The publication of the fifth volume of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in July represents a significant milestone in the international dissemination of contemporary Chinese political thought. For foreign audiences seeking to understand the internal logic, strategic priorities and normative worldview of the world’s second largest economy, the volume provides an indispensable primary source.
At a time when Western commentary on China is frequently shaped by misperception, selective narratives or geopolitical anxieties, returning to the original texts is not merely useful—it is essential. This book offers a direct window into the governing philosophy that has guided China through a period of profound transformation, global uncertainty and institutional reform.
Why important
Volume V brings together 91 speeches and written statements delivered by President Xi Jinping between May 2022 and December 2024, accompanied by 41 photographs documenting key events from the same period. Like previous installments, this volume is not a conventional monograph. Instead, it is conceived as a reference text that captures the evolution of policy thinking across different domains. The recurring themes, deliberate emphases and policy formulations reflect what the Chinese leadership considers most vital in navigating both domestic challenges and the rapidly shifting international environment.
Structurally, the book is organized into 18 thematic sections, each addressing a central aspect of China’s governance in the new era. Among the core themes is Chinese modernization, presented as both the historical mission of national rejuvenation and an ongoing process of building a modern socialist country. The narrative underscores that China’s development path is unique in its scale, sequencing and political foundations—yet deeply connected to global transformations.
Another central theme is high-quality economic development, with a strong focus on cultivating new quality productive forces, deepening reform and expanding high-standard opening up to the world. These ideas are not abstract formulations; they constitute the intellectual framework guiding China’s efforts to upgrade its industrial structure, strengthen technological innovation and adapt to a more complex global economy. (First introduced in 2023, new quality productive forces represent China’s strategic shift toward a more innovative, technology-driven and sustainable economic model to achieve higher productivity, competitiveness and long-term growth—Ed.)
Equally prominent are discussions of the rule of law, whole-process people’s democracy, cultural revitalization, ecological civilization, and the Communist Party of China’s leadership and self-reform. These sections highlight the integration of governance, culture and institutional design within the broader project of China’s modernization. The volume also devotes considerable attention to China’s global role and the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.
From a scholarly perspective, this publication’s significance is multifaceted. First, it offers more profound insight into the intellectual architecture of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Second, it functions as an authoritative source for understanding China’s policy decisions, long-term development goals and strategic responses to global shifts. Third, it provides clarity on how China interprets its contributions to international development, governance reform and global stability.
Evolving concepts
The evolution of the concept of “opening up” across the five volumes is particularly revealing. In earlier speeches, opening up was framed as a continuation of China’s strategy of opening its market to foreign investment that began in 1978 and a civilizational principle inherited from the Silk Road tradition. By Volume III, openness had become a central pillar of China’s engagement with global governance, underpinned by commitments to market access, intellectual property protection and trade facilitation.
Volume IV expanded opening up even further, linking it to digital transformation, public health and ecological transition. In Volume V, the notion acquires a global moral dimension: Opening up is framed as China’s response to rising protectionism and geopolitical fragmentation. It is associated with high-standard economic cooperation, alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals and a shared responsibility to safeguard global prosperity. What began as an economic strategy has thus matured into a principle of global governance and an element of China’s international identity.
The same dynamic evolution is visible in discussions of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Across earlier volumes, the BRI, first proposed by Xi in 2013, transitioned from an infrastructure-focused connectivity initiative to a broad platform for international cooperation. In Volume V, it is portrayed as an established global public good, contributing to sustainable development, digital connectivity, green collaboration and alternative pathways to modernization. This shift reflects China’s intention to position the BRI within the broader architecture of a multipolar world, offering a complement—not a competitor—to existing development models.
China has achieved unprecedented development successes over the past more than four decades, yet Western discourse often frames its trajectory through narratives of instability or imminent crisis. How do Chinese leaders themselves interpret China’s development path? Xi’s speeches offer answers rooted in historical continuity, strategic foresight and a pragmatic assessment of domestic needs. They articulate a governance approach that draws legitimacy from economic achievement, institutional confidence and an enduring commitment to openness and cooperation.
Understanding this internal logic is crucial, especially for audiences in Europe and the wider West. China’s rise does not merely reflect economic growth; it signals the emergence of alternative perspectives on development, governance and global order. Engaging with these perspectives is not an act of endorsement but of intellectual responsibility. In an era of global interdependence, misunderstanding China imposes costs not only on bilateral relations but on global problem-solving.
The historical context reinforces this point. In less than half a century, China has moved from being one of the world’s poorest countries to a technological and economic powerhouse. This transformation challenges many long-held assumptions in Western development theory. Reading primary texts such as the five volumes of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China provides an opportunity to reassess those assumptions and to recognize that China’s approach is the result of deliberate, sustained institutional innovation.
Ultimately, Volume V of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China should be understood as more than a political document. It is an intellectual resource that helps global readers grasp the strategic thinking of a significant country whose decisions increasingly shape the world economy, global governance and the international system. For policymakers, business leaders, journalists and scholars, engaging with this text is not optional—it is imperative. –The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
