GUANGZHOU, China — The 2025 Understanding China Conference, held recently in Guangzhou, showcased a consensus among international participants that China’s sustained development provides a distinct, non-Western model for modernization, injecting both stability and momentum into global progress, particularly for nations in the Global South. Held from Sunday to Tuesday, the conference, themed “New Plan, New Development, New Choices — Chinese Modernization and New Vision for Global Governance,” attracted a record 800 attendees, approximately 70% of whom represented developing nations. Discussions focused heavily on the future recommendations for China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) and its broader international implications.
The conference served as a platform for global leaders to assess how China’s advancements offer diverse pathways to prosperity. Former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome emphasized this distinction during the opening ceremony, noting that the Chinese route offers a viable alternative to traditionally perceived Western development models.
“The Chinese path to modernization offers a new choice to the developing countries, particularly to African countries, as well as to the Global South at large,” Teshome stated, adding that China has made significant contributions to global economic growth, poverty eradication, environmental preservation, and reform in global governance. He added that China’s experience challenges the notion that modernization must equate to Westernization, demonstrating that countries can achieve substantial progress based on unique national and historical conditions.
This sentiment was echoed by major international figures. Andrei Bystritsky, Chairman of the Valdai Discussion Club in Russia, acknowledged that China’s rapid transformation proves the existence of multiple routes to national prosperity, fundamentally reshaping the lives of a massive population and altering China’s global role.
Bolstering Global Cooperation and Development
Several speakers highlighted China’s tangible contributions to international cooperation and multilateralism. Erastus Mwencha, former Vice Chairman of the African Union Commission, praised China’s enduring commitment to global institutions. He pointed to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a critical mechanism for promoting trade and infrastructure investment. Mwencha noted that tariff reductions enabled by cooperation have effectively opened the Chinese consumer market to Africa while simultaneously allowing African nations access to a wide array of Chinese products.
Furthermore, multilateral development banks supported by China, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank, are increasingly seen as crucial instruments for bridging infrastructure funding gaps across the Global South, according to Ong Tee Keat, former Malaysian Transport Minister.
China’s commitment to development aid was also quantified. Under the Global Development Initiative, the nation has increased its Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund to $4 billion. Data from the China International Development Cooperation Agency shows that the country has mobilized over $23 billion in support of development across the Global South and initiated more than 1,800 cooperation projects. Additionally, China has been a long-term provider of medical assistance, having dispatched nearly 30,000 medical workers to 77 countries and regions since 1963, according to the National Health Commission.
Seeking a More Balanced World Order
International delegates also stressed that China’s trajectory is intrinsically linked to the future of developing economies. Essam Sharaf, former Prime Minister of Egypt, stated that China’s Global Governance Initiative reflects the aspirations for justice and equality held by the Global South. Sharaf clarified that this timely initiative aims not to dismantle existing systems but rather to foster a more stable and balanced international framework.
The focus also extended to China’s environmental policies. Rishan de Silva, Executive Director of the Geopolitical Cartographer in Sri Lanka, emphasized that the urgent nature of climate change demands joint action, and China’s green transition presents new opportunities for global collaboration. Ong Tee Keat further underscored the strength of regional cooperation, pointing out that the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area provides a clear model for strong trade ties, specifically noting that Malaysia intends to enhance its green industry cooperation and supply-chain resilience with China in the coming years.
The collective discussions underscored a significant shift in perspective: China is being viewed not merely as a rising economic power, but as a crucial architect offering viable, domestically tailored development blueprints for a diverse and increasingly interconnected world.