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Whoever wishes to make great achievements in the world must see the big picture. Against a background of a fast-changing world with increasing uncertainties, we need to consciously feel the pulse of the general trends of global development, and more importantly have broad vision. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made it clear that we need to adopt a historical and holistic approach to assessing international developments and choose the right approach to China’s role in order to understand the global situation. 1 Only by doing so, could we correctly comprehend general trends of human progress, the changes in the world, as well as the new coordinates of China’s development, so as to hold on to our strategic resolve and seize strategic initiative in a complex and rapidly changing global situation. General Secretary Xi has made the strategic judgment that the world is experiencing changes unseen in a century, which called for the building of a global community of shared future, based on a comprehensive understanding of global development trends and a willingness to adapt to them.
A historical approach is to observe the unfolding international developments from a historical perspective. We need to review the past and learn lessons from history so as to gain a keen understanding of the underlying trends of the future. As General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, “History is the best textbook and also the best wakeup call.” 2 As it is often said in China, we must use history as a mirror, to see the laws of its rise and fall. We must apply dialectical and historical materialism to examine the laws of historical development in all its complex and chaotic movements, identify the direction of history in the changing international politics, and comprehend the common pursuits of human society in the complex geopolitics. By doing so, we would be able to recognize the main trends of our time, and understand that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit are the common pursuits of human society rather than be befuddled by changing phenomena. Moreover, a proper historical approach can also help us understand development over the long run, and see that the basic direction of progress is for the international order to develop in more equitable and rational ways.
A holistic approach is to look beyond individual phenomena or specifics to capture the essence of developments and see the broader picture. We must focus on the main problems and their key features, so as not to get disoriented or pursue minor interests to the neglect of fundamental ones in a fluid and ever-changing world. Only by becoming adept at analyzing the big picture and planning for greater achievements can we maintain confident and calm. We need to analyze the laws of evolution of the global situation in the transitional period: On the one hand, we must observe accelerating multi-polarization; and on the other, we must pay special attention to significant adjustments in relations between major countries. We must grasp both the global economic development trends and focus on the important directions of its evolution. We must make use of the generally stable international environment, and also be careful about the complex international security challenges. We must understand the necessity of interaction between different cultures, and recognize the fact that such interaction can bring with it inevitable frictions.
The right approach to China’s role is to be cool-headed in analyzing global developments. We should view China’s role in the context of its relations with the rest of the world so as to clearly define its position and role in an evolving international landscape, and adopt a foreign policy that befits China’s role. As General Secretary Xi points out, profound changes are taking place in China’s relations with the rest of the world, with closer interactions between China and the international community. As China has increased its dependence on the world and its involvement in international affairs, so has the world deepened its dependence on China and had greater impact on China. We have to see that world multi-polarization, economic globalization, information society and cultural diversity, all provide enormous historical opportunities for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. At the same time, rapid changes in the international order and accelerating adjustment of relations between major countries can also engender new conflicts and disruptions. As a result, the processes of economic globalization are being severely affected, bringing new challenges and risks to China in relation to the external environment. Moreover, we must see that China’s development itself is one of the most important elements that is helping create positive changes in the international order, which also serves as the most important determinant of China’s development. After a long period of revolution, reconstruction and reform, especially after the 18th CPC National Congress, the country’s overall national strength has grown remarkably, with its national status and influence significantly improved. China is now poised at a new historical conjuncture, making more and more contributions to world peace and development, standing firm in the East with a fresh outlook. It is fair to say that China is still going through an important strategic period of development. China’s own development offers itself the greatest opportunity.
A historical and holistic approach to assessing international developments and the right approach to China’s role reflect the methodological significance of Xi Jinping’s thought on diplomacy. General Secretary Xi applies dialectical and historical materialism, Marxist stance, viewpoint and methodology, and pays attention to the integration of theory and practice as well as the unity of epistemology and methodology, in observing changes unseen in a century and the holistic strategic framework of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, in analyzing relations between China and the external world, and in answering important questions of “what is the right way forward for China?” and “what is the right way forward for the world?” A historical and holistic approach to assessing international developments and the right approach to China’s role offer a basic epistemological and methodological guide for us to correctly understand global trends and comprehend the relationship between China and the external world.