Beijing Review:Understanding Contemporary China Through Primary Sources

BEIJING, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In less than half a century, China has moved from being one of the world's poorest countries to a technological and economic powerhouse.

China has achieved unprecedented development successes. How do Chinese leaders themselves interpret the country's development path?

The publication of the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in July represents a significant milestone in the international dissemination of contemporary Chinese political thought. This book offers a direct window into the governing philosophy that has guided China through a period of profound transformation, global uncertainty and institutional reform.

Chinese modernization is presented as both the historical mission of national rejuvenation and an ongoing process of building a modern socialist country. The narrative underscores that China's development path is unique in its scale, sequencing and political foundations—yet is deeply connected to global transformations.

This publication functions as an authoritative source for understanding China's policy decisions, long-term development goals and strategic responses to global shifts. Plus, it provides clarity on how China interprets its contributions to international development, governance reform and global stability.

High-quality economic development strongly focuses on cultivating new quality productive forces, deepening reform and expanding high-standard opening up to the world. These ideas are not abstract formulations; they constitute the intellectual framework guiding China's efforts to upgrade its industrial structure, strengthen technological innovation and adapt to a more complex global economy. (First introduced in 2023, new quality productive forces represent China's strategic shift toward a more innovative, technology-driven and sustainable economic model to achieve higher productivity, competitiveness and long-term growth—Ed.)

Equally prominent are discussions of the rule of law, whole-process people's democracy, cultural revitalization, ecological civilization, and China's leadership and self-reform. These highlight the integration of governance, culture and institutional design within the broader project of China's modernization. The volume also devotes considerable attention to China's global role and the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Opening up is framed as China's response to rising protectionism and geopolitical fragmentation. It is associated with high-standard economic cooperation, alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals and a shared responsibility to safeguard global prosperity. What began as an economic strategy has thus matured into a principle of global governance and an element of China's international identity.

The same dynamic evolution is visible in discussions of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Across earlier volumes, the BRI, first proposed by Xi in 2013, transitioned from an infrastructure-focused connectivity initiative to a broad platform for international cooperation. This shift reflects China's intention to position the BRI within the broader architecture of a multipolar world, offering a complement—not a competitor—to existing development models.

Understanding this internal logic is crucial, especially for audiences in Europe and the wider West. China's rise does not merely reflect economic growth; it signals the emergence of alternative perspectives on development, governance and global order. Engaging with these perspectives is not an act of endorsement but of intellectual responsibility. In an era of global interdependence, misunderstanding China imposes costs not only on bilateral relations but on global problem-solving.

SOURCE Beijing Review