On April 14, during talks held with To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that “China will adhere to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, and the policy of being a good neighbor and good partner with countries in our periphery, and it will deepen friendly cooperation with them, allowing the fruits of Chinese-style modernization to benefit those around it.” Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has greatly emphasized and personally planned and deployed work on periphery affairs, driving China’s relationships with its periphery to their best period in modern times. Against a backdrop of once-in-a century changes and accelerating evolution, major adjustments in the international landscape, and some regions lapsing into conflicts, China has joined hands with countries in its periphery to create a better future together, becoming a bright spot in a turbulent world. This achievement has not come easily, and it fully demonstrates the success in practice of China’s major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in our periphery, under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. On April 8th and 9th, the first Central Conference on Work Relating to the Periphery was held in Beijing, and General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech. Having entered an important stage in which changes in the periphery configuration and global changes are deeply interconnected, the importance of the periphery has become even more prominent. China will continue to take firm root in and make active contributions to its periphery. and will strive to build a community of common destiny with its periphery, injecting positive energy into a turbulent and unstable world.

The importance of the periphery in the overall diplomatic landscape has become even more prominent under the new situation

President Xi Jinping emphasized: “The periphery is where China secures its foothold and livelihood, and is the foundation of our development and prosperity.” The importance of the periphery is determined by China’s historical and current conditions, including its geography, politics, economy, and culture. As China increasingly moves toward the center of the world stage, the strategic support role of the periphery for China becomes more important and prominent. China has always put the periphery at the forefront of its overall diplomatic strategy. The Central Conference on Work Relating to the Periphery pointed out: “The periphery is an important foundation for achieving development and prosperity, a key focus for maintaining national security, the primary consideration for coordinating overall diplomacy, and the key to promoting the building of a community of common destiny for mankind.” This is a major strategic judgment made against the backdrop of China’s diplomacy having entered a new phase in which the situations in the periphery are deeply linked to global changes. It further highlights and comprehensively summarizes the importance of the periphery in China’s overall diplomatic strategy, and a comprehensive understanding and profound comprehension of it is required.

The linkage between the periphery and great power games is a key variable in promoting the equitable and orderly development of a multipolar world. President Xi Jinping emphasized: “Regardless of how the international situation changes, we must join hands to address all kinds of security challenges and contribute Asia’s strength to building a more equitable and orderly multipolar world.” Asian countries are important components of a multipolar world, and are also an important force for defending world peace. For many years, the United States has been trying to suppress and contain China through its Asian “allies,” pushing a small minority of Asian countries to the front line of its China containment efforts. However, the vast majority of countries in our periphery have maintained a clear understanding of this, refusing to take sides. China and countries in its periphery share the same stances and similar views on many major global and regional issues, being equally committed to developing political mutual trust, appropriately managing sensitive issues, and effectively maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region against a larger backdrop of local conflicts and frequent turmoil.

The linkage between the periphery and the global economy is an important force in maintaining inclusive and beneficial economic globalization. The 28 countries in China’s periphery that have established partnerships, cooperative relationships, or strategic relationships of mutual benefit with China account for approximately 15% of total global GDP. The vast majority of these countries have benefited from a free and open international trade system, becoming important links in global production chains and supply chains, and the Asia-Pacific region in particular is an important growth pole for the global economy. Currently, with unilateralism and protectionism intensifying, and the multilateral trade system being hindered, the role of countries in our periphery in safeguarding the process of economic globalization is all the more prominent. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed by ASEAN, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand is the world’s largest free trade zone in terms of population, trade volume, and development potential. It is playing an increasingly important role in promoting the formation of a more prosperous regionally integrated market. Other regional economic cooperation platforms composed of or widely participated in by countries in our periphery, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Mechanism, are also important components and supporting forces of the current multilateral trading system.

In the current international situation, China’s destiny is closely linked with those of countries in our periphery. The United States has continuously imposed tariff hikes and other trade-restricting measures on China, increasing the uncertainty of China’s external environment. The United States is also attempting to impose tariffs on many of countries in China’s periphery, aiming to reduce its so-called trade deficit through predatory practices and to force these countries to join in a trade blockade against China. Under these circumstances, it has become more urgent for China to comprehensively plan and properly conduct diplomacy with its periphery, strengthen China’s cooperation with them, and jointly defend the multilateral trading system. We must coordinate the domestic and international situations, attach great strategic importance to the periphery, and take effective work on periphery affairs as a key link in optimizing the external environment and ensuring the progress of Chinese-style modernization. Work on periphery affairs must be done well, with a greater sense of urgency and more effective measures. We must properly grasp the two main endeavors of development and security, regard the joint defense of the multilateral trading system as an important component in promoting work on periphery affairs, and combine the work with effectively addressing major-power competition, so that we achieve an environment of sustained peace and stability in the periphery, and join hands with countries in our periphery to create a bright future.

Upholding the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in periphery diplomacy, and promoting the upgrading of periphery diplomacy

China held its first Symposium on Periphery Diplomacy in October 2013. At that symposium, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The basic policy of China’s periphery diplomacy is to be amicable to neighbors and to treat them as partners; to uphold the principles of fostering good neighborliness, ensuring security for neighbors, promoting prosperity to neighbors; and to embody the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness.” Since then, the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness in periphery diplomacy has become the guiding principle for China’s work on periphery diplomacy, as well as an important component of Xi Jinping’s diplomatic thought, and a solid theoretical foundation for planning periphery diplomacy. Upholding this concept, China has actively and openly promoted an upward shift in its periphery diplomacy.

The periphery diplomacy principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness has driven China to achieve historic accomplishments and undergo a historic transformation in its work on periphery affairs. China’s periphery encompasses a large number of countries with significant diversity among them—something rarely seen among major powers.. Without a mature and advanced concept to guide it, it would be difficult to deal with such a complex situation. The periphery diplomacy principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness provides the fundamental guidelines for periphery diplomacy in the new era.

Based on adherence to the original aspiration of friendly relations with its neighbors, China has conducted in-depth exchanges at all levels with countries in its periphery, and the level of people-to-people exchanges has continued to rise. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, China immediately provided anti-epidemic supplies and vaccine assistance to countries in its periphery, making public opinion in these countries friendlier and closer to China.

Based on an earnest and sincere attitude, China has established diverse and meaningful partnerships, cooperative relationships, or strategic relationships of mutual benefit with countries in its periphery. Based on the principle of mutual benefit, China has signed cooperation documents on joint Belt and Road construction with 25 countries in its periphery, championed the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and set up the Silk Road Fund to provide financing for infrastructure projects. For example, China-supported infrastructure projects such as Cambodia’s first highway, its first cross-ridge viaduct, its largest power plant, and its largest sports stadium have provided strong support for Cambodia’s long-term development. Based on a mindset of inclusiveness, China has actively participated in multilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the ASEAN-centered East Asian cooperation mechanism, China-Japan-South Korea cooperation, and APEC, pushing to continuously boost the level of regional cooperation, and promoting integrated development and the well-being of people in the region.

The successful practice of China’s periphery diplomacy has also further enriched the periphery diplomacy principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness. China has properly handled sensitive issues in bilateral relations, such as the border dispute with India and the THAAD issue, and has promoted effective management of regional hotspot issues including the North Korean nuclear issue, the Afghan issue, and the Myanmar issue, actively contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to the political resolution of such regional hotspot issues. Political mutual trust between China and countries in its periphery has continued to strengthen. At present, China has reached a consensus on building a community of common destiny with 17 countries in its periphery, including Pakistan, Laos, and Cambodia. It has also agreed with the five Mekong River countries to build a community of common destiny among Lancang-Mekong countries, and announced with the five Central Asian countries the building of a China-Central Asia community of common destiny.

With the conclusions drawn from successful diplomatic practices as the foundation, the Central Conference on Work Relating to the Periphery has endowed the periphery diplomacy principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness with new connotations, further improving the periphery diplomacy policy system from the perspective of “five aspects”—Taking as the joint vision of building the Five Major Homes (“五大家园”) —a peaceful, secure, prosperous, beautiful, and amicable neighborhood—as our shared goal, the aim is to further consolidate the common interests between China and countries in our periphery, clarify the content of cooperation, and provide more concrete goals for building a community of common destiny with our periphery; Taking the principles of fostering good neighborliness, ensuring security for neighbors, promoting prosperity to neighbors, and of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, inclusiveness, and a common destiny as the guiding philosophy, the aim is to further clarify China’s principles in dealing with countries in our periphery and provide a benchmark for the formulation and implementation of specific policies; Taking as the basic guidelines the Asian values of peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusiveness, the aim is to further highlight the common cultural and value bonds between China and countries in our periphery and provide a sustainable source of momentum for promoting comprehensive cooperation among ourselves; Taking high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative as the main platform, the aim is to further combine the distinctive advantages of Chinese-style modernization with the actual needs of countries in our periphery, and continuously optimize plans for both sides to achieve mutually beneficial, win-win cooperation; Taking the Asian security model, seeking common ground while reserving differences, and dialogue and consultation as the strategic underpinnings, China aims to further promote the joint defense of regional peace and stability with its periphery, so as to properly manage regional hotspots and sensitive issues, and provide a long-lasting security guarantee for steady and long-term construction of a community of common destiny.

The above five aspects are highly targeted and comprehensive in content. They are a comprehensive enrichment and all-around development of the periphery diplomacy principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, based on the coordinated handling of the two major situations—domestic and international—and the two major endeavors of development and security. They provide comprehensive guidance for China’s periphery diplomacy in the new era and have far-reaching significance for coordinating domestic and international forces and coordinating measures along various lines to promote the building of a community of common destiny with our periphery.

Led by head-of-state diplomacy, all-round cooperation with countries in our periphery has deepened, exchanges in all fields have been strengthened, and peace and stability have been jointly maintained

Head-of-state diplomacy is a core component of contemporary international political relations. Since the 18th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned China’s work on periphery affairs. Shortly after the Central Conference on Work Relating to the Periphery, he paid state visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia, playing an important leading role in promoting China’s cooperation with countries in its periphery to jointly create a bright future.

Enhancing mutual trust in bilateral relations. Interactions between countries ultimately must be reflected in interactions between people. Heads of state are the highest representative of their countries in foreign interactions, and political mutual trust between countries—especially between heads of state—is the fundamental foundation of bilateral relations.

General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to political mutual trust, and has actively injected new momentum and vitality into bilateral relations by establishing good working relationships and deep personal friendships, sincerity with heads of state and heads of government of other countries, while also taking the lead and setting an example in carrying out people-to-people exchanges. In 2024, for example, in a signed article entitled “Building a Bright Future for China-Tajikistan Relations” published in Tajikistan’s Narodnaya Gazeta newspaper and the Khovar National Information Agency, President Xi Jinping wrote: “President Rahmon and I have met 15 times, establishing a good working relationship and deep personal friendship and jointly leading the development of China-Tajikistan relations.”

General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that “friendship between nations lies in the affinity between their people.” In November 2017, during a state visit to Laos, General Secretary Xi Jinping met with friends of the family of Quinim Pholsena [assassinated in 1962 while serving as foreign minister of the Kingdom of Laos]. These initiatives have promoted political mutual trust between China and countries in our periphery at various levels, demonstrated the image of a responsible power, and laid a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations.

Drawing the blueprints based on major goals. With political mutual trust and integration of interests between China and countries in our periphery continuing to deepen, major goals must be taken as the essential guide in order to form a practical and efficient framework for work on periphery affairs that takes into account the interests of all parties.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has personally planned and proposed a series of major initiatives and important concepts to guide work on periphery affairs. In September 2013, President Xi Jinping delivered an important address in Kazakhstan titled Promote People’s Friendship and Create a Bright Future Together, in which he first proposed the initiative to jointly build the “Silk Road Economic Belt.” In October 2013, during a visit to Indonesia, President Xi Jinping for the first time proposed the initiative to jointly build a 21st-century “Maritime Silk Road.” At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Qingdao Summit in June 2018, President Xi Jinping, accurately grasping the trends of the world and the times, put forward the proposal to build a community of common destiny for the SCO, pointing the way for the organization’s development in the new era. In October 2023, in a written address to the International Symposium to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the periphery diplomacy principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, President Xi Jinping for the first time proposed “promoting Asian values centered on peace, cooperation, inclusiveness, and integration at their core,” which clarified the profound connotations of Asian values, and provided a new direction for promoting the building of a community common destiny for China’s periphery.

Setting the course on key issues. China’s relations with its periphery cover a broad range of areas, involve numerous issues, and are deeply influenced by domestic and international factors of various kinds. Strengthening head-of-state diplomacy has been conducive to promptly resolving key issues and promoting the steady and long-term development of regional cooperation and bilateral relations. The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway is the first high-speed railway in Indonesia and in all of Southeast Asia. It is a vivid manifestation of high-quality development under the Belt and Road Initiative. President Xi Jinping has put significant effort into this project, ensuring its successful completion and operation.

From April 14th to the 18th, President Xi Jinping paid state visits to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia. On April 17, during his state visit to Cambodia, President Xi Jinping pointed out, “History has proven that the trends of the times—an increasingly multipolar world, economic globalization, and cultural diversification—are irreversible. Unilateralism and hegemonism are unpopular, and no country wants to retreat into a closed island. Trade wars undermine the multilateral trading system and disrupt the global economic order. All countries must unite, firmly grasp in their own hands the initiative for their national security and development, adhere to mutual respect, mutual benefit, and shared development, and work together to build a community of common destiny for mankind.

It is precisely through various forms of head-of-state diplomacy that China has gained effective management and control of sensitive issues with countries in our periphery, and achieved key progress on a series of major projects, ensuring that China’s relationships with the periphery countries always move forward on the right track, and making important contributions to promoting world peace and development.