新时代中国国际战略探析

赵可金

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China （CPC） in 2012， China’s diplomacy has been forging ahead and has accomplished achievements of historic significance under strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. Xi has repeatedly pointed out that “the world today is undergoing profound transformation unseen in a century” and that “although both opportunities and challenges we face are unprecedented in scale， the opportunities outweigh the challenges in general.” Under new historical conditions， establishing major-country diplomacy with national characteristics has become the strategic thinking of the CPC central leadership. As a significant major country on the world stage， China should adopt a strategic path different from that of the established powers， and pursue major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics on the basis of managing well its internal and external affairs. China’s strategic goal is never to seek global hegemony， nor to expand its geopolitical and economic space， but to meet the Chinese people’s growing needs for a better life and then build a community with a shared future for mankind. Fostering global partnerships， exploring new global development paradigms， and advancing global governance reform are all strategies with a common goal—the well-being of the Chinese people and shared prosperity with the international community.

China’s global strategy in the new era is a Chinese approach to significant issues concerning the future of humanity. The answer to the fundamental question of what kind of future we should create and how to create it bears great significance not only to major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and China’s national rejuvenation， but also to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Assessing the Situation with Clear Strategic Goals

A scientific assessment of the strategic environment is a prerequisite for formulating global strategy. A country’s global strategy depends largely on the international strategic landscape， the country’s domestic development， and in particular its position on the world stage. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to diplomatic work and to the country’s top priorities. With a view to achieving national rejuvenation amid global changes of a scale unseen in a century， the CPC central leadership has identified the core issues of China’s global strategy， and completed top-level design and strategic planning for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Identifying strategic issues and coordinating internal and international imperatives

Regarding the international imperative， one must take into consideration the fact that the world today is undergoing changes unseen in a century. That is a primary strategic assessment made by Xi Jinping on the current world landscape and international situation from a historical perspective. The strategic assessment is based on the collective rise of emerging market and developing countries， which has dramatically changed the global balance of power， accelerated profound adjustments in the world structure and the global governance system， and significantly influenced the trajectory of human history. Amid the rapid spread of COVID-19 which shocked the global industrial and supply chains throughout 2020， many people anticipated a reversal of globalization and even a return to the Cold War. In response to this， Xi clearly put forward his judgement that profound changes are accelerating， instead of being reversed， during the pandemic. “Keeping up with the times， one cannot live in the 21st century while thinking in the old fashion， lingering in the age of colonial expansion or with the zero-sum mentality of the Cold War.”

Chaos and opportunities are intertwined amid major changes. In a world where all countries are more or less facing headwinds， complexity and uncertainty has become the new reality. For China， the most significant uncertainty in its global strategy lies in changes in China-US relations. As China comes closer to rivaling the United States in overall strength， their competition has become increasingly intense. There is a heated debate over whether China and the US are caught in the “Thucydides’s Trap.” With escalating bilateral disputes over economy and trade， high technology， issues related to Taiwan and Hong Kong， and the South China Sea， human rights and cyberspace， these frictions have expanded to many areas of bilateral relations and even escalated to regional and global levels. Exclusivist multilateralism in the disguise of groups like the so-called “League of Democracies” （D-10）， the “Techno-Democracies” （T-12）， and the Group of Seven （G7） is in full swing. China-US relations face serious challenges， bringing more risks in economic and social fields. China must be fully prepared strategically to confront these risks and challenges.

In terms of the domestic imperative， China’s development environment is undergoing profound changes as it moves toward a new stage of high-quality development. The 19th CPC National Congress report pointed out that the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into one between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life. Adapting to the evolution of this principal contradiction， the primary task in the new development stage is to build a modern socialist country and achieve socialist modernization comprehensively. From standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong， China finds itself concurrently entering a period of frequent challenges including that of escaping the middle-income trap. Various risks， both foreseeable and unforeseeable， and complicated contradictions are mounting and even breaking out simultaneously. If not handled properly， all these will endanger the Party’s ruling position and even national security. According to Xi Jinping， “The major threats we may encounter include domestic economic， political， ideological and social risks and those from nature， as well as global economic， political and military risks.” “We have to tackle all kinds of threats but the focus should be on those that may delay or interrupt the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” Major threats facing China’s global strategy are those that go against the CPC’s leadership， the socialist system with Chinese characteristics， and the supremacy of national interests， and thus cause strategic and subversive mistakes. In constructing its global strategy in the new era， China should become more vigilant and prevent and resolve those risks.

As President Xi said， “Looking at the overall situation， China’s development is still in an important period of strategic opportunities. Our biggest opportunity lies in China’s growth in strength. At the same time， we need to focus on various risks and challenges， and turn crises into opportunities and turn discord into peace.” In order to seize the strategic opportunity for development， China must enhance its strategic resolve and focus on the theme of serving national rejuvenation and promoting human progress. On the one hand， China should firmly push itself to be stronger and strive to realize the great dream of national rejuvenation; on the other hand， China should actively assume the international responsibility of building a community with a shared future for mankind， and work toward a better and more peaceful world. Xi’s important proposition reveals the direction of world development and the bright future of national rejuvenation， and charts the course for seizing the general trend and the period of strategic opportunity.

Clarifying strategic goals and doing great things for China and the world

Scientific strategic objectives are the core mission of a country’s global strategy. With the rapid growth of China’s comprehensive national power and international influence， there are concerns that China will become a hegemon and start bullying others， a narrative that is perpetrated in the widely spread “China threat” rhetoric. It is speculated that China will become another superpower， seek hegemony when it grows in strength， and even fall into the “Thucydides’s Trap.” However， China’s national rejuvenation is never a path toward hegemony or a zero-sum game. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， Xi Jinping repeatedly made the solemn promise that China will stick to the path of peaceful development and “will never seek hegemony or expansion.” He said， “What are today’s global trends？ The only answer is the path of peace， development， cooperation and mutual benefit. China will not follow the old logic that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony.”

China’s strategic goal is not to seek hegemony， nor to serve as “the world’s policeman，” let alone supplant any country， but is aimed at enabling the Chinese people to lead a better life and to promote universal harmony. President Xi emphasized the importance of understanding and support from other countries in pursuing the Chinese Dream. “The Chinese Dream features peace， development， cooperation， and win-win results. We pursue the well-being of both the Chinese people and the people in all countries.” Thus， China’s diplomacy in the new era follows a people-centered philosophy of development and integrates China and the world’s development in fulfilling the aspirations of the Chinese people and the international community for a better future. The strategic goal of China’s diplomacy in the new era is to find a new major-power strategy while doing great things for China and the world.

In the domestic sphere， Chinese diplomacy must rise to the promised mission of national rejuvenation and achieve the “two centenary goals.” In April 2013， at a meeting with members of the Board of Directors of the Boao Forum for Asia， Xi Jinping stated， “Both domestic and foreign policies of China should serve to realize the ‘two centenary goals，’” At the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in June 2018， he said， “China’s diplomacy must focus on the overall work of the Party and government to create favorable conditions for， and make its due contribution toward， building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and a great socialist country both at present and for some time to come.” Bearing the “two centenary goals” in mind， China will continue to make significant breakthroughs in realizing national unity， shared prosperity， and national rejuvenation.

In the international sphere， the overall goal of Chinese diplomacy is to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Xi Jinping stated in the report of the 19th CPC National Congress that “major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics aims to foster a new type of international relations and build a community with a shared future for mankind.” It is what Chinese socialism naturally entails and what Chinese diplomacy in the new era fundamentally pursues. The revised CPC Constitution adopted at the 19th CPC National Congress also clearly proposed to promote “a community with a shared future for mankind and a harmonious world of lasting peace and prosperity.”

The Chinese people will not provoke trouble， but will never flinch when trouble comes our way. China has shouldered great responsibilities on significant global challenges to human peace and development as a major power. On July 1， 2021， Xi， at a ceremony marking the centenary of the CPC， once again declared， “We should stay committed to taking history as a mirror to open up a brighter future in pursuing a community with a shared future for mankind.” As a long-term goal， it requires the concerted efforts of all countries to lead the way for mankind and achieve shared prosperity through mutually beneficial cooperation while flying the flag of the community with a shared future for mankind.

Coordinating Security and Development Based on Strategic Planning

Scientific strategic planning is the working framework of China’s global strategy. For a long time， Chinese diplomacy has focused on safeguarding national sovereignty， security， and development interests. However， China’s national interests vary at different historical periods. From the founding of New China until the country’s reform and opening-up， there were attempts to isolate， suppress and contain China by the imperialist powers and the real threat of “counter-attacking the mainland” by reactionary forces at home. China then put emphasis on safeguarding its sovereignty and made every effort to “stand up” on the world stage. After the launch of reform and opening-up， with its legitimate membership restored in the United Nations and diplomatic relations established with most countries， China’s strategic focus shifted to the economy. It prioritized economic development and its diplomatic strategies served to create a favorable international and neighboring environment for its modernization and prosperity.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress， the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has resolutely placed national sovereignty， security and development interests above anything else and made clear that both development and security should be ensured for China to become strong. Xi stressed the importance of risk prevention as there are both favorable conditions and risks and challenges for China’s development. Entering a new development stage， China faces grave and complicated risks in all regards. “If we do not properly handle possible major risks， national security will be threatened， and the building of a moderately prosperous society in all aspects may be hampered.” China has coordinated national security and economic development and given higher priority to risk prevention. At the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs， Xi called for “the implementation of the comprehensive national security concept to strengthen confidence in the path， theory and system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and maintain the country’s long-term stability.” Also， Chinese diplomacy must “stick to the country’s core interests as the bottom line and safeguard national sovereignty， security and development interests.” We should think about worst-case scenarios and take an unequivocal stance on defending China’s core interests.

It is easy to see that security has become a strategic focus with the emphasis on the comprehensive national security concept and safeguarding national core interests. China’s global strategy in the new era has shifted from a development-centered approach to one that values both security and development in order to achieve a development with a higher level of quality， efficiency， equity， sustainability and security. In accordance with changing priorities of national interests， China’s international strategic layout has undergone corresponding adjustments， presenting comprehensive， multi-level， and multi-dimensional features.

Developing global partnerships

China must actively advance global partnerships to facilitate its great national rejuvenation and the building of a shared future for mankind. China adheres to the independent foreign policy of peace and nonalignment， and “takes a new approach to developing state-to-state relations with communication， not confrontation， and with partnership， not alliance.” To develop global partnerships， China must expand shared interests with other countries， continuously advance its diplomatic agenda in a comprehensive， multi-level， multi-faceted way， and make more friends in the world. China has taken the lead in defining global partnerships as the guiding principle of inter-state relations， and is devoted to building equal， peaceful， and inclusive partnerships. It has developed diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries and established different types of partnerships with more than 110 countries and four regional organizations， including 93 strategic partnerships， thereby forming a network of global partnerships in a comprehensive， multi-level， multi-faceted way.

Major countries play a decisive role in shaping international relations. As Xi said， “Relations between major powers affect the world’s strategic stability， and all major powers bear specific responsibilities.” It is necessary to “actively develop relations with major powers” and “establish a framework of major-country relations that is generally stable and balanced.”

Among China’s all relationships with other major powers， China-Russia relations are of the deepest mutual trust， the highest coordination level and the greatest strategic value. China and Russia should advance the bilateral comprehensive partnership of coordination for a new era， firmly support each other in safeguarding core interests， and conduct cooperation in various fields to ensure the strategic coordination operating at a high level. For China and the United States， as one of the world’s most important bilateral relationships， cooperation is the only wise option for both sides. As Xi Jinping stated， both sides should “uphold the spirit of non-conflict， non-confrontation， mutual respect and win-win cooperation， focus on cooperation， manage differences， and advance the healthy and stable development of China-US ties.” However， some US politicians have openly claimed China as the primary strategic competitor， smearing China and interfering in its internal affairs， all of which has offended China’s national interests and dramatically harmed the China-US relationship. Therefore， while staying committed to building a China-US relationship featuring non-conflict， non-confrontation， mutual respect and win-win cooperation， China has firmly safeguarded its national sovereignty， security and development interests， and resolutely countered US attempts to undermine its national interests. For Europe， given its position as an important engine in the multi-polar world， it is imperative that China strengthen communication and cooperation with European countries and the European Union on multilateralism， climate change， environmental protection and the digital economy， and develop a China-EU partnership of peace， growth， reform and civilization.

The neighborhood is where China survives and thrives， and must be prioritized in diplomacy. In November 2014， the CPC Central Committee held the first symposium on neighborhood diplomacy since the founding of New China. As Xi said， “China implements the principles of amity， sincerity， mutual benefit， and inclusiveness in developing relations with neighboring countries， and promotes friendship and partnership with them，” and “China should deepen win-win cooperation and connectivity with neighboring countries to build a community of shared future.”

On the Korean Peninsula， China is committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and has been working to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula. It advocates dialogue and consultation to resolve conflicts， and has proposed the dual-track approach of denuclearizing the peninsula on the one hand and establishing a lasting peace mechanism on the other. It has also offered the “suspension-for-suspension” initiative， asking North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities and the US and South Korea to suspend their large-scale military exercises. In terms of China-Japan relations， both countries should hold fast to the spirit stipulated in the four bilateral political documents and the four-point principled consensus， drawing lessons from history and looking to the future to further develop their relations. In Southeast Asia， China firmly continues its partnership and cooperation with ASEAN， supports its centrality and the building of the ASEAN community， and helps ASEAN to play a greater role in building an open and inclusive architecture of regional cooperation. In South Asia， China is willing to live in harmony with regional countries， and contributes to their common development based on the Belt and Road Initiative （BRI）. In Central Asia， China attaches great importance to its friendly and cooperative relations with regional countries and promotes regional cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO） and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia （CICA）， welcoming all countries to get on board the express train of its development.

Developing countries are China’s natural allies in international affairs. China has actively promoted South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue， and always insisted on solidarity and cooperation with developing countries. According to Xi Jinping， “Guided by the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests and the principle of sincerity， real results， affinity， and good faith， China will work to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries.”

For China and Africa， their future and destiny are closely linked， and their interests entwined. Under the principle of sincerity， practical results， affinity and good faith， China is committed to building a China-Africa community with a shared future that features joint responsibility， win-win cooperation， happiness for all， shared cultural prosperity， common security， and harmonious co-existence. China and the Arab states are also close friends and partners. Both sides uphold the Silk Road spirit and have been deepening their future-oriented strategic partnership of comprehensive cooperation and joint development and building a China-Arab states community with a shared future based on common convictions and pursuit， featuring tranquility and harmony and in pursuit of development and prosperity. Though China is geographically distant from Latin America and the Caribbean， their friendly relations have a long history. Both sides pursue a comprehensive partnership featuring equality， mutual benefit and common development in creating a China-Latin America community with a shared future， which sets a good example of South-South cooperation.

Building a new global development paradigm

A new global development paradigm helps achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. China must stay committed to the fundamental policy of opening-up， promote the high-quality development of the BRI， and pursue an open world economy. As Xi Jinping stated， “economic globalization is an irreversible trend of our times” and “we should stay committed to openness， connectivity and mutual benefits， and build an open global economy.” These are profound insights into the trend of economic globalization， mapping the approach and direction of China’s global development， which is to hold high the banner of opening up， oppose all forms of protectionism， and advance the liberalization and facilitation of global trade and investment.

It is important to promote new platforms for international cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. According to Xi， the Belt and Road construction is a major strategy to expand China’s opening-up， a top-level design of economic diplomacy， and a necessary platform to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， China has actively promoted the Belt and Road cooperation， creating a new model of all-round opening-up and a new platform of international cooperation. It has strengthened policy， infrastructure， trade， financial and people-to-people connectivity to add new impetus to common development.

At present， as the BRI evolves from an initiative to a reality， China’s focus should transition from making high-level plans to intensive and meticulous implementation in advancing the BRI. China has successfully held two Belt and Road Forums for International Cooperation. It upholds the principle of extensive consultation， joint contribution and shared benefits and practices openness， green development and integrity. China also aims at high-standard， people-centered， sustainable growth and high-quality development. The BRI has become a popular public good， with 140 countries and 32 international organizations joining it. Also， China has insisted on the strategy of opening-up to pursue its development. As Xi stressed， “China needs high-level opening-up to forge new advantages in international cooperation and competition.” In recent years， China has vigorously advanced the construction of pilot free trade zones and successfully held major events including the China International Import Expo and the China International Fair for Trade in Services. These events have improved the overall level of opening-up， advanced a new open economic system of higher standards， and created further advantages in international cooperation and competition.

It is also important to pursue an open world economy. China needs to step up international coordination of macroeconomic policies， facilitate trade and investment liberalization， reject barriers to trade and decoupling， support the multilateral trading system and an open world economy， and promote the construction of free trade zones. China has actively participated in the reform of the global economic governance system to make it fairer and more equitable. Moreover， it has implemented a strategy to upgrade free trade zones， joined bilateral and multilateral regional cooperation agreements on trade and investment， and made efforts to create a global network of high-standard free trade zones. China signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement （RCEP）， and completed negotiations on the China-EU Comprehensive Agreement on Investment on schedule， showing its commitment to opening-up and cooperation. In addition， positioning itself as a major developing country， China has promoted South-South cooperation to narrow the development gap between the North and the South. It has increased assistance to developing countries， especially the least developed countries， supported them to improve their independent development capacities， and contributed to the resolution of global development imbalance， digital divide， and reducing the North-South development gap.

Promoting global governance reforms

To advance national rejuvenation and build a community with a shared future for mankind， China should play a leading role in global governance reforms based on fairness and justice. China upholds and practices multilateralism， emphasizing that matters concerning all shall be handled through joint consultation and that the world’s future is in the hands of all countries. In response to “the rules-based international order” promoted by certain countries， China firmly supports the global system with the United Nations at its core， the international order underpinned by international law， and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. It is firmly opposed to any forms of a new Cold War， ideological confrontation， and the practice of forming small circles.

First， China has safeguarded the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law. It supports multilateralism underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that values equality and win-win cooperation while resolutely opposing pseudo-multilateralism， which is actually unilateralism. China advances democracy in international relations and supports the UN， including necessary reforms of the UN Security Council which would reflect the concerns of developing countries in a more balanced manner. Within the framework of international groupings including the G20， the International Monetary Fund， the World Bank， the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization， China advocates the coordination of macroeconomic policies among countries， rejects protectionism and unilateralism， and upholds the rules-based international order. It promotes the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment to achieve strong， sustainable， balanced and inclusive growth and build a community of health for all. Moreover， China has actively participated in cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and deepened partnerships within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation （APEC） to build an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future featuring openness and inclusiveness， innovation-driven growth， greater connectivity， and mutually beneficial cooperation. It attaches great importance to the BRICS cooperation mechanism， promotes the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution， and consolidates the BRICS cooperation architecture with the three main drivers of economic cooperation， political and security cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. China advocates the Shanghai Spirit and strengthens cooperation in various fields within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO） to facilitate the building of a closer SCO community of shared future.

Second， China has actively offered its unique solutions to hotspot issues. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council， China bears indispensable responsibility for international peace and security. In recent years， it has actively participated in resolving issues including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue， the Iran nuclear issue， and issues related to South Sudan and Afghanistan. It has become a major troop contributor and financier to UN peacekeeping operations and gradually developed its own approach to hotspot issues， namely a peaceful， justifiable and constructive approach which resorts to political solutions instead of the use of force， rejects interference in internal affairs or any imposition on others， and insists on objectivity and fairness instead of the pursuit of private interests. In Africa， China has actively mediated the disputes in South Sudan without interfering in African internal affairs. In Asia， China has worked on peace talks in Afghanistan and promoted reconciliation in Myanmar. In the Middle East， China has supported the peace talks between Israel and Palestine， worked with all parties to reach a comprehensive agreement on the Iran nuclear issue， and actively participated in the political settlement of the Syrian issue.

Third， China has actively joined international cooperation in new domains. As economic globalization deepens， issues related to new domains such as the deep sea， the polar regions， outer space and cyberspace have emerged. Given this， Xi Jinping has stressed the need to promote the reform of the global governance system and improve governance rules for these new domains， to ensure that all countries share both rights and responsibilities. “Guided by the principle of peace， sovereignty， inclusiveness and shared governance， we should turn the deep sea， the polar regions， outer space and the internet into new frontiers for cooperation rather than a wrestling ground for competition.” On the one hand， China has promoted the reform of established international rules and helped raise the influence of emerging market and developing countries. On the other hand， China has become more involved in rules-making in these new domains and increased its support for cooperation mechanisms and projects in digital governance， educational exchange， civilizational dialogue and ecological construction， thereby contributing more Chinese solutions to global governance.

Strengthening Strategic Planning for Better Enforcement

To maintain the initiative in diplomatic work， China must strengthen its scientific strategic planning and ensure effective political leadership. In December 2014， Xi Jinping mentioned strategic thinking at a collective study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. “We should develop strategic thinking and global vision， coordinate internal and international imperatives， examine the development of our country and the world， and hence enhance China’s opening-up.” As it moves ever closer to the center of the world stage， China has witnessed a fundamental change of its position and played a bigger role in global affairs， not only as a regional power but also as a world power. While what it says and does now has a global impact and attracts the world’s attention， it is also facing all kinds of predictable and unpredictable stigmatization and challenges. Therefore， it is essential for China to maintain strategic resolve， strengthen strategic planning and reinforce strategic leadership in implementing its global strategy in the new era.

Maintaining strategic resolve

A major country must behave in a way commensurate with its status. As the world’s largest developing country， China’s conduct in world affairs has a huge bearing on the whole world. In the face of opportunities and challenges， China should focus on its top priorities and maintain strategic resolve， governing wisely in the new era， and responding effectively to significant risks by exploring new opportunities and breaking new ground. That requires tackling the ever-changing international situation with steady and strategic confidence. China will improve top-level design and implement its established strategic plans with an established pace， undisturbed by external factors of various forms.

Generally， strategies matter for major countries， while tactics matter for small countries. In recent years， China has been caught in the whirlpool of public opinion with the spread of rhetoric including “China threat，” “neo-colonialism，” “debt trap diplomacy” and “sharp power.” These attacks have put China in a passive position where even facts can hardly speak for themselves， which has become a major problem facing Chinese diplomacy today. Especially since the COVID-19 outbreak， some Western countries have attempted to politicize， label， and stigmatize China and made a lot of hype about the origin of the virus， claiming that “China conceals vital information，” that “China must take all the responsibility and make compensation，” and that “China exports inferior products.” They have also attacked the Chinese system and slandered the Chinese economy. In addition， they slandered China for building “concentration camps” in Xinjiang， called out the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong for violating the city’s autonomy and undermining its democracy， and accused China of stealing US technology and intellectual property in China-US trade frictions. China’s image in developed countries has been declining year by year since 2016， while the trend is opposite in developing countries. Compared to those in developed countries， respondents in developing countries have a better impression of China in specific areas such as politics， economy and culture. Given that there is international strategic competition behind such divergence， China must have strategic resolve and confidence to avoid being swayed by a sudden turn of events and falling into traps set by others. Strategic resolve dictates that China will follow principles and rules on major issues and never blindly follow the lead of its strategic rivals.

Improving top-level design is an important way to maintain strategic resolve. Top-level design was originally a term in systems engineering， referring to systematic thinking of scientific design from the top to the grassroots level. Xi Jinping applied the concept to the governance of a country， stressing the need of overall design， coordination， promotion， and implementation in in-depth reform. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， China has changed its strategic posture from the earlier “crossing the river by feeling the stones” and “hiding one’s capacities and biding one’s time.” It has improved top-level planning and advanced major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in a more proactive manner. To this end， the CPC Central Committee has held the first symposium on neighborhood diplomacy since the founding of New China and two conferences on foreign affairs. It turned the Central Leading Group on Foreign Affairs into the Central Foreign Affairs Commission， significantly improving the top-level design and coordination in diplomacy. Regarding the disconnect between international and domestic affairs， the CPC central leadership has stressed the need for Chinese diplomacy to strengthen top-level design and coordination， improve its ability in steering the overall direction， making overall plans and formulating feasible policies. Besides， reforms of the institutions and mechanisms for diplomatic work should be advanced， and cultivation of diplomatic professionals should be accelerated. Specific efforts should be made to advance， inspect and supervise the implementation of crucial tasks to ensure that the central leadership’s foreign policy decisions are put into practice. Relevant efforts in recent years include the building of the community of a shared future for mankind， the Belt and Road Initiative for international cooperation， the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and multiple high-level host diplomacy events.

Strengthening tactical management

The effectiveness of policies and strategies concerns the Party’s survival. Scientific strategic planning and tactical management are the keys to grasping the strategic initiative. The relationship between strategic resolve and tactical management is dialectical. While strategic resolve requires firm and distinct positions and principles on major issues， tactical management calls for flexibility and adaptability. The two complement each other， which is conducive to Chinese diplomacy as it faces major changes.

Increased tactical management has been a distinctive feature of Chinese diplomacy since the 18th CPC National Congress. Under a clear strategy of focusing on managing major-power relations and shaping a favorable neighborhood environment， China’s tactics have become more flexible， and Xi has placed great emphasis on tactics and the art of battle. “We must grasp major contradictions and the main aspects of the contradictions with justified， effective， and proportionate countermeasures. On matters of principle， no concession shall be made. On matters of tactics， flexibility is always the priority.” In managing major-power relations， a holistic perspective should be applied to the strategic interactions among China， Russia， the United States and Europe. Within the established framework of building generally stable and balanced major-power relations， China should have the courage to fight back and manage differences on issues concerning core national interests. In relations with neighboring countries， China should coordinate its efforts to stabilize， manage， and shape the neighborhood， and strike a balance between maintaining stability and safeguarding rights on sensitive disputes， so as to promote the building of a community with a shared future in the immediate neighborhood. In relations with developing countries， China should well coordinate bilateral relations and regional multilateral cooperation by upholding justice while pursuing shared interests， to achieve an integration of both and build a community of both shared interests and shared future. In dealing with regional hotspot issues， China should stand firm on its principles and accommodate all parties’ interests towards political solutions. All the above initiatives involve the methodology of tactical management and blaze a new path of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

There is obviously a limit to tactical management. On issues related to core national sovereignty， security and development interests， China must persist in bottom-line thinking and consider the worst-case scenario. According to Xi， “as hostile forces of all kinds will not allow us to achieve national rejuvenation unimpeded， our Party must be prepared to the great struggle of new historical characteristics. This struggle includes the competition of both soft and hard power.” Since the 18th CPC National Congress， China has demonstrated the courage to draw the red line and resolutely fight back in response to diplomatic issues related to the Diaoyu Islands， the South China Sea， Taiwan， Hong Kong， Xinjiang， and the China-US economic and trade frictions. These well-balanced and justified measures have constituted a reliable backbone and firewall for China’s global strategy amid the increasingly complex and challenging internal situation.

Reinforcing strategic leadership

The more than 100 years of China’s modern history shows that only the Chinese Communist Party can be relied on to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation， and only the path of Chinese characteristics makes it possible. To promote major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics， China must adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC， continuously improve its theoretical， mechanism， rule of law and capacity building， and provide political guarantee for national rejuvenation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Strengthening theoretical building. Practice is guided by theory. At the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in June 2018， the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy was established as the Party’s guideline. It points the way and sets the fundamental course for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. An important part of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era， the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy is the theoretical crystallization of basic Marxist principles and the practice of China’s major-country diplomacy and a centralized embodiment of the CPC Central Committee’s governance thoughts in foreign affairs. In particular， Xi Jinping， as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee， has assumed his responsibility as leader of a major country while bearing in mind the China’s top interests. He has put forward a series of new concepts， ideas and strategies directed to challenges and risks facing China， which profoundly reveal the essential requirements， inherent laws， and directions of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era. In practice， it is necessary to adhere to the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy， promote theoretical and practical innovation， and continuously enrich its theoretical， strategic and policy connotations.

Advancing mechanism building. Strategy can only be supported with effective mechanisms. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， the Central Committee has conducted institutional reforms related to diplomatic work， effectively strengthening centralized leadership and coordination in China’s diplomacy. In terms of leadership， the Central Leading Group on Foreign Affairs was replaced by the Central Foreign Affairs Commission， and resources of departments responsible for foreign and maritime affairs have been reorganized to greatly improve top-level design and unified leadership. In terms of policy implementation， China has further coordinated the leadership of local foreign affairs， overseas institutions， and foreign aid departments， to make sure the Party’s policies are put into practice. In February 2017， the 32nd meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform adopted the guidelines on strengthening the Party’s leadership for local work relating to foreign affairs， on reforming the leadership， management and supervision of institutions abroad， on reforming the diplomatic workforce， and on foreign assistance. The external exchanges conducted by the People’s Congress and the People’s Political Consultative Conference at different levels， the military， local governments， and people’s organizations were coordinated. With political building as the overarching theme， these measures aim to ensure that the CPC fulfills its core role of overall leadership and coordination to achieve comprehensively positive impact.

Enhancing overseas rule of law building. The rule of law is the cornerstone of governance. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the importance of rules-based governance in achieving fairness and justice. In recent years， as more Chinese citizens and enterprises go abroad， the demand for regulatory compliance and legal rights protection has become more prominent， which makes the lack of related legal services a more severe problem. At the same time， the global spread of COVID-19 shows that the global challenges facing humanity are also on the rise， which no country can totally avoid. To jointly address global challenges， it requires countries to improve the building of overseas rule of law， strengthen the application of international law， and uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law. In overseas rule of law building， China may start with establishing relevant mechanisms and positions in embassies and consulates abroad， more rigorously studying and applying international law， providing legal services for Chinese citizens and enterprises abroad， and advancing rules-based diplomacy. These are essential dimensions of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Accelerating capacity building. With increasing exchanges between China and other countries conducted by diversified actors and in various channels， a group of globally competent professionals for global governance is more than ever needed. In particular， the COVID-19 pandemic has placed heavy demand on overseas protection and consular service in Chinese diplomacy. As China plays a bigger role in global affairs， Chinese diplomats must better enhance their visions and global competence to observe the situation in China and the world from different perspectives. For a long time， China’s diplomatic talents mainly come from foreign language majors. lacking knowledge and training in international relations， world economy， global governance， overseas rule of law and international negotiation. Given this， China must vigorously promote personnel development， overcome the bottlenecks in qualified human resources， and create a talent reserve for its participation in global governance. In addition， with the increasing scale and frequency of China’s interaction with the world， the workload of foreign affairs increases exponentially， but infrastructure building in areas such as overseas protection and consular services often fails to keep up with the development needs. Therefore， more investment is required in international strategic budgeting， diplomatic infrastructure development， and science and technology empowerment in order to improve China’s diplomatic capacity.

Conclusion

Ideas guide actions and strategies determine the results. Since the 18th CPC National Congress， under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core， China has constructed a major-country diplomatic strategy with Chinese characteristics. Guided by the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy， the strategy pursues national rejuvenation and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind in a world that is undergoing momentous changes of a kind not seen in a century. In order to advance major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics， China must build global partnerships， foster a new global development paradigm， and lead global governance reforms. China must also maintain strategic resolve， strengthen tactical management， and reinforce strategic leadership.

China’s strategic objective is not to engage in a gamble of the century with another superpower for global hegemony， nor to expand its sphere of influence. What China seeks are things that bring win-win results. It contributes to world peace and development and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind by participating in and leading global governance， while bearing in mind China’s top priorities and the well-being of the Chinese people. These are not rhetorical gambits， but rather decisions based on primary social problems facing national rejuvenation and the profound changes unseen in a century. Facing the intricate changes in the domestic and international landscape， China has chosen to stand on the right side of the trend of the times with strategic determination and confidence.

Looking ahead， China will always be a builder of world peace， a contributor to global development， and a defender of the international order. Under the strong CPC central leadership， China will consider both domestic and global imperatives， focus on both development and security， and uphold and practice real multilateralism， to make greater contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind and promoting world peace and development.