problems. We will continue to use reform to drive development. As we advance in development, we must also advance in reform, and we will address the challenges in development through continuous reform.

Second, we will focus on the real economy in driving development, and give greater strategic prominence to developing new quality productive forces in light of local conditions. This involves both upgrading traditional industries and fostering and expanding emerging and future industries.

Third, we will base development more on strengthening the domestic economy, build a unified national market, and use the inherent stability and long-term growth of domestic economy to counterbalance uncertainties in international economy.

Fourth, the more certain countries attempt to build "small yard, high fences" and pursue decoupling and disruption of supply chains, the more China will stay committed to high-standard opening up. China will expand market access and open up more sectors, with a focus on the service industry, extend the reach of its unilateral opening-up efforts, and move faster to foster a dual-circulation development pattern that is more competitive, secure and resilient.

Here, I must also note that during his recent inspection tour of Guangdong Province, President Xi Jinping called for the province to not only steadily expand institutional opening-up but also continue to advance internal opening-up, thereby driving industrial development in the central and western regions of China. It should be emphasized that Guangdong, where we are gathered today, serves as a high-quality gateway and hub connecting domestic and international economic flows.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In terms of development foundation and advantages, China is the only country with all industrial categories listed in the UN industrial classification and it boasts a mega market. Honestly, no other country in the world is better positioned than China to be self-reliant without relying on external support. However, as China's "15th Five-Year Plan" once again demonstrates, we will never pursue a closed, go-it-alone modernization. Instead, we will keep our doors open and welcome the active participation of other countries in Chinese modernization, making China's reform and development an opportunity for shared progress around the world.

With this strategic resolve and reform courage, from now until 2035, or further to the middle of this century, China will unwaveringly pursue the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics independently by engaging with economic globalization rather than separating from it. This is a bright path of peaceful rise. That is my first point.

II

The second point I wish to emphasize is that understanding China also entails understanding the "Four Global Initiatives" it has put forward for the world, including the "Global Governance Initiative."

The world today is experiencing increasing turmoil and transformation, with the global political and economic landscape undergoing major adjustment, polarization and realignment. The deficits in peace, development, security, and governance continue to grow. China has put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative to address the aforementioned deficits and promote the building of a better world.

These "Four Global Initiatives", as I understand it, represent China’s solutions to the four major global challenges confronting the world today. Interconnected with one another, they form an integrated and unified system, all serving the overarching goal of "promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind."

Development is the key to people's well-being, and the Global Development Initiative provides the material foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Security is the prerequisite for development, and the Global Security Initiative provides a security framework for advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The inclusiveness, coexistence and mutual learning among different civilizations are essential prerequisites for shared development and security. The Global Civilization Initiative provides channels for dialogue and cooperation in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Governance serves as the safeguard for achieving global common development, security, and civilizational exchanges. A just and equitable global governance system can provide institutional guarantee for the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

These Four Global Initiatives align with the fundamental trend of multi-polarization in the world and respond to the widespread aspirations of nations across the globe, particularly those in the Global South. They will undoubtedly propel the international order toward a direction that enables more timely and effective responses to global challenges.

For example, the Global Governance Initiative firmly opposes the imposition of so-called "governance" reforms by certain countries through the application of their own "domestic laws." It unequivocally rejects using "governance" as a pretext to instigate "color revolutions." Instead, it advocates that global affairs should be deliberated collectively, governance systems should be built through joint efforts, and the achievements of governance should be shared by all. This approach ensures that the majority of nations become key participants and beneficiaries in the international governance system.

A good example here is the International Organization for Mediation, established this year in Hong Kong through the initiative of the Chinese government.    

III

Changes of historical significance across the world during our times are unfolding in ways never seen before. At this moment of profound interplay between crisis and opportunity, certainty and uncertainty, humanity stands once again at a crossroads. The path forward will be shaped by the choices of people in all countries.

There is no doubt that the Chinese people have chosen to steadfastly follow the path of peaceful rise, advance Chinese modernization through high-quality development, and build a great modern socialist country.

It should also be noted that the collective peaceful rise of the Global South nations has become another distinct hallmark of the profound transformations in the world today. Countries of the Global South, including emerging markets and developing economies, now contribute 80% to global economic growth and have become the main engine of the world economy. Naturally, we also hope that developed countries will achieve continued peaceful development.

However, whether examined through the lens of world historical processes or the history of modernization since the Industrial Revolution, the significant trend of Global South countries collectively advancing toward modernization is truly a monumental event in world history and an unprecedented feat in the progress of human civilization.

Of course, we are soberly aware that world peace and development still face severe challenges, and the path to revitalization for the Global South will undoubtedly be arduous. As a nation committed to peaceful rise, China sincerely wishes to share the experiences of its modernization with other peacefully rising Global South countries, jointly address common challenges and risks, and earnestly collaborate with developed countries to implement the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative, and Global Governance Initiative. Together, we can advance the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

In summary, our conference today is ultimately about understanding China, which remains steadfast on the path of Chinese modernization; about understanding China in the context of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period; and about understanding the significance of the Four Global Initiatives, including the Global Governance Initiative. Our purpose is to join hands with developed countries in this great historical process of the collective peaceful rise of China and the Global South, and work together to advance the lofty cause of building a community with a shared future for mankind, demonstrating greater responsibility in promoting human progress.

Thank you!