In Pursuit of a Community of Shared Future: China’s Global Activism in Perspective

There has been an increasingly heated debate over the origins and prospects of China’s global activism since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in late 2012. Some in the West view China’s proactive diplomatic posture as evidence of a rising power’s geostrategic ambition to become the next world hegemon. This article traces the intellectual pedigree and policy relevance of the concept of a “community of shared future for mankind” highlighted in President Xi Jinping’s work report to the 19th CPC National Congress in October 2017. Based on a sober assessment of global trends, and drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese wisdom and the Western civilization, this concept represents China’s vision of a more just, secure, and prosperous world in which China sees itself as an earnest builder of world peace, an important contributor to global development, and a staunch defender of international order. Concurrently, it also marks a transition of Chinese strategic posture from a “hide-and-bide” one to a global activist one. Under this vision, China’s diplomacy has taken on a new look over the past few years. Looking into the future, China is expected to play a more active role in leading international efforts to enhance global governance and exploring new models of cooperation for world development, while attempting to shoulder greater responsibilities as a major emerging power.