China's plan for building a better world

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a global community of shared future. On September 26, the Information Office of the State Council released a white paper titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions", which comprehensively introduces the ideological connotation and vivid practice of building a community of shared future for mankind. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward the concept of building a global community of shared future, taking into account the overall situation of the strategy for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the great changes that have not been seen in the world for a century, contributing to the construction of a just and reasonable new international order, and providing a goal-led, value-led, action-led, and method-led approach to the development of great power diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. The building of a global community of shared future fully manifests the globalist mindset of Chinese diplomacy, reflects the common value pursuits of human society, and brings together the greatest common denominator of the aspirations of the peoples of the world for a better life.

Contributing Chinese wisdom to building a better world

The concept of a global community of shared future is a new type of civilization that is essentially antithetical to Western-centrism, and contributes Chinese concepts of transcendent value in a number of areas. For example, in terms of global governance, it goes beyond the Western logic of governance dominated by one party and governed by several parties to advocate the global governance concept of joint consultation, joint construction and sharing, and is committed to building a world of good governance. In terms of global development, it goes beyond the traditional logic of linear evolution and gradient development to advocate the development concepts of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness and sharing, and is committed to building a world of common prosperity. In terms of inter-civilization exchanges, we should go beyond Western-centered civilizational superiority and advocate equality, mutual appreciation, dialogue and inclusiveness, and commit ourselves to building a world of beauty and coexistence. In the pursuit of values, we should go beyond universalism and centrism, suspend the homogenization of a diverse world, promote the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom, and commit ourselves to building a world of peace and appreciation of differences. In great power relations, we should go beyond the concept of hegemony, advocate the concepts of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and promote the establishment of a pattern of great power relations characterized by peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development. In terms of institutional choices, we should go beyond the idea of “end of history”, advocate independent choice of social systems and development models, and commit ourselves to building a world of harmonious coexistence. Finally, in terms of the ecological environment, we should go beyond anthropocentrism and naturocentrism, advocate the concept of a community of life between human beings and nature, and commit ourselves to building a clean and beautiful world.

Contributed by Chen Shuguang, Associate Dean of the the School of Marxism, and Research Fellow at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era at the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC (National Academy of Governance.