By Gong Ming, People’s Daily
Today, China’s new development philosophy has gained global recognition, becoming a broadly welcomed global public good.
In 2024, more than ten foreign heads of state and chiefs of government visited tech companies in southChina’s tech hub ofShenzhen. Anji, east China’s Zhejiang province, where the principle that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” was introduced, was recognized by the United Nations as a “Biodiversity Charming City.” Besides, development training programs hosted by China have seen enthusiastic participation from other developing countries.
Why are so many countries looking to China?
Because China has embarked on a modernization path different from that of the West, offering the world a new development perspective.
China’s success inlifting 800 million people out of poverty has proven that developing countries can eliminate poverty, when there is endurance, perseverance and striving spirit. The Pinglu Canal in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region is under construction, and aerial footage of the project has stunned foreign netizens, who call it a “sci-fi-level engineering feat.”
Meanwhile, Chinese electric vehicles are winning fans worldwide, mobile payment is expanding across borders, and AI models like DeepSeek are showcasing what some call an “Eastern miracle.” Many countries are realizing: the future is already here.
Does China’s development philosophy work for others? The evidence suggests that it does.
In Laos, a village has drawn inspiration from the poverty alleviation efforts of Shibadong village in central China’s Hunan province, creating a blueprint for sustainable development. Uzbekistan is piloting Chinese poverty alleviation experience in various regions and cities, steadily reducing its domestic poverty rate. Rwanda has adopted China’s e-commerce practices to boost its economic growth.
China’s development experience – rooted in its own national conditions – resonates both emotionally and practically with many other developing countries. As Peruvian President Dina Boluarte noted, “From China, we have learned that nothing is impossible.”
From the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya and the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway in Cambodia to Nigeria’sMurtala Muhammed International Airport and Peru’sChancay Port, China-built infrastructure projects have delivered tangible benefits to local communities. Meanwhile, they represent China’s deep commitment to global development – a globalized expression of the country’s new development philosophy.
As an ancient Chinese goes,”If you want to get rich, build a road first.”This ancient wisdom has guided China’s own development, from the early days of reform and opening up to the battle against poverty. Now, as part of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, this experience is extending globally, providing other developing nations with a powerful strategy to eliminate poverty and improve people’slivelihoods.
When visiting China, foreign political leaders often carve out time from their tight schedules to explore rural villages and learn more about China’s development stories. Upon returning to their countries, many turn to books like “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China,””Xi Jinping’s Excerpts on Poverty Alleviation,” and “Up and Out of Poverty,” studying China’s policies and adapting them to their own national conditions.
Can a country’s development philosophy become a global public good? Definitely.
Traditionally, global public goods, such as UN peacekeeping operations and the Paris Agreement on climate change, are mechanisms and actions that require collaboration and cooperation within the international community. They often address issues related toglobal security, economic stability, and environmental protection, benefiting multiple countries and even the entire world.
However, this is a narrow definition. Concepts with universal value can also foster global consensus on issues of common concern, driving global cooperation and development.
In recent years, China’s proposals and initiatives – including the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilizations Initiative, the people-centered development philosophy, sustainable development, and win-win cooperation – have gained traction worldwide.
These ideas have not only guided China’s own development but also provided experience and wisdom for the international community, becoming global public goods in both theory and practice.
China is ready to share its successful development experience with other countries to achieve common progress. Today, less than 1 billion people in the world have achieved modernization, with over 700 million people still suffering from hunger. China firmly believes that true development isdevelopment for all, and the frontrunners should give a hand to other countries who are yet to catch up. Only by making the pie of development bigger can the world achieve shared prosperity.
As China’snew development philosophy continues to gain global recognition andbe actively implemented worldwide, especially in developing countries, it has become a broadly welcomed global public good.
