From the beginning of the 21st century to the present day, we have witnessed how all the states with permanent seats on the UN Security Council have instigated wars around the world. Yet of these states, only the People’s Republic of China – despite having a province separated from the mainland – has not been a source of military conflict.
This demonstrates the traditional balance of Chinese foreign policy, which seeks to resolve issues of grave global significance through dialogue and diplomacy to lead to peace.
Success in foreign policy requires answering three questions: for whom, what results, and how to achieve them. In other words, it requires defining one’s own vision of foreign affairs. While governing a country is based on immutable principles, the well-being of the people is fundamental, and consequently, avoiding war is the cornerstone of Chinese foreign policy. In the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the main issue facing Chinese society is the contradiction between people’s ever-growing need for a better life and underperforming development. Meeting the people’s ever-growing need for a better life and enabling them to live better resolves this fundamental contradiction, promoting development and social progress.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The people are the source of our Party’s strength; the foundation of our Party lies with the people, its lifeblood lies with the people, and we must place the people first in our hearts and always regard their concerns as our own.” He then added: “Our goals are grand yet simple; ultimately, they consist of enabling the people to live a better life.”
Adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, upholding the principles that development is for the people, is the fundamental value orientation of the Communist Party of China. Party members and cadres must thoroughly understand the fundamental questions “Who am I?”, “For whom do I work?”, “On whom do I rely?”—questions that represent their original aspiration and mission—by strengthening their sense of public service, pursuing the spiritual dimension of living up to expectations, establishing a vision of performance that benefits the people, and consciously becoming selfless contributors dedicated to the common good.
Seeking truth from facts is the essence of Marxism with Chinese characteristics, and it is the fundamental prerequisite for understanding and striving to improve international relations, as well as the ideological, operational, and guiding principle of the CPC. Looking back on the CPC’s 105-year history, the Party has consistently adhered to the scientific approach of seeking truth from facts, uniting and leading the people through arduous explorations and great struggles—first for liberation and later for internal revolution—but never with the intention of exporting or imposing class struggle or upheavals on other countries, as is still occurring in some areas of international law, or at least what remains of the ius gentium.
The construction and reform projects, which have ushered in the great strides forward of the Chinese nation—which has evolved from a people first oppressed and exploited by imperialism and colonialism, and then, since 1949, into a rising state on the path to prosperity with a strong people—continue to advance toward the grand goal of the country’s rebirth, as well as its role as a peaceful arbiter of international issues.
Xi Jinping also emphasized: “All Party members must commit to emancipating the mind, seeking truth from facts, and keeping pace with the times, and be ready at any moment to defend the truth and correct errors.” Seeking truth from facts is a crucial tool for truly understanding why the CCP is capable of pursuing paths of peace and why socialism with Chinese characteristics is positive. All the achievements of the People’s Republic of China are rooted in the fertile soil of realism. Adhering to the principle of starting from reality and acting in full awareness of national and international laws as well as the Charter of the United Nations is the essence and central meaning of establishing and practicing a correct outlook on both domestic and foreign affairs.
The principle of performance evaluation is closely linked to the concept of development. High-quality development is the primary task in building a modern socialist country in every respect, and it is also the theme of economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030) and beyond: well-being achieved through internal peace and cooperation with international actors. Promoting high-quality development is a systematic project that requires the comprehensive, thorough, and holistic implementation of the new development philosophy. It requires a comprehensive consideration of various factors, including domestic and foreign policy considerations, as well as large-scale economic projects, current and historical realities, material and cultural factors, human development and livelihoods, resources, and ecology.
It also requires proper management of international relations that balances stability and progress, turning abstract concepts into concrete realities, and analyzing both short- and long-term symptoms and root causes. The Party and the State are committed to making scientific decisions and working diligently to chart a path of development that suits Chinese realities and has local characteristics without external interference. Leading bodies and cadres at all levels firmly establish the clear principle that “success is achieved through hard work, and only by working truly hard can concrete results be achieved.”
Opposition to formalism and bureaucracy is fundamental, since in third-world realities, these are the causes of the formation of so-called “democratic” visions among external ruling classes. Decision-makers in favor of war are “opposed” by the opposing current, which is merely a smokescreen to demonstrate the “democratic nature” of countries that sow death and discord. The so-called “hawks and doves” charade: we know full well that in a clash between these birds, the former will always win, while the latter are merely food, and at best become well-paid supporting actors.
Thus, Chinese diplomatic work unfolds from generation to generation, step by step, proving tenacious and pragmatic in the construction of peace. Adherence to a problem-solving approach is an indispensable requirement and a fundamental method for promoting comprehensive and rigorous governance that is also reflected in relations with other countries. Education in defining and practicing a correct vision of performance must combine a problem-solving orientation with a goal-oriented approach, ensuring that the focus on resolution permeates the entire process, continuously proposing new ideas, mechanisms, and methods to concretely resolve and overcome every obstacle standing in the way of peace among states.
In the People’s Republic of China, there is constant attention to the fact that some local and unit-level leaders and cadres still hold distorted and misleading views on these matters. For example, decisions and directives from the CPC Central Committee that run counter to the interests of the state are selectively implemented or disregarded; officials who ignore past commitments, who are short-sighted, who engage in grandstanding, falsification, reckless actions, and inconsistent political planning are being identified. These problems and phenomena seriously harm the country’s interests and the relationship between the CPC and the people. If they are not corrected in time and are allowed to spread, they will shake the very foundations of the government. Therefore, it is essential to carry out a rectification campaign aimed at promoting the implementation of corrective measures through education, using it to foster a correct understanding of conduct in order to guide the entire Party in establishing a new style and a righteous atmosphere, and in building a solid domestic and foreign policy.
Xi Jinping emphasized that “the Party’s self-criticism and self-revolution focus on governing power, and constraining that power through regulations is a fundamental task for governing the country comprehensively and rigorously in the new era.” Issues related to performance evaluation are closely linked to the arbitrary abuse of power, and the latter must be constrained by regulations. Gaps, shortcomings, and weaknesses in the system are identified through learning, training, and the correction of errors. The promotion and establishment of rules and regulations on a regular and long-term basis clearly define what can and cannot be done, for whom it is done, and how it should be done. Effective mechanisms are established and improved to prevent and correct deviations in the evaluation of foreign policy decisions, making the system more mature and well-defined. A proper framework is established for the selection and appointment of diplomatic personnel, making the institution and practice of proper performance evaluation an integral part of executive assessment and a crucial foundation for the selection, appointment, and performance evaluation of such personnel.
In the People’s Republic of China, strict and careful management is applied in the implementation of the “three distinctions”: 1) supporting those who take on responsibilities, 2) holding those responsible accountable for their actions, and 3) defending those who carry out their tasks.
Improving the evaluation system for high-quality diplomatic cadre development and performance appraisal enhances the relevance and scientific rigor of decisions and conduct abroad. The central task on this path of renewal is building a strong nation and achieving the great rejuvenation of the People’s Republic of China through Chinese-style modernization.
Faced with a complex and ever-changing international situation, as well as growing uncertainties and unpredictable factors, the People’s Republic of China carries forward the historic spirit of initiative of its two-thousand-year-old diplomacy. The country seeks to establish and practice a correct vision of its work, maintain strategic focus in complex situations, take responsibility in the face of risks and challenges, and achieve positive results in service of world peace.
Author: Giancarlo Elia Valori – Honorable de l’Académie des Sciences de l’Institut de France, Honorary Professor at the Peking University. Giancarlo Elia Valori is a highly regarded Italian manager, playing a leading role in fostering dialogue and cooperation between countries. He is currently President of the Foundation for International Studies and Geopolitics.
(The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).
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