Gao Fei on the Changes in World Order & China's Foreign Policy Shifts
A breakdown of an article by Gao Fei, the Vice President of China Foreign Affairs University, in the People Daily.
Hi folks,
In today’s People’s Daily, there was an article by Gao Fei, Vice President, China Foreign Affairs University. I wanted to cover this separately because there are some interesting nuances that are worth highlighting in detail. The piece provides a broad overview of Chinese foreign policy, with useful data on GDI, GSI and GCI. It also offers some insight into how Beijing views ties with “major powers” and its neighbours. Some of the key takeaways for me are:
On global power dispersion: The ‘one superpower and many powers’ international pattern dominated by the United States is undergoing profound adjustments, the so-called ‘Western liberal order’ is disintegrating, and the world is increasingly becoming multipolar.”
This on GCI: “The Global Civilisation Initiative emphasises respecting the diversity of world civilisations, not engaging in ideological confrontation, not imposing one’s own values and governance models on others, and forming the greatest common denominator of values on the basis of seeking common ground while reserving differences, equal exchanges, and mutual learning from each other, defining the development goals of global governance with the common interests of all humanity.”
Conceptual innovation and indications of pragmatism in foreign policy: “Developing global partnerships is an important innovation in China’s diplomatic theory and practice, an important conceptual breakthrough in contemporary international relations, and has become a new pathway for promoting the construction of new-type international relations and a new starting point leading to a community with a shared future for mankind. Developing global partnerships embodies the distinctive characteristics and contemporary contributions of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. First, the global partnerships advocated by China take equality among countries as a principle, respect each country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and respect the social systems and development paths independently chosen by the people of each country. Partnerships are not distinguished as superior and subordinate, and there is no division into camps. Second, partnerships emphasise peacefulness, transcending past political and military alliance relationships, committed to making friends rather than creating enemies, and handling relations between countries with the concept of win-win cooperation. Third, partnerships emphasise inclusiveness. Those who share the same ideals and aspirations (like-minded) are partners, and those who seek common ground while reserving differences are also partners. All countries can establish partnerships based on common interests and pursuits, constructing a common rather than exclusive ‘circle of friends’, enlarging the cake of common interests through cooperation, and achieving common development.”
On the neighbourhood: “The periphery/neighbourhood is an important foundation for achieving development and prosperity, a priority for maintaining national security, the foremost consideration in managing the overall diplomatic situation, and key to promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. Currently, China’s relations with neighbouring countries are in the best period since modern times, while also entering an important stage where neighbourhood patterns and global changes are deeply interconnected.”
Key task going ahead: “Firmly safeguard the external environment for national development and concentrate on managing our own affairs well…At present, China is in the best development period since modern times, and the enhancement of national strength has created conditions for us to maintain and shape strategic opportunities. China is a developing major country with global influence, but the tasks of national development remain arduous.”
The case for China’s larger global role and stake in the international order: “At present, the global peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit, and governance deficit are worsening. This stems from the international system and mechanisms dominated by a few Western major powers being unable to adapt to new era changes. This needs to be resolved through improving global governance. Certain Western major countries have abandoned their own international responsibilities, shifting from providing public goods to the international community to seeking rent from the international community through public goods, further affecting the legitimacy and stability of the international order. As a responsible major country in the international system, in the face of enormous challenges to the international order, China must demonstrate its major power responsibility and play a mainstay role.”
Okay, now let’s look at the article in detail.
Gao tells us that at the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference held in November 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasised: ‘China must have its own major country diplomacy.’ This marked a new coordinate for China's diplomacy. Over the past 10 years, faced with profound changes unseen in a century, major power diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has been forging ahead, and the strategic autonomy and initiative of diplomacy have been significantly enhanced. China has become a responsible major power with greater international influence, innovation-leading power, and moral appeal on the international stage, and has contributed Chinese wisdom and strength to promoting the construction of a new type of international relations.” 在2014年11月举行的中央外事工作会议上，习近平总书记强调：“中国必须有自己特色的大国外交。”这标注了中国外交的崭新坐标。10多年来，面对世界百年未有之大变局，中国特色大国外交破浪前行，外交的战略自主性和主动性显著增强，中国已经成为国际舞台更具国际影响力、创新引领力、道义感召力的负责任大国，为推动构建新型国际关系贡献了中国智慧和中国力量.
In the first section, Gao argues:
The two key factors—changes in China’s own strength and the international situation being in a period of transformation—form the important background of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. General Secretary Xi Jinping has scientifically grasped the general trend of the times and major changes in the international situation, and scientifically defined China’s historical position based on the horizontal axis of the world power balance and the vertical axis of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In June 2018, at the Central Foreign Affairs Work Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: ‘At present, our country is in the best development period since modern times, and the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a hundred years; the two intertwine and interact with each other.’ In recent years, the tremendous changes in the international structure have profoundly confirmed the scientific and forward-looking nature of this major assessment. 自身实力变化和国际形势处于转型期这两大关键性因素，是中国特色大国外交的重要时代背景。习近平总书记科学把握时代大势和国际局势重大变化，从世界力量对比的横坐标和中华民族伟大复兴的纵坐标科学界定了中国所处的历史方位。2018年6月，在中央外事工作会议上，习近平总书记指出：“当前，我国处于近代以来最好的发展时期，世界处于百年未有之大变局，两者同步交织、相互激荡。”近年来，国际格局的巨大变化深刻印证了这一重大判断的科学性和前瞻性.
The international balance of power is a key factor in determining the international pattern. Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine crisis, the Palestine-Israel conflict, and others, the world's great changes are accelerating in evolution. The ‘one superpower and many powers’ international pattern dominated by the United States is undergoing profound adjustments, the so-called ‘Western liberal order’ is disintegrating, and the world is increasingly becoming multipolar. With the expansion of the SCO and the BRICS, the role of the Global South countries has increased significantly. The global power shift is continuing to accelerate, and the international structure is exhibiting the characteristics of coexistence among multiple strong powers and multi-dimensional competition. 国际力量对比是决定国际格局的关键因素。在新冠疫情、乌克兰危机、巴以冲突等的影响下，世界变局加速演进，美国主导的“一超多强”国际格局深刻调整，所谓的“西方自由秩序”瓦解，世界日益多极化。随着上海合作组织扩员、金砖国家扩员，全球南方国家作用显著上升，世界范围的权力转移持续提速，国际格局展现出多强共存、复合竞争的特点.
From China’s perspective, it has made remarkable development achievements. First, China’s economy has continued to grow, playing a key role in the stable development of the world economy. In 2010, China’s GDP was about $6 trillion, surpassing Japan to become the world’s second largest economy. In 2024, China’s GDP was close to $19 trillion. From 2010 to 2024, China’s average annual economic growth rate was about 7.5%, far exceeding the global average growth rate during the same period, and its contribution to global economic growth was about 30%. Second, China has adhered to innovation-driven development, and industrial upgrading continues to consolidate the foundation of development. China has the most complete and largest industrial system in the world, comprising 41 major industrial categories, 207 medium industrial categories, and 666 small industrial categories. It is the only country in the world that has all the industrial categories in the UN industrial classification. Third, the scale of foreign trade has expanded and the structure has continued to optimise. China’s position as the world’s largest goods trading country has continued to consolidate, with a total import and export volume of 43.85 trillion yuan in 2024, ranking first in the world for eight consecutive years. 从中国自身看，我们取得了举世瞩目的发展成就。一是中国经济持续增长，对世界经济稳定发展发挥关键作用。2010年，中国国内生产总值约6万亿美元，首次超越日本成为世界第二大经济体。2024年，中国国内生产总值接近19万亿美元。2010年—2024年，中国经济年均增长率约7.5%，远超同期全球平均增速，对世界经济增长的贡献率约30%。二是坚持创新驱动发展，产业升级不断夯实发展的底气。中国具有全球最完整、规模最大的工业体系，拥有41个工业大类、207个工业中类、666个工业小类，是全世界唯一拥有联合国产业分类中全部工业门类的国家。三是对外贸易规模扩大、结构持续优化。中国全球第一大货物贸易国地位不断稳固，2024年货物进出口总额43.85万亿元，连续8年保持全球第一.
Faced with the accelerated adjustment of the international pattern, as the world’s largest developing country, China has actively assumed the responsibility of a major country to maintain world peace and development. China firmly follows the path of peaceful development, emphasises that it will never seek hegemony, expansion, or sphere of influence, and will always be a builder of world peace; it adheres to the path of common development, pursues a mutually beneficial and win-win opening strategy, and will always be a contributor to global development; it firmly maintains the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, and will always be a defender of the international order. 面对世界格局的加快调整，作为世界上最大的发展中国家，中国积极承担维护世界和平与发展的大国责任。中国坚定走和平发展道路，强调永不称霸、永不扩张、永不谋求势力范围，始终做世界和平的建设者；坚持走共同发展道路，奉行互利共赢的开放战略，始终做全球发展的贡献者；坚定维护以联合国为核心的国际体系、以国际法为基础的国际秩序，始终做国际秩序的维护者.
In the second section, Gao talks about the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind. He argues that this proposition by Xi is aimed at “promoting global cooperation and building a new type of international relations.”
“The concept of a community with a shared future for mankind is rooted in Chinese civilisation; it gathers the greatest common denominator of the peoples of all countries in their yearning for a better life and the greatest common denominator of all countries in their yearning for peace, development, and prosperity. To avoid the trap of Cold War mentality, China advocates promoting the construction of a new type of international relations based on mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation; it opposes hegemony and power politics, opposes beggar-thy-neighbour and harming others for self-interest, and advocates universal security; in response to unilateralism and protectionism, China insists on win-win cooperation and common prosperity; inheriting the Chinese civilisation’s tradition of ‘great harmony under heaven’ and ‘harmonious coexistence among all states’, China insists on mutual learning among civilisations, openness and inclusiveness; in response to the increasingly serious challenges of climate change and ecological environment, China advocates green and low-carbon development, and is committed to building a clean and beautiful world. 人类命运共同体理念根植中华文明，汇聚各国人民对美好生活向往的最大公约数，也汇聚着世界各国对和平、发展、繁荣向往的最大公约数。避免冷战思维陷阱，中国主张推动建设相互尊重、公平正义、合作共赢的新型国际关系；反对霸权主义和强权政治，反对以邻为壑、损人利己，中国主张普遍安全；针对单边主义、保护主义，中国坚持合作共赢、共同繁荣；传承天下大同、协和万邦的中华文明传统，中国坚持文明互鉴、开放包容；针对日益严重的气候变化和生态环境挑战，中国崇尚绿色低碳，致力于建设清洁美丽的世界.
He then argues that China has responded to the “countercurrent of protectionism” as a “responsible major country”, holding high “the banner of building an open world economy.” The examples Gao cites are the CIIE, BRI, “the high-quality development of free trade pilot zones”, work to build a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized first-class business environment”, “the global governance concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, shared benefits” and BRI, along with GDI, GSI and GCI. Then we get into the specifics of each of these three global initiatives.
On GDI, Gao informs:
“China has promoted cooperation in the Global Development Initiative with more than 100 countries and international organizations, such as the United Nations, and has effectively promoted the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At present, more than 80 countries have joined the ‘Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative’, which has mobilized nearly $20 billion in development funds and carried out more than 1,100 projects.” 中国同100多个国家和联合国等多个国际组织推进全球发展倡议合作，有力推进了联合国2030年可持续发展议程。目前，80多个国家加入“全球发展倡议之友小组”，已经动员近200亿美元发展资金，开展1100多个项目.
On GSI, he informs:
As of the end of 2024, the Global Security Initiative had received support and appreciation from 119 countries and international organisations, and had been written into 123 bilateral and multilateral political documents. The concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security has taken deep root in people’s hearts. At the Second China–Central Asia Summit, the heads of state of Central Asian countries positively evaluated the Chinese proposals and Chinese wisdom, including the Global Security Initiative. All parties expressed determination to jointly combat the ‘three evil forces’ along with transnational organised crime, jointly respond to security threats, help Afghanistan achieve peace, stability, and reconstruction and development at an early date, and create a regional security pattern of peace, tranquility and common destiny. 截至2024年底，全球安全倡议得到119个国家和国际组织的支持赞赏，写入123份双多边政治文件，共同、综合、合作、可持续的安全观深入人心。在第二届中国—中亚峰会上，中亚国家元首积极评价包括全球安全倡议在内的中国方案、中国智慧，各方决心共同打击“三股势力”以及跨国有组织犯罪，共同应对安全威胁，帮助阿富汗早日实现和平稳定和重建发展，打造和平安宁、休戚与共的地区安全格局.
On GCI, he informs:
“The Global Civilization Initiative is committed to promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. There is no universal development model in the world; the development paths independently chosen by countries must be respected. In March 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the High-level Dialogue between the Communist Party of China and World Political Parties and delivered a keynote speech, proposing the Global Civilisation Initiative for the first time, which received a positive response from the international community. The Global Civilisation Initiative emphasises respecting the diversity of world civilisations, not engaging in ideological confrontation, not imposing one’s own values and governance models on others, and forming the greatest common denominator of values on the basis of seeking common ground while reserving differences, equal exchanges, and mutual learning from each other, defining the development goals of global governance with the common interests of all humanity. China advocates a civilisational view of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, promotes the implementation of the Global Civilisation Initiative, and strives to draw a picture of civilisation that promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. For example, President Xi Jinping stated at the Second China-Central Asia Summit that China is willing to open more cultural centers, university branches, and Luban workshops in Central Asia, which will further tighten the cultural bonds of mutual understanding and affection and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations.” 全球文明倡议致力于推动文明交流互鉴。世界上没有放之四海而皆准的发展模式，各国自主选择的发展道路必须得到尊重。2023年3月，习近平总书记出席中国共产党与世界政党高层对话会并发表主旨讲话，首次提出全球文明倡议，得到国际社会积极回应。全球文明倡议强调尊重世界文明多样性，不搞意识形态对抗，不将自己的价值观和治理模式强加于人，在求同存异、平等交流、相互借鉴基础上形成最大价值公约数，以全人类共同利益界定全球治理的发展目标。中国倡导平等、互鉴、对话、包容的文明观，推动落实全球文明倡议，努力绘就推动构建人类命运共同体的文明画卷。比如，习近平主席在第二届中国—中亚峰会上表示，中方愿在中亚开设更多文化中心、高校分校、鲁班工坊，这将进一步拉紧相知相亲的人文纽带，推动文明交流互鉴.
In the third section, Gao contends that China’s major-country diplomacy is actively developing global partnerships.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: ‘China persists in developing friendly cooperation with all countries on the foundation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, promotes the construction of new-type international relations, deepens and expands equal, open, and cooperative global partnerships, and is committed to expanding the convergence points of interests with all countries.’ Developing global partnerships is an important innovation in China’s diplomatic theory and practice, an important conceptual breakthrough in contemporary international relations, and has become a new pathway for promoting the construction of new-type international relations and a new starting point leading to a community with a shared future for mankind.” 习近平总书记指出：“中国坚持在和平共处五项原则基础上同各国发展友好合作，推动构建新型国际关系，深化拓展平等、开放、合作的全球伙伴关系，致力于扩大同各国利益的汇合点。”发展全球伙伴关系，是中国外交理论和实践的重要创新，是当代国际关系理念的重要突破，成为推动构建新型国际关系的新路径和通向人类命运共同体的新起点.
“Developing global partnerships embodies the distinctive characteristics and contemporary contributions of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. First, the global partnerships advocated by China take equality among countries as a principle, respect each country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and respect the social systems and development paths independently chosen by the people of each country. Partnerships are not distinguished as superior and subordinate, and there is no division into camps. Second, partnerships emphasise peacefulness, transcending past political and military alliance relationships, committed to making friends rather than creating enemies, and handling relations between countries with the concept of win-win cooperation. Third, partnerships emphasise inclusiveness. Those who share the same ideals and aspirations (like-minded) are partners, and those who seek common ground while reserving differences are also partners. All countries can establish partnerships based on common interests and pursuits, constructing a common rather than exclusive ‘circle of friends’, enlarging the cake of common interests through cooperation, and achieving common development.” 发展全球伙伴关系，体现中国特色大国外交的鲜明特色和时代贡献。首先，中国倡导的全球伙伴关系以各国平等为原则，尊重各国主权、独立和领土完整，尊重彼此的核心利益和重大关切，尊重各国人民自主选择的社会制度和发展道路。伙伴没有主从之分，没有阵营之别。其次，伙伴关系强调和平性，超越以往的政治和军事同盟关系，致力于找朋友而不是树敌人，以合作共赢理念处理国与国之间的关系。再次，伙伴关系强调包容性，志同道合，是伙伴，求同存异，也是伙伴。各国可以建立基于共同利益和追求的伙伴关系，构建起共同而非排他的“朋友圈”，通过合作做大共同利益的蛋糕，实现共同发展.
“Developing relations with major powers is an important part of China’s foreign relations. President Xi Jinping pointed out: ‘Major power relations are related to global strategic stability, and major powers shoulder special responsibilities.’ China is committed to promoting coordination and cooperation in major power relations, promoting coordination and benign interaction among major powers, and promoting the establishment of a pattern of major power relations with peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development. China vigorously promotes the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. In recent years, owing to the joint efforts of both sides, China and Russia have inherited the traditional friendship, bilateral relations have maintained a stable, healthy, and high-level development momentum, and long-term good neighbourliness and friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and win-win outcomes have become distinctive characteristics of the relationship between the two countries. China is committed to promoting the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of China-US relations. Based on the basic principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, China views and plans China-US relations from a strategic height and long-term perspective, defends national interests and national dignity, while maintaining dialogue and consultation with a responsible attitude, emphasising managing differences in a constructive manner, jointly maintaining world peace and stability, and jointly injecting more certainty and stability into the world economy. China is committed to building a China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership with global influence, supports Europe's strategic autonomy, and strives to build the four major China-EU partnerships of peace, growth, reform and civilisation.” 发展同主要大国的关系是中国对外关系的重要组成部分。习近平主席指出：“大国关系事关全球战略稳定，大国肩上都承担着特殊责任。”中国致力于推进大国关系协调合作，促进大国协调和良性互动，推动构建和平共处、总体稳定、均衡发展的大国关系格局。中国大力推进中俄新时代全面战略协作伙伴关系，近年来，在双方共同努力下，中俄传承传统友谊，双边关系保持稳定、健康、高水平发展态势，长期睦邻友好、互利合作共赢成为两国关系的鲜明特征。中国致力于推动中美关系健康、稳定、可持续发展，基于相互尊重、和平共处、合作共赢的基本原则，中国从战略高度和长远角度看待和运筹中美关系，捍卫国家利益和民族尊严，同时以负责任的态度坚持对话协商，强调以建设性方式管控分歧，共同维护世界的和平稳定，共同为世界经济注入更多确定性和稳定性。中国致力于建设具有全球影响力的中欧全面战略伙伴关系，支持欧洲战略自主，努力打造中欧和平、增长、改革、文明四大伙伴关系.
“The periphery/neighbourhood is an important foundation for achieving development and prosperity, a priority for maintaining national security, the foremost consideration in managing the overall diplomatic situation, and key to promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. Currently, China’s relations with neighbouring countries are in the best period since modern times, while also entering an important stage where neighbourhood patterns and global changes are deeply interconnected. China adheres to the neighbourhood diplomatic policy of being amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and of treating neighbours as friends and partners, advocates promoting the construction of a neighbourhood community with a shared future, deepens friendly mutual trust and interest integration with neighbouring countries, deepens comprehensive cooperation with neighbouring countries, strengthens exchanges in various fields, and jointly maintains peace and stability, forming a pragmatic and efficient peripheral work framework. China takes the construction of five major homes of peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful, and friendly neighbourhood as a common vision; takes the philosophy of good neighbourliness, security for neighbours, prosperity for neighbours, amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, and a shared future as guiding principles and policies’ takes peaceful, cooperative, open, and inclusive Asian values as basic principles to follow’ takes high-quality joint construction of BRI as the main platform; and takes the Asian security model of shared security, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and dialogue and consultation as the strategic support in order to actively building a peripheral community with a shared future. For example, China signed a permanent treaty of good neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation with the five Central Asian countries, cementing the principle of friendship for generations in legal form. This is a new milestone in the history of relations among the six countries, and also a pioneering initiative in China’s neighbourhood diplomacy, with merit in the present age and benefit for a thousand years. China regards ASEAN as the priority direction of its neighbourhood diplomacy and a key region for high-quality joint construction of BRI; it supports ASEAN’s central position in East Asian cooperation, and supports ASEAN in playing a greater role in constructing an open and inclusive regional architecture. China promotes the Shanghai Spirit, actively promotes unity and cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and promotes the construction of a health community, security community, development community, and people-to-people and cultural community.” 周边是实现发展繁荣的重要基础、维护国家安全的重点、运筹外交全局的首要、推动构建人类命运共同体的关键。当前我国同周边关系处于近代以来最好的时期，同时也进入周边格局和世界变局深度联动的重要阶段。中国坚持亲诚惠容和与邻为善、以邻为伴周边外交方针，倡导推动构建周边命运共同体，深化同周边国家友好互信和利益融合，同周边国家深化全方位合作、加强各领域交流、共同维护和平稳定，形成务实高效的周边工作框架。中国以建设和平、安宁、繁荣、美丽、友好“五大家园”为共同愿景，以睦邻、安邻、富邻、亲诚惠容、命运与共为理念方针，以和平、合作、开放、包容的亚洲价值观为基本遵循，以高质量共建“一带一路”为主要平台，以安危与共、求同存异、对话协商的亚洲安全模式为战略支撑，积极打造周边命运共同体。比如，中国同中亚五国签署永久睦邻友好合作条约，以法律形式将世代友好的原则固定下来，这是六国关系史上新的里程碑，也是中国周边外交的创举，功在当代、利在千秋；中国将东盟视作周边外交的优先方向和高质量共建“一带一路”的重点地区，支持东盟在东亚合作中的中心地位，支持东盟在构建开放包容的地区架构中发挥更大作用；中国弘扬“上海精神”，积极推动上海合作组织团结协作，推动构建卫生健康共同体、安全共同体、发展共同体、人文共同体.
Always upholding the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith, and the correct view of justice and interests, China strengthens unity and cooperation with developing countries and safeguards the common interests of developing countries. China advocates that all countries, regardless of size, strength, or wealth, are equal members of the international community, and that in international affairs, interests are interdependent, rights are shared, and responsibilities are jointly borne. Faced with the danger of confrontation, the vast majority of developing countries are demanding that international politics return to a ‘development-oriented’ approach. In response to the demands of the vast majority of developing countries, China has actively worked to ensure that development returns to the center of the international agenda; it has revitalised the global development partnership, and deepened South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue. President Xi Jinping proposed the Global South Open and Inclusive Cooperation Initiative (全球南方开放包容合作倡议), announced eight measures to support cooperation in the Global South, and called for the Global South to jointly become a stabilising force for safeguarding peace, a key force for open development, a constructive force for global governance, and a promoting force for prompting mutual learning among civilisations. Through concept sharing, resource integration, and institutional innovation, China is gathering the combined strength of the Global South, injecting new momentum into promoting world peace and development, while also advancing the global governance system toward a more just and inclusive direction.” 始终秉持真实亲诚理念和正确义利观加强同发展中国家团结合作，维护发展中国家共同利益。中国主张各国不分大小、强弱、贫富都是国际社会平等一员，在国际事务中利益共生、权利共享、责任共担。面对对抗危险，广大发展中国家要求国际政治回归“发展导向”。顺应广大发展中国家诉求，中国积极推动发展重回国际议程中心位置，重振全球发展伙伴关系，深化南南合作和南北对话。习近平主席提出全球南方开放包容合作倡议，宣布支持全球南方合作的八项举措，倡导全球南方共同做维护和平的稳定力量、开放发展的中坚力量、全球治理的建设力量、文明互鉴的促进力量。通过理念共享、资源整合和机制创新，中国汇聚全球南方合力，为促进世界和平与发展注入新动力，同时也推动全球治理体系向更加公平、包容的方向演进.
In the final section, Gao looks ahead at the direction of China’s major-country diplomacy. He argues:
First, “firmly safeguard the external environment for national development and concentrate on managing our own affairs well. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: ‘The global governance pattern depends on the international balance of power, and global governance system reform originates from changes in the international balance of power.’ At present, China is in the best development period since modern times, and the enhancement of national strength has created conditions for us to maintain and shape strategic opportunities. China is a developing major country with global influence, but the tasks of national development remain arduous. China’s development itself is the greatest contribution to world peace and the cause of human progress. Faced with profound changes unseen in a century, China has proposed the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, taking the construction of a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and cleanness and beauty as the goal of its efforts; taking the promotion of global governance through extensive consultation, joint construction, and shared benefits as the path to realisation; taking the practice of the common values of all mankind as the universal principle; taking the building of a new type of international relations as the basic support; taking the implementation of the GDI, GSI and GCI as strategic guidance; and taking the high-quality joint construction of BRI as the practical platform in to promote all countries to join hands to respond to challenges and achieve common prosperity.” 坚定维护国家发展的外部环境，集中力量办好自己的事。习近平总书记指出：“全球治理格局取决于国际力量对比，全球治理体系变革源于国际力量对比变化。”当前，中国处于近代以来最好的发展时期，国家实力的增强为我们维护和塑造战略机遇创造了条件。中国是一个具有全球性影响的发展中大国，但是国家发展的任务依然艰巨，中国的发展本身就是对世界和平和人类进步事业的最大贡献。面对世界百年变局，中国提出的构建人类命运共同体理念，以建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界为努力目标，以推动共商共建共享的全球治理为实现路径，以践行全人类共同价值为普遍遵循，以推动构建新型国际关系为基本支撑，以落实全球发展倡议、全球安全倡议、全球文明倡议为战略引领，以高质量共建“一带一路”为实践平台，推动各国携手应对挑战、实现共同繁荣.
Second “actively participate in and lead global governance, and contribute to the improvement of global governance. At present, the global peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit, and governance deficit are worsening. This stems from the international system and mechanisms dominated by a few Western major powers being unable to adapt to new era changes. This needs to be resolved through improving global governance. Certain Western major countries have abandoned their own international responsibilities, shifting from providing public goods to the international community to seeking rent from the international community through public goods, further affecting the legitimacy and stability of the international order. As a responsible major country in the international system, in the face of enormous challenges to the international order, China must demonstrate its major power responsibility and play a mainstay role. We must adhere to principles, on major issues concerning the future and destiny of mankind and the direction of world development, clearly raise our banner and stand firm in our position, firmly occupy the moral high ground internationally, and unite and win over the majority of the world. We must be courageous in taking responsibility, be firm and confident in expanding high-level opening-up to the outside world, strengthen institutional design and talent development, and together with countries around the world jointly promote equal and orderly world multipolarisation and inclusive economic globalisation.” 积极参与和引领全球治理，为完善全球治理作出贡献。目前，全球和平赤字、发展赤字、安全赤字、治理赤字加重，这源于少数西方大国主导的国际体系机制不能适应新的时代变化，需要通过完善全球治理加以解决。个别西方大国放弃自身的国际责任，从向国际社会提供公共产品，变成通过公共产品向国际社会寻租，进一步影响国际秩序的合法性、稳定性。作为国际体系中负责任的大国，面对国际秩序的巨大挑战，中国必须展现大国责任并发挥中流砥柱作用。必须坚持原则，在关乎人类前途命运和世界发展方向的重大问题上，旗帜鲜明、站稳立场，牢牢占据国际道义制高点，团结争取世界大多数。必须勇于担当，坚定信心扩大高水平对外开放，加强制度设计和人才建设，与世界各国一道共同推动平等有序的世界多极化、普惠包容的经济全球化.
Finally, “focus on the long-term and achieve common progress between China and the world. Although, at present, ideas such as unilateralism and multilateralism, peace and confrontation, cooperation and competition are surging and clashing with one another, and the world faces many instabilities and uncertainties, the trend of human society sharing honour and disgrace together has already become the general direction. In recent years, the rise of the Global South not only represents the growing influence of emerging economies and developing countries in the global political and economic landscape, but also reflects the common pursuit of the peoples of the world for peace, development, fairness, and justice.China is a steadfast member of the Global South and also a practitioner of promoting world peace, development, and cooperation. Standing at a new historical starting point, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will continue to demonstrate the responsibility of a major country through deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with countries around the world. Through its own peaceful development, China will promote the common progress of humanity and continue to make new and greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.” 着眼长远，实现中国与世界共同进步。尽管当前单边主义与多边主义、和平与对抗、合作与竞争等多种理念相互激荡，世界存在诸多不稳定不确定性，然而人类社会荣辱与共已成为大势所趋。近年来，全球南方的兴起，不仅代表着新兴经济体和发展中国家在全球政治经济版图中日益增长的影响力，也反映出世界人民对于和平、发展、公平、正义的共同追求。中国是全球南方的坚定成员，也是推进世界和平、发展、合作的实践者。站在新的历史起点上，中国特色大国外交将在不断深化与世界各国互利合作中展现大国担当，以自身和平发展促进人类共同进步，不断为构建人类命运共同体作出新的更大贡献.