The 19th CPC National Congress: ：What are the Features of China’s Diplomacy in the New Era?

By Zhao Kejin

General Secretary Xi Jinping declared in the report of the 19th National Congress of the CPC, that “With decades of hard work, socialism with Chinese characteristics has crossed the threshold into a new era. This is a new historic juncture in China’s development.” He further pointed out that this new era “will be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind.”

This is a significant political assessment that concerns the overall governance of China. It is also a vital strategic choice as China enters a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The changing situation testifies to the fact that China has accomplished its historic mission of standing up and growing reasonably prosperous, and is now striding into the international arena to embark on a new journey of growing stronger. Xi’s assessment and the choices he has made give us an insight into China’s foreign affairs strategy for the foreseeable future.

Since the 18th National Congress, China has continued to refine the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind. At this 19th National Congress, the idea has now been introduced into the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, to give it a specific definition. The idea which combines the thinking of Mao Zedong that “China should make great contributions to mankind”, the thought of Deng Xiaoping that “only by changing the backward conditions can we make more contributions to mankind”, and the thought of Xi Jinping that “China is moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind”, has significant meaning – both theoretical and historical.

If we want to make a serious contribution to mankind, we must start by settling our own problems, such as the strategic problem of building a stronger nation and raising all our people to a decent level of prosperity. History and experience tells us that in order to succeed in this mission, we have to consolidate the base on which the Chinese nation is built, and achieve real results in improving the country and the lives of the people.

Since the start of reform and opening up, China has carved its own path of development – socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC. This path succeeded in releasing the vitality required for national rejuvenation. Not only did it solve China’s own problems in achieving economic development, poverty alleviation, and social and cultural progress, it also opened up a new vista for developing countries as they strive to modernize, provided brand new choices for countries and nations who want to boost development while maintaining their independence, and contributed Chinese wisdom and plans to the search for solutions to human problems.

Obviously, solving one’s own problems properly is the premise and the precondition for making a greater contribution to mankind, and it contributes in its own way to the betterment of mankind. We are now in the phase where we will secure the First Centenary Goal, and then move on to the all-out effort required to build a great modern socialist country. China should continue the progress of modernization to realize the goal of building a strong and prosperous country and promoting common prosperity for everyone.

To make a great contribution to mankind, China has to commit itself to tackling global issues more actively too. The world is now undergoing major developments, transformations and adjustment, but peace and development remain the call of our day. Mankind is facing many common challenges. As a world we face growing uncertainties and destabilizing factors. Global economic growth lacks energy; the gap between rich and poor continues to widen; hotspot issues arise often in some regions; and unconventional security threats like terrorism, cyber-insecurity, major contagions, and climate change continue to spread.”

In the face of these challenges, Xi Jinping emphasized that “No country can handle the various challenges facing human beings on their own, while no country can retreat to an isolated island.”

As it enters this new era, China must work hard and work well to dedicate itself to solving common global problems, and by continuously offering Chinese wisdom and Chinese ideas.

Deficits in peace, development, and governance are severe challenges facing all mankind. To tackle these challenges, different countries and regions have proposed different plans. But most of these plans – the US plan with the Washington Consensus at the core, the European plan promoting regional integration as the key, and the Japanese plan of government-driven development as the main driver – have already waxed and are now on the wane. Some have even triggered deeper problems and worse crises.

Facing such challenges, Xi Jinping pointed out that “major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics aims to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future mankind.” This statement defines in clear and simple terms how China will contribute its wisdom and ideas for mankind.

In contrast to the plans raised by developed countries, the plan of global peace and development proposed by China aims to “forge a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation”, and to “build a community with a shared future for mankind, to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.”

China’s plan can claim to be a new engine to activate a fresh round of world economic growth. It represents a different way of development and social space that is distinct from the Washington Consensus, regional integration and global hegemony, and it will be the main theme and the guideline of China’s diplomacy for the present and for the foreseeable future.

Peaceful development, national rejuvenation and contributing to mankind are in truth a single internally consistent entity. “The dream of the Chinese people is closely connected with the dream of the peoples of other countries. The Chinese Dream can be realized only in a peaceful international environment and under a stable international order.”

At this historic juncture when socialism with Chinese characteristics stands on the threshold of a new era, China’s diplomacy should bear in mind both our internal and international imperatives, stay on the path of peaceful development, and continue to pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up.

We will uphold justice while pursuing shared interests, and will foster new thinking on common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security. We will pursue open, innovative, and inclusive development that benefits everyone; boost cross-cultural exchanges characterized by harmony within diversity, inclusiveness, and mutual learning; and cultivate ecosystems based on respect for nature and green development.

China will continue its efforts to safeguard world peace, contribute to global development, and uphold international order. This is also the only path to the major country diplomacy of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

By professor, Zhao Kejin, vice-president of Institute for International Relations,Tsinghua University