China’s Win-Win Cooperation promotesmutual benefit and peaceful coexistence

Published: February 27,2023

By Staff writer 

Founded on a profound basis, the concept of win-win cooperation bears a long history. It is rooted in the traditional Chinese cultural values of “peace and cooperation” and is consistent with the principles of peaceful coexistence and mutual benefit. It is also closely related to and reinforces with the theory of peaceful development, thus reflecting the fundamental characteristics and core values of socialism. In general, it is a major accomplishment of Chinese diplomatic innovations in the 21st century, particularly since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
　　

The win-win strategy of opening up is the key foundation of win-win cooperation. “Implementing the win-win strategy of opening up” was initiated in the “Proposals for the 11th Five-Year Plan on National Economy and Social Development” passed in the 5th Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee. Inheriting and developing the concept of “equality and mutual benefit,” the proposals highlighted the strategic importance of “mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.” The Report to the 17th National Congress of the CPC, mentioning “win-win outcomes” five times, promised that China would “unswervingly follow a win-win strategy of opening up.” When attending the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in October 2008, then Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a speech entitling “Sharing Weal and Woe, Promoting Mutual Benefit.” The new concept of “sharing weal and woe and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation” was put forward in the whitepaper—China’s Peaceful development published in 2011.
　　
Since the 17th CPC National Congress, China has extended the principle of promoting mutual benefit and win-win outcomes to political, economic, cultural and security areas in its relations with other countries. China vows to enforce a new concept of development featuring equality and mutual benefit, to advocate a new concept of security featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, and to promote a new thinking on culture which respects the diversity of the world. By deepening and extending the notion of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, China has also readjusted its understanding of national interests, which reflects innovations in six aspects. Firstly, China’s core national interests are clarified, with six core interests being outlined in the whitepaper “China’s Peaceful Development.”

Secondly, three fundamental national interests are highlighted, namely, Chinese diplomacy should serve the needs of safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development. Thirdly, attaching importance to the extension and protection of its overseas interests, China seeks to enhance its ability of protecting overseas interests. Fourthly, China upgrades its national image as a part of the national interests by advocating “image is also a part of interests.” Fifthly, stressing the necessity of aligning China’s national interests with the world’s overall interests, China calls for fully respecting and accommodating other countries’ legitimate concerns and interests and seeks to promote regional and global development while developing itself. The sixth point is that China will pursue common interests with other countries and construct a community of common interests.

In “China’s Peaceful Development,” it is stressed that “China aligns its own interests with the common interests of the people of the world and seeks to expand common interests of all the parties. It works to establish and expand community of common interests in various fields and at various levels with other countries and regions. China is committed to promoting the common interests of all humanity and bringing the benefits of human civilization to everyone.”

In the meantime, China advocates a new thinking of mutual-benefit cooperation in its foreign relations. In the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs convened in 2006, it was stated that China would seek peace, promote development and settle disputes through cooperation. China emphasized on combining the strategy of “going global” with that of “bringing in,” upheld rule-binding, the rule of law and mutual benefit, and stressed the importance of mutual-benefit cooperation and joint development. In terms of diplomatic policy and practice, China advocated strengthening cooperation with other countries on such nontraditional security issues as environment protection, climate change, infectious diseases and terrorism, etc.
　　
Before the convocation of the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China had come to realize that following the path of peaceful development was the necessary condition and guarantee of pursuing mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, which in turn were the logical extension of peaceful development. As an essential part of Chinese diplomatic strategies in the new era, peaceful development and mutual benefit and win-win outcomes have laid a solid foundation for the forging of “win-win cooperation.”