SINCE the start of this year, the number of Filipino friends visiting China has multiplied. Upon returning home, many of them told me right away, “China is developing so fast!”
What exactly has driven such profound changes and effective governance in China over the years? Simply put, the key lies in the Chinese path to modernization. Rather than blindly copying others’ models, China learns from the advanced experiences of other countries and forges its own path toward modernization—building the nation while tangibly improving the lives of its people.
Here, I’d like to share a short story. In Changling Village in southern China, there is a local decision-making practice called “Village evening Talks,” which is very similar to how villagers in a Philippine barangay gather in the evenings to discuss important village matters.
In the past, this village faced many challenges: a lack of water for irrigating farmland, rugged mountain roads, and a desire among villagers to earn money through specialty crops—but with differing opinions, it was hard to reach a consensus. Instead of directly adopting ready-made solutions from abroad, the village insisted that village matters be discussed collectively by the villagers, with the villagers themselves making the decisions.
When farming work ends at dusk, village officials and villagers would gather around the threshing floor to discuss building irrigation canals, repairing roads, selecting crops, and allocating funds. Everyone freely expressed their opinions. Disagreements were addressed face to face, and plans were worked out through discussion before implementation began.
Eventually, the village completed its irrigation facilities, widened the mountain roads, and developed specialty agricultural products, leading to a gradual increase in villagers’ income.
This is just a small example of how China has improved domestic governance and enhanced the lives of its people. At the same time, China has also recognized the challenges facing global governance: the widening gap between the rich and the poor, persistent security issues, mutual misunderstanding among different cultures, and unfair global rules.
In response to these issues, China has successively put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative.
These four concepts—development, security, civilization, and governance—precisely articulate China’s vision and represent the “Chinese wisdom” it contributes to a turbulent and ever-changing world.
The Global Development Initiative focuses on addressing the issues of greatest concern to all—poverty alleviation, food security, people’s livelihood and employment, and infrastructure. It has implemented many low-cost, quick-impact projects that benefit the people, from which many Southeast Asian countries have benefited.
The Global Security Initiative advocates for collective efforts to maintain security, rejecting confrontation and opposition, military alliances, and a win-lose mentality, and instead promotes the resolution of conflicts through negotiation and consultation.
The Global Civilization Initiative advocates for equal cultural exchanges among nations and different ethnic groups—much like how indigenous and foreign cultures coexist and blend in the Philippines—replacing barriers with dialogue, mutual learning, and mutual tolerance.
The Global Governance Initiative upholds the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, working to make global rules more equitable.
There are many areas where China and the Philippines can cooperate, and the potential is enormous. We hope to work with the Philippines to forge a mutually beneficial and win-win future that brings tangible benefits to the people of both countries.
