Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GT
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries and striving to open new ground for China's neighborhood work.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which was held in Beijing from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Despite the persistence of traditional geopolitical constraints, China faces a historic opportunity in today's evolving international landscape — one that allows it to actively shape its regional environment and comprehensively build a community with a shared future with its neighbors.
Among the world's major powers, China has the most neighboring countries. The surrounding region forms the foundation for China's security and prosperity. Whether in terms of geography, natural environment, or historical ties, it holds tremendous strategic importance. In the short term, a peaceful and stable regional environment is essential for achieving China's domestic economic and social development goals. Over the long term, building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries is critical to achieving the second centenary goal: transforming China into a modern socialist country in all respects, realizing national rejuvenation, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Guided by the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China has made relations with its neighbors a top diplomatic priority. Initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative have all taken root first in neighboring countries, underscoring the unique and central role that neighborhood diplomacy plays in China's foreign policy.
At present, China's relations with its neighbors are at their strongest in modern history. China has reached consensus on building a community with a shared future with 17 neighboring countries and signed Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 25 neighboring countries. China is also the largest trading partner of 18 countries in the region, reflecting deep and growing interdependence.
To sustain progress in building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries, two key areas require continued effort. First, promote the awareness of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries and ensure it takes root and flourishes. China shares land and sea borders with its neighbors and their fates are closely intertwined. From the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s to the recent earthquake in Myanmar, shared challenges have highlighted the need for joint responses. Widespread public acceptance of this vision will be vital for breakthroughs in China's neighborhood diplomacy and for forging lasting, positive ties.
Second, broaden cooperation across multiple sectors to accelerate progress in building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. In the area of political and security cooperation, efforts should focus on non-traditional security issues such as cross-border law enforcement to foster deeper collaboration. In economic development, closer integration along industrial and value chains can help build a tightly knit community of shared interests. In social and cultural spheres, exchanges in education, culture, tourism, youth engagement, sports, media, and subnational cooperation can strengthen people-to-people ties and foster impactful, long-lasting projects.
In sum, prioritizing the building of a community with a shared future with neighboring countries is both a timely response to current challenges and a long-term strategic imperative. We must fully understand the depth and scope of this concept and work hand-in-hand with regional partners to build an Asia that is peaceful, prosperous, beautiful, and harmonious - a shared home for all.
The author is director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
