The Creative Development of Chinese Diplomatic Theory for the New Era

Based on the scientific judgement of China’s historical orientation and the prevailing trend of world development, the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, as reflected in a group of ideas it advocates, meets the requirements dictated by the nature and direction of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. It has also contributed Chinese wisdom to the development of the theory of international relations.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Xi Jinping, as General Secretary of the CPC who stands at a new historical starting point and keeping the “two centenary goals”1 in mind, has formulated a series of new concepts, new proposals and new initiatives, which constitute the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy.2 The Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy reflects dialectical and historical materialism and contains the philosophical thought of the finest traditional Chinese culture. Based on the scientific judgement of China’s historical orientation and the prevailing trend of world development, the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy advocates a group of ideas such as “profound changes unseen in a century,” “a community with a shared future for mankind,” “global network of partnerships,” and “jointly building the Belt and Road.” The Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy thus meets the requirements dictated by the nature and direction of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and has greatly enriched the theories of Chinese diplomacy and of international relations.

Profound Changes Unseen in a Century: New Judgement on International Situation and its Future Development

In his speech at the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs held in June 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated: “At present, China is in its best developing period since the beginning of modern times. Meanwhile, the world is experiencing profound changes unseen in a century. The former and the latter are interwoven and confronting each other.”3 The idea of “profound changes unseen in a century” is a scientific judgement and accurate understanding of the international situation and its future development4 and gives a clear answer to the question of the times, namely how to view the world today. It helps us grasp the historical trends and points out the direction of how to seize this important period of strategic opportunity.5

The scientific judgement and accurate understanding of the international situation and its future development has always been a major foundation on which Chinese leaders developed the medium- and long-term strategic goals for the country. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the first generation of Chinese leaders, in the context of the Cold War and suffering the blockade imposed by Western countries, established an independent foreign policy of peace, advocated basic norms of international relations centered on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, firmly opposed colonialism, hegemonism and power politics, and forged strong ties with Third World countries, thus laying the foundation for New China’s diplomacy. On the other hand, the newly-born People’s Republic of China had also lost the strategic opportunity of development in this period

due to its false judgement of domestic and foreign situations, which was a profound lesson.6 At the end of the 1970s, in the midst of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, Deng Xiaoping made the important strategic judgement that peace and development are two major prominent issues of global strategic significance. China subsequently made a comprehensive adjustment to its domestic and foreign policies and made full use of the external environment to further promote its reform and openingup. In this way China has made remarkable achievements. The identification of peace and development as the two overarching themes of the times has been consistent since it was first coined in the report delivered at the 13th CPC National Congress, with little change made so far. The report at the 19th CPC National Congress stated that “The world today is undergoing tremendous changes and adjustments. Peace and development remain the main themes of the present era.”

Since the 16th CPC National Congress, when assessing the external environment for its development, the Chinese government has used “period of strategic opportunity,” a concept imbued with a sense of history. The report of the 18th CPC National Congress reaffirmed that “an examination of both the current international and domestic environments shows that China remains in an important period of strategic opportunity for its development, a period in which much can be achieved.”7 In the new era, although the connotations and conditions of the period of strategic opportunity have changed significantly, China still adheres to this conclusion. The report of the 19th CPC National Congress reaffirmed that “both China and the world are in the midst of profound and complex changes. China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development; the prospects are bright but the challenges are severe.” The proposal and development of the concept of “period of strategic opportunity”

reflects the strategic judgement made by past generations of Chinese leaders, who have reviewed the historical progress from the past to the present and the future, grasped the essence and overall picture of various international phenomena, and calmly analyzed China’s position and role in the evolution of the world structure. It mirrors not only China’s views on the situation at home and abroad, but also the strategic confidence of the CPC and the Chinese government to better balance internal and international imperatives and seize development opportunities.

However, world development has always been a comprehensive result of interweaving and interaction of various contradictions.8 Past declaration that China was in a “period of strategic opportunity” was based on the international situation at that time, and particularly on the perspective of China’s own development, which did not fully reflect the new changes in the international situation and the new challenges facing mankind. Nowadays, world multi-polarization and economic globalization are deepening, cultural diversity is increasing, and an information society is emerging. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is making robust progress. While enjoying a highly developed material civilization, human beings are also facing the threat of global problems such as climate change, environmental deterioration, and terrorism. The collective rise of developing countries, especially the emerging economies represented by China, has led to the transformation of international power configuration and world order. At the same time, with the increasingly fierce competition among major powers, the world faces the return of geopolitical competition, and the growing trends of nationalism, populism, and protectionism. There are still uncertainties in the future world order, and the coalition against hegemony is also confronting new challenges.9 While China has become an important force influencing the trend of great changes in the world, it has also become the main target in the eyes of the United States and some other Western countries, which has

led some people to question whether China is still in the period of strategic opportunity. In this context, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated: “The world is experiencing profound changes unseen in a century and no country can be immune to it,” “We are faced with rare historic opportunities and also the test of a series of major risks.”10 It can be seen that in the face of oncein-a-century changes, Chinese leaders have a very clear understanding and judgment of the historical opportunities and risks by concluding that “the world is experiencing profound changes unseen in a century.” This conclusion provides a new theoretical perspective for us to observe the world and grasp the theme of the times more accurately and fully. At the same time, it also develops and complements the judgement that China is still in the “important period of strategic opportunity.” According to the views of General Secretary Xi on the international situation, in the foreseeable future, China will still be in an important period of strategic opportunity. The difference is that in the past, our opportunities “mainly came from a more favorable international environment,” while in the future, there will be more risks and challenges. Whether this period of strategic opportunity can be well maintained “depends on China’s ability to transform external pressure into a driving force for accelerating development, reform and opening-up, and the ability to actively shape the international economic environment.”11

“The world is experiencing profound changes unseen in a century” refers to the “changes” in the trend of the world’s structural evolution caused by the development of politics, economy, and science and technology. In other words, the power shift from developed countries to emerging countries have caused “profound changes” in the international balance of power; the scientific and technological revolution has led to “profound changes” in the form of competition among countries; growing populism contributes to “profound changes” in the adjustment of the global order; deglobalization

triggers the “profound changes” in the structure of global governance.12 The “profound changes” also include the chaos caused by the rise of instability and uncertainty. When the whole world goes around in a confused state in the face of “profound changes” and “chaos,” General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thesis provides a new theoretical perspective for the international community to observe the changes in the world situation and accurately grasp the theme of the times. The important assertion also points out the direction for us in deepening our understanding and grasping the “important period of strategic opportunity.”13

Community with a Shared Future for Mankind: New Conceptual Construction of Global Governance and Common Development

Since the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind was clearly stated at the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has highlighted the concept on many occasions: as members of the same global village, we all have a stake in each other’s future; as no country alone can address the many challenges facing mankind, the world calls for global cooperation to build a community with a shared future for mankind. The idea, proposed by Xi from an elevated historical point of view, is an important component of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and serves as a significant theoretical contribution to the world from contemporary China and a distinctive banner under which China is leading the trend of the times and the progress of human civilization.14

The idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind transcends the traditional Western global governance concept and political

and economic systems. Globalization is essentially a worldwide interactive system, and its most important driving force is capital’s pursuit of profits and market. However, the latest wave of globalization has witnessed two major changes: the transformation of industrial capitalism into financial capitalism, and the development from a manufacturing-based industry into post-industrial capitalism, which has resulted in structural, economic, and political imbalances and led to a serious loss of national economic sovereignty. It is difficult even for the United States to restrain the outflow of capital, technology, and talent, which in turn has caused various problems such as capital flight, underemployment, social injustice, and the weakening of government, leading to a crisis of state power.15 At the international level, policy coordination among countries is far behind the process of globalization, resulting in the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global financial crisis of 2008. Western governance concepts, systems and models have revealed various flaws. The motivation and willingness of Western countries such as the United States and EU members to provide public goods for global governance have obviously been insufficient. The international order and international system on which countries depend for survival and development are facing the risk of collapse.

On the contrary, China’s comprehensive national strength has increased rapidly since the reform and opening-up, and the socialist system has become increasingly prominent. On our one globe, all the countries face the same problems. Amid the crisis of global governance, the Chinese people believe that China will do well only when the world does well, and vice versa. For this reason, China actively promotes the construction of a community with a shared future for all mankind and takes the initiative to guide the healthy development of economic globalization. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is a well-rounded and systematic proposal which is shown in the five following aspects. Politically, it advocates mutual respect and consultation on an equal footing, opposes the Cold