Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
President Xi Jinping’s ‘The Governance of China, Volume V’ is not just a political text. It is a strategic reflection on where China stands and where it wants the world to go.
The book reads less like a domestic policy manual and more like a map for global cooperation in an age where the old order looks increasingly exhausted.
Xi’s central argument is that China’s rise is neither accidental nor meant to unsettle others.
It is the outcome of a long and deliberate project — one that blends Marxism with China’s own civilisational depth, adapting both to the realities of the twenty-first century.
This “two integration” — merging the basic tenets of Marxism with Chinese traditions — is at the heart of what he calls Chinese modernisation.
It rejects the idea that modernity belongs exclusively to the West. It also offers an alternative for developing countries looking to advance without surrendering their cultural identity or political independence.
At its core, the Chinese story remains people-centred. Xi repeatedly insists that the people are not just participants but the driving force of history.
From whole-process people’s democracy to the anti-corruption drive, the state is presented as both a guardian and a reflection of public will.
The test of leadership, he argues, lies not in rhetoric but in reform — reform that ensures fairness, justice, and opportunity for all.
One of the strongest themes in The Governance of China V is the connection between domestic reform and global responsibility. Xi views China’s development as inseparable from the world’s prosperity.
“China cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world,” he writes, “nor can the world achieve prosperity without China.” This is not a boast, but a statement of interdependence.
The Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative are all framed as tools to translate that interdependence into shared progress.
In this worldview, openness is not a concession to globalisation but its recalibration. China is not closing its doors behind its success; it is inviting others to walk through.
The country’s vast market, technological innovation, and industrial scale are not portrayed as instruments of dominance, but as resources for global growth.
Xi’s message to the world’s business community is unambiguous: the “next China” is still China, but China’s growth can also be yours.
Another defining feature of this vision is harmony — between people and nature, between tradition and progress, between national strength and global peace. Environmental protection is not a luxury of wealth but a condition for survival.
Xi’s green agenda — from the “blue sky”, “clean water” and “lush mountains” initiatives to the push for low-carbon agriculture — frames ecological security as the new foundation of prosperity. China’s pursuit of “eco-civilization” is both a national duty and an international offer of partnership.
Science and education form the twin engines of this vision. China’s determination to build itself into a science, technology, and education powerhouse reflects not only a desire for self-reliance but also recognition that knowledge is the most universal form of cooperation.
Innovation, Xi argues, cannot thrive in isolation; no country should “reap its benefits alone.”
In this sense, the future of technology must be shared, not monopolised.
Internationally, Xi’s tone is both assertive and conciliatory. He rejects hegemonic politics and warns against a “new cold war” driven by ideological confrontation.
China’s diplomacy, he insists, rests on the five principles of peaceful coexistence: respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference, equality, and mutual benefit.
This is the philosophical backbone of what he calls “a community with a shared future for humanity.” It is a call to move beyond the language of blocs and sanctions, and towards dialogue and coexistence.
What makes The Governance of China V remarkable is its consistency. Across discussions on agriculture, private enterprise, ethnic unity, and cultural vitality, the thread remains clear — China’s development is not a closed system. It is an open, evolving process meant to resonate beyond its borders.
The message to other developing nations is unmistakable: modernisation is not the monopoly of any one civilisation. It can take many paths, and China’s experience offers one that values sovereignty, diversity, and partnership.
China’s development philosophy, as outlined in The Governance of China V, insists that no country should be left behind on the path to modernisation.
President Xi draws on the African proverb, “a real friend is someone you share the path with,” to emphasise that global progress must be collective.
Through initiatives like the Belt and Road and the Global Development Initiative, China invites developing nations to join in a journey defined by mutual benefit, openness, and equality.
Its goal is not to export a model but to inspire independent modernisation suited to each nation’s unique conditions and culture.
At home, Xi stresses that the essence of reform and development is to ensure people’s wellbeing and their right to a better life. Chinese modernisation balances material progress with cultural, ecological, and moral advancement—uniting economic growth with environmental responsibility and social justice.
From fighting corruption to promoting education, science, and eco-civilisation, every reform is anchored in improving people’s lives.
The message is consistent and deliberate: China’s rejuvenation is not a triumph of one nation over another, but an open invitation to build a peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable world together.
Xi clears that its rise will not come at the expense of others. Even as it grows stronger, China does not seek hegemony or territorial expansion. Its vision of modernisation is rooted in coexistence, not confrontation.
He said one flower doesn’t make spring; China hopes to see a hundred bloom and will work with developing nations to achieve shared modernisation.
Xi’s writing demands to be read critically, but also fairly. Its ultimate proposition is simple — that China’s dream of rejuvenation can coexist with, and even contribute to, the dreams of others.
(The Writer is the Diplomatic Correspondent of The New Nation)
