Facing a troubled world where peace is under threat, China acted as an anchor for stability. As once-in-a-century transformations accelerate, international relations are being reshaped amid turbulence, and the risks of conflict or confrontation between major countries are clearly on the rise.
China, as a key major country and a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, remains committed to upholding world peace. It has taken concrete steps to foster a new type of major-country relations, promoted dialogue and peace for the de-escalation of hot spots, advocated global solidarity over geopolitical maneuvering and fulfilled its responsibility as a major country for world peace.
In the past year, China-U.S. relations, despite shocks and ups and downs, realized overall and dynamic stability. This serves the shared interests of the people in both countries, and meets the common aspiration of the international community. China-Russia relations, as rock solid as ever, maintained high-level, steady performance. Chinese and Russian leaders exchanged visits in this year of historic significance, highlighting mutual trust and mutual support as the hallmark of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. China and the European Union reviewed their cooperation over the past 50 years of diplomatic ties, and reaffirmed partnership as the basic tenor of their relations. Ten countries from the Global South officially became BRICS partners. The 20-member BRICS family grew more prosperous. And BRICS cooperation was ever more robust under the expanded format.
On the nearly four-year-long Ukraine crisis, China, guided by the four points about what should be done put forward by President Xi Jinping, worked relentlessly to create conditions and foster consensus for peace. As one of the initiators of the Group of Friends for Peace, China sincerely welcomed all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis, and worked actively alongside others to this end. Right now, the window for negotiation is open, and the dawn of peace is within sight. While the road ahead will still be bumpy, China will continue to play a constructive role and hopes that a comprehensive, durable and binding peace agreement could be reached to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and bring about lasting peace and stability in Europe.
Facing a new environment in its neighborhood, China acted as a pillar of the region. In this changing and turbulent world, Asia is widely recognized as a center of global development and prosperity, and China’s relations with its neighboring countries are at their best in modern times. Meanwhile, as regional dynamics are deeply affected by the changes in the international landscape, maintaining prosperity and stability of this neighborhood requires persistent effort.
At this crucial juncture in the evolution of regional situation, the CPC Central Committee convened a meeting on work related to neighboring countries, the first of its kind since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Affirming the important position of the neighboring region in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the meeting set out the vision of building a “peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home,” and established the overarching goal of building a community with a shared future with neighboring countries.
Instead of vying for geopolitical advantage, China is committed to fostering an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood. Instead of seeking a sphere of influence, China promotes a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. Instead of dictating decision making, China advocates, with concrete actions, joint consultation in regional affairs. The neighborhood of China now stands as a center of excellence for good-neighborliness and friendship.
Facing a changing international order, China acted as a defining force. After 80 years of the UN, the reform of the international system is picking up speed. China has chosen to embrace this trend by working with all parties to build a community with a shared future for humanity and making the international order more just and equitable.
Building a community with a shared future for humanity is the core tenet of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It is in line with the trend of the times toward development and progress, and serves the common interests of the Chinese people and people of all countries.
In 2025, the world witnessed a number of “China moments” in global governance reform. President Xi proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), advocating five major propositions, i.e., sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, a people-centered approach and real actions. A timely initiative that responds to the pressing needs of the world today, the GGI gained immediate endorsement and support from over 150 countries and international organizations. China solemnly commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. In his address on the occasion, President Xi highlighted the great spirit of resisting aggression, promoted the correct view of history on World War Ⅱ and sent a powerful message that justice will prevail, peace will prevail and the people will prevail. At the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women held in Beijing, President Xi underscored the need to build greater consensus and broaden the paths forward to accelerate the new process of women’s development. With the inauguration of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), China, together with over 30 countries, founded the first inter-governmental international organization with a mandate to resolve international disputes through mediation. China also proposed the establishment of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, with the aim of enhancing AI capacity building of the Global South, bridging the AI divide and expediting the process of global AI governance.
However, while people of all countries around the world were drawing lessons from history and striving for peaceful development, Japan’s current leader publicly challenged China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, challenged the historical verdict of World War II and challenged the post-war international order. This is totally unacceptable to all countries that love peace and all people who do not want the repetition of past tragedies. All countries must stay highly vigilant about the resurgence of militarism in Japan, resolutely defend the victorious outcomes of World War II achieved with great sacrifice, and effectively safeguard the hard-earned peace and stability.
Facing the global development predicament, China acted as a main engine. Global growth is losing steam, unilateralism and protectionism are running unchecked, the international economic and trade order is facing serious disruptions and countries are confronting major development challenges. Despite mounting economic pressure, China has pushed forward with innovation-led and high-quality development. And in this process, China has provided underpinning for the world economy with its strong resilience and dynamism, and shared opportunities with the world through higher-standard opening up, including unilateral opening up. China has continued to contribute around 30 percent of world economic growth, higher than the Group of Seven (G7) countries combined.
In the past year, China vigorously promoted high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. It signed cooperation programs and action plans with countries in South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Central Asia, and its non-financial direct investment in Belt and Road partner countries grew by over 20 percent year on year.
In 2025, China hosted the China International Import Expo, the China International Fair for Trade in Services and the China International Consumer Products Expo, and launched the island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port. China fully completed the negotiations of and signed the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, continued to deliver on the 10 partnership actions with Africa, carried out five programs with LAC countries, developed five cooperation frameworks with Arab states, built seven cooperation platforms and frameworks with Pacific Island countries and successfully held the first ASEAN-China-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit.
China also applied zero tariffs to goods imported from all least developed countries and African countries having diplomatic relations with China, and announced that while keeping its developing country status, it would not seek new special and differential treatment in current and future negotiations at the WTO.
In the past year, China opened its door wider by extending unilateral visa waiver to 48 countries and visa-free transit to 55.
Facing critical challenges to international justice, China acted as a steadying force. Chinese diplomacy is guided by humanity’s common values, that is, peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom. In international affairs, China is committed to upholding what is right, promoting what is fair and serving the common good of all.
To build peace that lasts, China has taken an objective and just stance, and focused on addressing both symptoms and root causes. Following this Chinese approach to settling hotspot issues, China mediated in northern Myanmar, the Iranian nuclear issue, the tensions between Pakistan and India, the issues between Palestine and Israel and the recent conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. In its efforts, there was no interference in the internal affairs of others, no incitement, no biased manipulation and no selfish gains. There was only sincerity and good faith.
To build a fairer world, China has stood firm on the right side of history when it comes to central questions about right and wrong, and questions that challenge international justice. It has unequivocally opposed hegemonism and power politics, and has done its best to provide both moral and practical support to countries suffering injustice. Tariff and trade wars hurt the legitimate rights and interests of countries around the world, and undermine the multilateral trading system. China has stood up to such practices in defense of international fairness and justice as well as China’s legitimate rights and interests.
China’s commitment
First, we will provide stronger strategic support for our national development and rejuvenation. During the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, with China’s development further engaged with global transformations unseen in a century, changes in the international situation will have a more profound domestic effect, and China’s development will matter more deeply to the world.
We will enhance our historical initiative and political awareness, make sure our work conforms with the new development goals of the Party and the country, faithfully fulfill the new tasks in head-of-state diplomacy, apply systems thinking in understanding new developments in the transformations unseen in a century, effectively contribute to the country’s high-quality development, actively promote high-standard opening up and substantially mitigate external risks and challenges, so as to ensure that the country continues to have the strategic and overall initiative amid intense international competition. China will align the interests of its people more closely with those of other nations, and Chinese modernization with the modernization endeavors of other countries.
Second, we will blaze new trails in forging a new type of major-country relations. Major countries are key players on the question of war and peace. The world must find a new pathway for major countries to move forward together in peace in the new era.
China remains unwavering in its pursuit of peaceful development. While enhancing its own strategic capacity for peaceful development, China is committed to encouraging other major countries to follow the path of peaceful development as well, so as to jointly build a structure of major-country relationship that is characterized by peaceful coexistence, overall stability and balanced development.
Third, we will work more actively to build a community with a shared future with neighboring countries. This is a noble goal of China’s diplomacy and a historical process that requires relentless and continuous efforts.
We will implement the guiding principles of the Central Conference on Work Related to Neighboring Countries, follow the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and stay true to the vision of a shared future for humanity.
Fourth, we will foster greater synergy for the Global South’s joint march toward modernization. Modernization is not a synonym for Westernization. On the path to modernization, China and Global South countries will support each other, press ahead shoulder-to-shoulder and jointly open up a new bright prospect for the progress of human civilization.
As the largest developing economy, China will firmly safeguard the overall interests of developing countries and stay committed to strength through unity for the Global South. BRICS is an important platform for Global South cooperation. China will support a bigger and stronger BRICS mechanism, and promote greater representation and voice of the BRICS countries in the process of multipolarization. This year is the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. China will advance the Initiative on Cooperation Supporting Modernization in Africa, speed up the negotiation and signing of an agreement on economic partnership for shared development with African countries and push for the early application of zero-tariff policy. China will host the second China-Arab States Summit to strengthen the solidarity and mutual trust between China and Arab states, accelerate the negotiations on a China-GCC Free Trade Agreement and move forward toward the building of a China-Arab community with a shared future. China closely follow the developments in LAC, and will firmly support LAC countries in defending sovereignty and national dignity and accelerating development and revitalization along the paths they have independently chosen.
Fifth, we will inject stronger impetus into global openness and cooperation. China will adhere to high-standard opening up, continue to share the benefits of its mega market with the rest of the world, lead the trend of global openness and cooperation to counter decoupling and isolation and work with all countries to overcome difficulties and share opportunities.
China will advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation by better coordinating major signature projects and “small and beautiful” livelihood programs, and properly addressing disruptions and difficulties along the way. It will firmly uphold the WTO-centered multilateral trading regime, jointly resist protectionism, tariff hegemony and tariff bullying and expand trade and investment liberalization and facilitation with countries and regions across the world. As the host of APEC 2026, China will strengthen communication and coordination with member economies to jointly advance the building of an Asia-Pacific community. It will energize and explore pathways toward a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific to ensure that this region continues to lead the world in openness and cooperation.
Sixth, we will make greater contributions to reforming and improving global governance. Confronted with successive global challenges, the international system and institutions urgently need to reform and improve in order to keep pace with the times. President Xi has put forward four major initiatives, namely, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilizations Initiative and the GGI, calling for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
China will work with all sides to strengthen the authority and standing of the UN, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and support the UN in playing the central role on major issues concerning world peace and development. It will vigorously push for refocus on development agenda, and support giving Global South countries greater weight in international governance mechanisms and making it a priority. It will address governance deficits, fill governance gaps and expand the frontiers of global governance. In an open and inclusive spirit, it will discuss and work with all parties to develop new governance mechanisms and platforms.
Seventh, we will act with a stronger sense of mission and responsibility in safeguarding national interests. China will stand by its principles, defend its bottom lines, firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests and resolutely thwart any attempts to split the country. With a steadfast will unyielding to bullying, it will continue to enhance and improve its capabilities in countering sanctions, interference and “long-arm jurisdiction,” and have stronger institutional safeguards in place to protect the interests of the country and its people. –The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
