Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has encouraged improving the country’s capacity to engage in international communication to present a true, multi-dimensional, and panoramic view of China.

Xi made the remarks on May 31, when addressing the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee’s group study session.

Xi stressed the need to profoundly understand how important and necessary it is to improve the country’s international communication, and to develop a voice in international discourse that matches with China’s comprehensive national strength and international status.

Making voices heard

“We are now in a critical period of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and Chinese elements reported by major media in the world have multiplied,” said Mi Bohua, dean of Fudan Journalism School. As an emerging major country, China is exerting a profound impact on the world’s political and economic structure.

“We need to express our attitudes and views to the world and create new concepts, new categories, and new expressions that integrate China with other countries. This is of particular importance,” Mi said.

Having the right to speak on the international stage, commensurate with the nation’s own status, is also an important sign of China’s ranking among the world’s top major countries, said Sun Jingxin, director of the Communication Center under the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies at the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration.

However, the country’s international discourse power and discourse competitiveness have yet to match its economic and social development, and there is still much room for improvement in terms of exerting strong international influence.

Boosting understanding

Goals for international communication include promoting in-depth dialogue between China and the outside world, advancing international understanding and mutual learning among civilizations, and enhancing Chinese culture’s international influence.

Zhang Dan, an associate research fellow from the Institute of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that in the post-pandemic era, the international landscape and global governance systems will accelerate their evolution. Considering this, China must establish a discourse communication system that can connect with the world on an equal basis, clarifying its own development story and future direction to the world. This will eliminate estrangements and misunderstandings, while seeking understanding and recognition.

Mi said that we need to let the world know more about China’s ideas and approaches. For example, China’s development is based on the people’s pursuit of, and yearning for, a better life. China’s civilization is based on the enrichment and development of world culture. China’s security is rooted in the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

In addition, China’s new development concepts—innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development—have laid the foundation for its ecological progress.

Moreover, Mi said that China’s maintenance of the international order is based on respecting and practicing the United Nations Charter’s purposes and goals.

“We oppose hegemonic, isolationist, beggar-thy-neighbor practices and anti-globalization trends,” Mi said.

Zhang Xiaomeng, deputy dean of the School of Marxism Studies at Renmin University of China, suggested further opening up education to the outside world. It is also vital to deepen cultural exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world, to enhance cross-cultural understanding and integration.

Moreover, it is important to increase training for international communication talent, and participate deeply in global governance, shouldering the responsibility of building a community of shared future for mankind.

Zhang Dan suggested expanding communication in the humanities field. The common development of China and the world should be told eloquently with a logic that the international community can easily understand, so as to realize mutual learning across cultures.

“We need to strive to vividly present to the world a true, multi-dimensional, and panoramic view of China in the new era,” Zhang Xiaomeng concluded.