Wang Yi

To serve the cause of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and achieving national rejuvenation through the Chinese path to modernization is a glorious mission of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization (hereinafter referred to as the Resolution) adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) emphasizes that in the external work, we must “foster a favorable external environment for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.” This is a clear requirement that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, in pursuit of the national rejuvenation strategy within the wider context of once-in-a-century changes in the world and based on the objective of further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, put forth for the external work for the present and beyond. We need to thoroughly understand and firmly act on the guiding principles of the Resolution, plan and advance the external work with a focus on the central priorities of the Party and the country,and foster a more favorable international environment and provide even stronger strategic support for achieving the Party’s central task on its new journey in the new era. 

I.Gaining a deep comprehension of the contemporary relevance and global significance of further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization

It is emphasized in the Resolution that “Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development,” and that pushing forward reform is “crucial for building a community with a shared future for mankind and winning the strategic initiative amid accelerating global changes of a like not seen in a century.” China today is embracing the world with open arms. Reform and opening up is a great historical process in which China and the world achieve development and progress together. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, with reform deepened across the board, there has been historic, systemic, and holistic transformation in multiple fields. China has hence embarked on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects and made new and important contributions to the noble cause of human peace and development. 

Contributing to world peace and stability. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that “reform and opening up, China’s second revolution if you like, has not only profoundly changed the country but also greatly influenced the whole world.” As we apply the new development philosophy, build the new development paradigm and promote high-quality development, the over 1.4 billion Chinese people are marching toward modernization. This has helped enhance the overall strength of developing countries, bringing about the most progressive major changes in the international balance of power since modern times. China has written a new chapter in its development, i.e. achieving the two miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability. With close to 100 million rural poor lifted out of poverty, China has contributed to over 70 percent of global poverty reduction. China has also contributed to more than 30 percent of global growth for years in a row. All these have given a strong boost to global development. We have written into the Constitution of the CPC and the Constitution of our country the commitment to peaceful development, proposed a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and embarked on a new path that is completely different from the rise of great powers in the past. China has put forth the new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and has been the largest contributor of peacekeepers among the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. China has helped bring about the joint statement of the five nuclear-weapon states on preventing nuclear war, explored and put into action the Chinese way of resolving hotspot issues, and achieved such important outcomes as the reconciliation and resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran. A growing China committed to reform and innovation will overcome the so-called Thucydides trap and the middle income trap, and further strengthen the force for world peace and international justice. 

Shouldering responsibility for promoting global openness and cooperation. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out, greater openness and deeper reform should be mutually reinforcing. In the face of surging protectionism, General Secretary Xi Jinping held high the banner of economic globalization at the World Economic Forum and pointed the way forward in building an open world economy. Domestically, efforts have been made to promote high-level institutional opening up, implement fully the system for foreign investment management based on pre-establishment national treatment and negative list, remove all restrictions on access for foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, and significantly strengthen protection of intellectual property rights. China has leaped from the 96th to the 31st place in the global ranking of business environment, with its trade in goods and total foreign direct investment among the highest in the world. Internationally, China has firmly upheld the WTO-centered multilateral trading system and joined hands with over three quarters of all countries in the world in promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We have built the new platform of the China International Import Expo, helped bring about and apply high standards in implementing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, and worked for a globally oriented network of high-standard free trade areas. It is widely recognized in the international community that China is indeed the strongest advocate for trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and a staunch force in the forefront of openness and cooperation in the world. 

Offering solutions to steer the reform and improvement of the global governance system. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “As international balance of power shifts and global challenges continue to increase, strengthening global governance and reforming the global governance system has become an overwhelming trend.” China has put in place a more scientific top-level design for its external work. We have established the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, convened central conferences on work relating to foreign affairs, and kept improving the institutions for external work. With the establishment of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, the proposal of the Vision on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and the advocacy of an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, we have given China’s answers to the questions of the world. China advocates a vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, and upholds true multilateralism. We facilitated the conclusion of the Paris Agreement on climate change. We support the development of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. We are making the global governance system more just and equitable. As U.N. Secretary General António Guterres put it, China has become an important pillar of multilateralism.

Injecting dynamism into the collective pursuit of world modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “The modernization we are pursuing is not for China alone. We are ready to work with all countries to advance global modernization featuring peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity.” The CPC united and led the Chinese people in deepening reform comprehensively, and achieved innovation and breakthroughs in theory and practice. Our successful advancement and expansion of Chinese modernization created a new form of human advancement. Developing countries have seen new hope, and firmed up confidence in following their own paths of development. We engage in experience sharing on governance based on equality, and fully support fellow developing countries in strengthening their capability of independent development. We have set up a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, established a Global Development Promotion Center, jointly implemented the nine programs under the FOCAC framework with African countries, and built six cooperation platforms tailored to the needs of Pacific Island countries in such fields as climate action. The Chinese path to modernization is becoming ever broader, providing fresh vitality to world modernization.

The direction determines the path, and the path determines the future. The Resolution laid out a series of key objectives such as finishing the building of a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects. Realization of these objectives will have a pivotal and far-reaching impact, meaning that human society will have seen for the first time the collective modernization and well-rounded development of a super-large population of more than one billion people. China has become what it is today and integrated into the world through reform and opening up. It will march on to the future and benefit the world through further deepening reform comprehensively. With its new achievements in modernization, China will create new opportunities for the development of the world, and better play its role as a responsible major country with enhanced international influence and stronger capacity to steer new endeavors and greater moral appeal. 

II. Acquiring a correct understanding of the strategic opportunities, risks and challenges in the external environment

The Resolution adopts a holistic approach to domestic and international imperatives, offers a scientific assessment of the complex situations at home and abroad, and characterizes accurately the external environment for China’s onward journey of reform and development, demonstrating fully the global vision and strategic mindset of the CPC Central Committee.

Currently, changes of the world, of our times and of historical significance are unfolding like never before. Transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the world. A new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is well under way. A significant shift is taking place in the international balance of power. The Global South is growing with a strong momentum. Peace, development, and win-win cooperation represent the will of the people and the general trends of our day. China’s development faces new, strategic opportunities. Meanwhile, the international landscape is fraught with changes and turbulence. The trend of de-globalization is picking up. Unilateralism and protectionism are notably on the rise. Regional conflicts and turbulence are frequent. Global challenges keep exacerbating. A certain major power has resorted to power politics and bullying, and willful containment and suppression of emerging forces. China has entered a period of development in which strategic opportunities, risks and challenges are concurrent, and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising. 

Facing volatility, we should stay cool-headed and not be affected by any distractions. In our world, the overall direction of human development and progress will not change, the overall dynamics of world history moving forward amid twists and turns will not change, and the overall trend toward a shared future for the international community will not change. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historical course. We are now better positioned to seize the historical initiative and shape the trajectory of the world.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the Chinese nation’s continued journey to the future through reform and opening up is rooted in its profound history and culture. As long as we stay confident and focused, take the initiative to act, meet challenges with courage and capability, and proactively identify, respond to and steer changes, we will, with the tenacity of cutting a path through the mountain rocks and building a bridge across the rapid currents, continue to open up new horizons for our cause.

III. Advancing the external work in the new era with full effort to foster a sound external environment

The Resolution has laid out a grand blueprint for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization, and assigned us on the diplomatic front with the task of fostering a sound external environment. When carrying out the external work during the current and coming periods, we need to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, study and act on the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, follow the principles of self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation, and endeavor to break new ground in major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, all in an effort to create a sound external environment for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.

1. Staying committed to an independent foreign policy of peace and safeguarding a peaceful and stable international environment. We will continue to form our position and policies based on the merits of the matter, uphold the basic norms of international relations, and safeguard international fairness and justice. We will advance friendly cooperation with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and push for the building of a new type of international relations. We will promote coordination and sound interactions with other major countries, which includes promoting all-round development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era, exploring the right way for China and the United States to get along based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and facilitating healthy and steady development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. We will adhere to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness as well as the policy of developing friendship and partnership in our neighborhood, and seek to deepen friendship, trust and common interests with neighboring countries. We will strengthen unity and cooperation with fellow developing countries and safeguard the common interests of the developing world in line with the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and the right approach to friendship and interests. We will expand global partnerships based on equality, openness and cooperation, and increase shared interests with all countries to foster a global “circle of friends.”

2. Actively advancing high-standard opening up and contributing to the building of the new development paradigm. Opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. We will continue to promote reform through opening up and enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding international cooperation to share development opportunities and benefits with other countries. We will strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with the rest of the world to facilitate the building of a high-standard socialist market economy. We will improve the mechanisms for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and build a multidimensional network for connectivity. We will actively engage in economic diplomacy, facilitate inbound and outbound travels, and foster a first-rate business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized for foreign investment and trade. We will promote alignment with high-standard international economic and trade rules, and expand globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas. We will take proactive steps to further open up, and unilaterally open our doors wider to the least developed countries. We will promote high-standard opening up of the financial sector,and steadily and prudently advance RMB internationalization. We will promote high-standard opening up in the education sector and facilitate international science and technology exchanges and cooperation. We will consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial, shipping and trade center, and improve the relevant mechanisms to see Hong Kong and Macao playing a greater role in China’s opening to the outside world.

3. Pushing for solid progress in implementing the three major global initiatives and fostering a global trend toward joint development, common security, and shared prosperity of civilizations. We will fully implement the Global Development Initiative (GDI), give full play to the role of the GDI Group of Friends, and make good use of the GDI project pool and capital pool as well as the Global Development Promotion Center Network to build partnerships and nurture new drivers for global development. We will fully deliver on the Global Security Initiative, and encourage all countries to act on the new vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We will follow the approach with Chinese characteristics on settling hot-button issues, and play an active part in global security governance. We will promote the implementation of the Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative and the Global Initiative on Data Security. We will put in place mechanisms for promoting the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative, advocate equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness between civilizations, make good use of platforms such as the Ancient Civilizations Forum, and promote broader international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. We will make our international communication more effective to present a credible, lovable, and respectable image of China to the world.  

4. Calling for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and promoting the reform and improvement of the global governance system. “Equal” means enabling all countries, regardless of size or strength, to take part in decision-making, enjoy their rights and play their role as equals in the process toward multipolarity; truly promoting democracy in international relations; increasing the representation and say of developing countries; and rejecting hegemonism and power politics. “Orderly” means firmly safeguarding the U.N.-centered international system, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter; upholding true multilateralism; and opposing exclusive blocs, fragmentation and disarray. “Universally beneficial” means making the economic pie bigger and sharing it more fairly, addressing development imbalances properly between and within countries, and facilitating international macroeconomic policy coordination, in order to achieve win-win outcomes and shared prosperity. “Inclusive” means supporting all countries in pursuing development paths suited to their national conditions, upholding the WTO-centered multilateral trading regime, actively participating in the reform of the global economic governance system and in international financial governance, opposing unilateralism and protectionism in all forms, rejecting discriminatory and exclusive standards and rules, and safeguarding stable and smooth global industrial and supply chains.

5. Building a community with a shared future for mankind and working together for the modernization of the world. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is the way forward for all peoples around the world. We will hold high this noble banner as we work to blaze a right path of lasting tranquility and shared prosperity for humanity in a changing and turbulent world, and keep to the right direction of solidarity and cooperation amid complex risks and challenges. We will champion humanity’s common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and enhance mutual understanding and amity among people of all countries. We will build more bilateral and regional communities with a shared future, and work for more solid and tangible outcomes in the building of such communities in various fields including health, climate change and cybersecurity. We will advocate transcending conflict and confrontation through peaceful development, replacing absolute security with common security, choosing win-win outcomes over zero-sum games, preventing clash of civilizations through exchanges and mutual learning, and preserving the planet Earth through green development. We will work with all countries toward an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity, and pool efforts and create synergy for advancing the modernization of the world and building a better future for humanity.

6. Fully implementing a holistic approach to national security and providing strong security safeguards for modernization. We will firmly uphold the leadership of the Party and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly safeguard national unity and territorial integrity, and firmly oppose interference in China’s internal affairs as well as attacks and slanders on China’s image by external forces using the Taiwan question or issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Xizang or human rights. We will establish sound coordination mechanisms for promoting security in neighboring regions to provide solid underpinning for lasting stability and security in China’s neighborhood. We will strengthen the institutions and mechanisms for early warning, prevention and control, and protection against risks to China’s interests and investments overseas, and deepen international law enforcement cooperation in the realm of security, so as to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal entities overseas. We will strengthen law-based governance in foreign-related affairs, including enhancing the mechanisms for countering foreign sanctions, interference and long-arm jurisdiction, the mechanisms for safeguarding China’s maritime rights and interests, and the mechanisms for fugitive repatriation, escape prevention and asset recovery.

7. Upholding and strengthening Party leadership, and building a foreign service capable of shouldering the mission of the times. We will unswervingly uphold the CPC central leadership’s ultimate authority over foreign affairs, conscientiously uphold the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, act in line with the guidelines on the CPC leadership over foreign affairs,strengthen the systems and institutions that ensure such leadership, and ensure that the decisions and plans on external work made by the CPC Central Committee are faithfully implemented. We will further reform the institutions and mechanisms for foreign aid to realize full-chain management. We will strengthen Party building on the diplomatic front across the board, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, strengthen the intellectual and theoretical competence of the foreign service, and set up sound long-term mechanisms for reinforcing commitment, acquiring knowledge, improving conduct and enhancing performance through learning. We will deepen institutional reforms concerning work related to foreign affairs, and promote innovation and improvement of China’s diplomacy in terms of thinking, system and capacity. We will continue to take strict steps to improve Party conduct and enforce Party discipline, and unremittingly advance the building of a stronger contingent of personnel involved in foreign affairs, a diplomatic service of the new era that is loyal to the Party, lives up to its responsibilities, is ready and able to defend China’s interests, and acts in strict compliance with disciplines.

With the blueprint drawn, it falls on us to usher in the future through hard work. We must rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, appreciate the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, strengthen our consciousness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core and keep in alignment, enhance confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, firmly uphold General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position in both the CPC Central Committee and the Party as a whole, and firmly uphold the CPC Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We must act with a stronger sense of historical responsibility and a more vibrant spirit of innovation to advance major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics across the board and further deepen reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization.