On studying and acting on the guiding principles 
of the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee

Wang Yi

Striving for the building of a community with a shared future for humanity has been established as the noble goal of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Recommendations), adopted at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, makes important strategic arrangements for “promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity”. It fully demonstrates the foresight, broad vision and strong sense of major-country responsibility for humanity of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. We must deeply understand and fully implement the spirit of the Recommendations, follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, hold high the glorious banner of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and keep breaking new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in a bid to create a favorable external environment for building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, and make greater contributions to the cause of peace and progress for humanity.

I. Deeply understanding the significance of building a community with a shared future for humanity

Building a community with a shared future for humanity represents a profound piece of original thinking of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the core tenets of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It is China’s answer to the questions of our times—what kind of world to build and how to build it—based on our Party’s ever-deepening understanding of the laws governing the development of human society, thus carrying profound theoretical value, great contemporary significance and far-reaching global impact.

1.Building a community with a shared future for humanity conforms to the laws that underlie the evolution of human society. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Humanity is an integral community, and Planet Earth is our shared home. In the face of common challenges, no person or country can stay unaffected. The only way out is to work together and live in harmony.”

More than 170 years ago, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels predicted the inevitability of human history increasingly turning into world history. Today, with the deepening of globalization, human interactions are more global than ever before, and countries are more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. Building a community with a shared future for humanity captures the reality that all countries have a shared future and intertwined interests. It unequivocally champions the spirit of global solidarity, openness, inclusiveness and the prospects of win-win cooperation, and steers state-to-state relations beyond peaceful coexistence to a shared future. It responds to the universal aspirations of people of all countries, and charts the course for the progress of human civilization.

2.Building a community with a shared future for humanity goes with the contemporary trend of peace and development. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “The vision responds to the world’s prevailing trend of peace, development, cooperation and win-win, and opens up new prospects for peace and progress.” The world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, marked by rampant hegemonism and power politics, and surging unilateralism and protectionism. How to bring greater certainty and stability to this changing and turbulent world is a major issue facing the entire international community. The vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity focuses on the future of humanity and the well-being of the people. It advocates peace and development over conflict and confrontation, common security over absolute security, and mutual benefit and win-win over zero-sum game. It calls for exchange and mutual learning to prevent clashes of civilizations, and champions green development to protect Planet Earth. It sets a more specific goal and draws a clearer picture for the future of humanity, and points the only right way forward for a world at a historical crossroads.

3.Building a community with a shared future for humanity highlights the aspiration and mission of the Communist Party of China. As General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “The Communist Party of China strives for both the well-being of the Chinese people and the progress of humanity.” As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era and embarks on a new journey, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation becomes an irreversible historical process, our country—a responsible major country—is gaining in international influence, in capacity to steer new endeavors, and in moral appeal. The vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity fully embodies the worldview, the perception of order, and the values upheld by the CPC, and fully shows the historical initiative of our Party to make even greater contribution to the development and progress of humanity. It has been written into the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the Constitution of the Communist Party of China, and thus made the noble cause of China’s diplomacy.

4. Building a community with a shared future for humanity galvanizes extensive international consensus. Entering the new era, this vision has developed from a conceptual proposition into a scientific system, from an aspirational goal into substantive practice, and from a Chinese initiative into an international consensus. It is winning growing understanding and recognition from the international community, and is increasingly becoming a signature public good. To date, dozens of countries and regions have reached understandings with China on building this vision in various forms. Steady progress has also been made in building this vision in multiple fields, including cyberspace, nuclear safety, health, man and nature, and the oceans. For eight years running, the vision has been incorporated into multiple resolutions of the U.N. General Assembly, and bilateral and multilateral declarations. Facts demonstrate that building a community with a shared future for humanity embodies the broadest common expectations of people around the globe for a better world. It will surely gain stronger influence, vitality and appeal, and stand as a banner leading the progress of the times.

II. Accurately understanding the key tasks in building a community with a shared future for humanity

The Recommendations outline a series of important measures for advancing the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and make strategic plans for pursuing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. We must enhance our political stance and, proceeding from the strategic height of coordinating the big picture of national rejuvenation and the global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century, understand and grasp the Recommendations accurately and implement them resolutely. 

1.We should promote equal and orderly multipolarity, and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. This is China’s solution to the series of major issues and challenges confronting the world today. It enhances the practicality and guiding role of the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity. Advocating equal and orderly multipolarity means upholding the equality of all countries regardless of their size, genuinely advancing democracy in international relations, and ensuring that the process toward multipolarity is generally constructive and that every country finds its place and duly plays its role. Advocating universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization means meeting the common needs of all countries, especially the developing ones, properly addressing the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources, supporting all countries in pursuing development paths suited to their national conditions, and maintaining the dynamism and momentum of global economic growth.

2. We should work with neighboring countries to advance integrated development. The neighborhood is crucial to advancing the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. Entering the new era, General Secretary Xi Jinping put forward the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness to guide China’s diplomacy with neighboring countries, and called for building a community with a shared future among neighboring countries. Guided by head-of-state diplomacy, we have worked with countries in the neighborhood to deepen all-round cooperation, increase exchanges across the board, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability. Strategic mutual trust between China and its neighbors has been continuously strengthened, connectivity further enhanced, and cooperation on industrial and supply chains continued to deepen. China has established the goal of building a community with a shared future with 17 neighboring countries, achieving full coverage of this vision across the Indochina Peninsula and the Central Asia region. While China’s relations with its neighbors are at their best in modern times, they are also subject to the profoundly interconnected regional dynamics and global transformations. It is therefore essential in our work related to neighboring countries to adopt a global perspective, strengthen our sense of responsibility and mission, advance integrated development, jointly create a better future, and foster an amicable and friendly neighborhood that is conducive to China’s reform, development and stability. 

3. We should maintain overall stability in relations among major countries. Major countries shoulder special responsibilities. They should see the world as one community with a shared future, take historical initiative and move history forward. Entering the new era, China actively promoted coordination and positive interactions among major countries through its diplomacy, working to foster major-country dynamics featuring peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development. We have deepened the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, charting a new path of mutual respect, harmonious coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between major and neighboring countries. Guided by the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, we have worked to remove disruptions, overcome obstacles and strive for a sound, stable and sustainable growth of the China-U.S. relationship. We have advanced the building of a China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership with global influence via strengthening the connection between the two major forces, two big markets and two great civilizations. We have also actively promoted cooperation with emerging countries and jointly pursued high-quality development of the greater BRICS cooperation. Such positive interactions among major countries are conducive to maintaining global strategic stability. They provide strong underpinnings for deepening our all-round external cooperation and maintaining a favorable external environment. 

4.We should deepen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries. They are China’s natural partners in international affairs and have been at the forefront in building a community with a shared future for humanity. As the world’s largest developing country and an important member of the Global South, China adheres to the principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith, along with the approach to pursue the greater good and shared interests, both advocated by General Secretary Xi Jinping, in strengthening unity and collaboration with fellow developing countries, and firmly defends the common interests of the developing world. This has been exemplified, over the past few years in particular, by our efforts to join hands with Africa in advancing modernization with six features and taking ten partnership actions; to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries in launching five programs of solidarity, development, civilization, peace, and people-to-people connectivity; to deliver the “eight major cooperation initiatives” and build the “five cooperation frameworks” together with Arab states; and to establish seven cooperation platforms alongside Pacific Island countries. All of these have strengthened the traditional friendship and enhanced the cooperation between China and other developing countries.

5.We should put into practice the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI). These four global initiatives, proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping, are important public goods China provides to the international community and will drive the efforts to build a community with a shared future for humanity. The GDI focuses on international cooperation on development, which contributes to advancing the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The GSI prioritizes resolving international disputes through dialogue and consultation, which offers a new approach to international security cooperation. The GCI aims at promoting exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, charting a viable route for fostering an inclusive environment where diverse civilizations thrive together. The GGI has laid out the principles, methods, and pathways for reforming the system and institutions of global governance, injecting strong impetus into the efforts to build a more just and equitable global governance system. These four global initiatives, each with distinct focus and not mutually exclusive, provide essential underpinnings for the endeavor to build a community with a shared future for humanity from the perspectives of development, security, civilization, and governance.

6.We should work to build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security, and shared prosperity. This is the overarching goal that anchors the efforts to build a community with a shared future for humanity. It is also an outgrowth of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics. Building a world of lasting peace entails a commitment to dialogue and consultation to better resolve differences and disputes, and eliminate war and conflict. Building a world of universal security requires upholding the principles of joint contribution and shared benefit, and adopting a holistic approach to addressing both traditional and non-traditional security threats. Building a world of shared prosperity needs a win-win approach that makes economic globalization open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial for all. Building an open and inclusive world calls for promoting exchanges and mutual learning, championing the common values of humanity, and encouraging different civilizations to draw inspirations from each other and prosper together. Building a clean and beautiful world hinges on a commitment to green and low-carbon development that will pave the way for sustainable development. These five features are interconnected and mutually enhancing, representing a package solution. They have provided the worldview and laid out viable pathways for building a better world, charting the course for the future of humanity.

III. Fully grasping the essentials in the actions to build a community with a shared future for humanity

Building a community with a shared future for humanity is a momentous diplomatic mission and a complex, holistic undertaking. It is imperative to follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, adhere to and make good use of the relevant stances, viewpoints and methods, and faithfully deliver the decisions and plans made by the CPC Central Committee on external work.

1.We must uphold and strengthen the Party’s leadership. The Party’s leadership is the defining feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and constitutes the most fundamental principle and greatest political strength of China’s diplomacy. We must unswervingly uphold the central Party leadership’s ultimate authority over foreign affairs, conscientiously follow the Party Central Committee’s centralized, unified leadership, and further strengthen the systems and institutions for the Party’s leadership over external work. We must improve our political acumen, understanding and capacity to deliver, and make sure that the decisions and plans of the Central Committee on our external work are implemented in both letter and spirit. We must study Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and always follow its guidance in our practice and apply it in our work, understand its essence, tenets and latest development deeply and translate them into concrete actions based on thorough and systematic comprehension, and thereby take our external work to a new level and open new prospects. We must further advance full and rigorous Party self-governance, reinforce our commitment to loyalty, integrity and duty, and improve the mechanisms for sustained and consistent effort to maintain sound Party conduct. We must build a diplomatic service that is loyal to the Party, on top of its responsibilities, ready and able to defend China’s interests, and strict in enforcing discipline.

2.We must always put people first. The vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity demonstrates the people-centered approach of the Party and the commitment of China’s foreign policy to serving the people. It is why we always have abundant support and hold the moral high ground. We must actively respond to the common concerns of the people of all countries, uphold justice in a world marked by changes and turbulence, live up to responsibilities at critical moments, and be resolute in defending world peace and promoting global development. We must apply a people-centered development philosophy, place development at the heart of our international agenda, better narrow the North-South gap, and promote modernization in countries around the world that features peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common prosperity. We must uphold the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit whereby the people of every nation participate in and benefit from global governance and work together to tackle the common challenges facing humanity.

3.We must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground. Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground in diplomacy is what is required to build a community with a shared future for humanity, and to seize the strategic initiative amid intense international competition. We must enhance our sense of historical responsibility and catalyze our creativity, keep pushing for innovations in our diplomatic theory and practice, and reform and improve our diplomacy in thinking, system and capacity. We must stay committed to openness, draw on the lessons in the evolution of other countries’ diplomacy, deepen our understanding of the law of the development of international relations, and make our external work more science-based, proactive and innovative. Bearing in mind the priorities in China’s modernization and the important agenda of the international community in the coming period，we must explore new approaches and measures in carrying out external work, and be proactive in fostering new dynamics in the relations between China and the world.

4.We must apply systems thinking. To build a community with a shared future for humanity amid accelerating changes across the world, we must think and act with the understanding that all things are universally connected, part of a complete system, and constantly evolving. We must adopt a global vision, further align China’s development with global development, and the interests of the Chinese people with the interests of peoples around the world, and steer global transformation in the right direction. Committed to the principles of self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation, we must improve the diplomatic layout in keeping with the times, focus on the major issues, be problem-oriented, and ensure that the priority tasks laid out in the strategic planning for diplomacy are solidly implemented. Keeping in mind both domestic and international imperatives, we must properly balance development and security, opening up and independence, and cooperation and competition, and we must enhance holistic planning of external work to make it more systemic, integrated, coordinated and efficient.

5. We must carry forward our fighting spirit. Our Party has never been deterred by intimidation, swayed by fallacies, or cowed by pressure. Only with the courage and ability to carry on our fight, can we overcome various difficulties and obstacles. We must maintain strategic resolve and enhance our confidence of success. We must proactively identify, respond to, and steer changes, dare to brave high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms, and forge ahead with tenacity to open up new horizons in our external work. We must be more mindful of potential dangers, be prepared for worst-case scenario, and with readiness and determination to defy coercive power, resolutely defend our country’s sovereignty, security, and development interests. We must build our fighting ability, strengthen strategic planning, harness multilateral mechanisms and rules, and unequivocally oppose all acts of hegemony, high-handedness and bullying, and pool the greatest possible strength for peace, development and progress.

The banner leads the way, and hard work shapes the future. We must rally more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. We must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and of establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We must study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy in particular, and break new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Through unremitting efforts, we will secure greater progress in building a modern socialist country in all respects, and write a new chapter of building a community with a shared future for humanity.