China’s Opportunities for Development in an Era of Great Global Change

China's implementation of a high-level, institutional openness to the outside world serves as a critical strategy to uphold sustained economic growth and bolster global economic stability and recovery. This strategic move reflects the nation's commitment to high-quality domestic development and its responsibility as a great country in constructing an open world economy. China's high-level opening up features institutional openness as a prominent feature, with the construction of a high-level socialist market economy system serving as a crucial guarantee. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, China places a premium on encouraging high-level institutional opening up, which supports the establishment of a new development paradigm, promotes innovative development of service trade, and fosters an open innovation system. Additionally, China is forging ahead with the establishment of a high-level market economic system with high-level opening up. China is also a strong proponent of international and bilateral free trade processes and the high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road.” In addition, it collaborates with other nations to create a community with a shared future for mankind, valuing the diversity of global civilizations and promoting global peace through civilizations’ mutual learning.

The global governance system is undergoing a momentous transformation. As a key participant in the global community, China has a vital responsibility to participate in global governance. China can lead the charge in addressing climate change, constructing infrastructure, multilateralizing the Belt and Road Initiative, integrating the Asia–Pacific region, and cultivating a digital economy. In terms of climate change, China has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and is playing an active role in formulating international regulations and industry standards related to sustainable development. Collaboration between China, the United States, and Europe is critical in promoting cooperation between North and South countries in addressing climate change. Infrastructure development is in high demand globally, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank should take the initiative to work with other multilateral development banks to create a global infrastructure supported by these institutions. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership also has the potential to develop into a new platform to coordinate Asia–Pacific geo-relations, and China’s entry facilitate moving towards higher standards of international trade norms. The formation of the International Data Consortium will also aid the G20 in promoting global governance in the digital economy sector to ensure data security across nations.

The construction of a novel development pattern is a remarkable achievement of contemporary Marxist political economics, and its theory and practice embody significant trend characteristics that necessitate a comprehension of numerous critical relationships. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the acceleration of the construction of a new development pattern that prioritizes domestic circulation, while boosting domestic and foreign circulation in tandem. This new development pattern has a robust theoretical foundation that is in line with Marxist political economy and a vital component of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics. The implementation of this new development pattern necessitates a “dual-drive” approach that relies on the supply side of innovation and the demand side to increase domestic demand. High-level institutional openness to the outside world is crucial to support both local and international dual circulation. The construction of a new development pattern aims to shift from unbalanced and insufficient development to balanced and sufficient development. The creation of a new development pattern is a strategic decision based on changes in China's development stage, environment, and conditions, and it is also the inevitable outcome of correctly understanding the laws of socialist construction.

The western region of China, despite its unique physical environment and historical background, lags behind in terms of economic and social development, making it a crucial area for high-quality development. To promote such development, the establishment of six major systems is crucial. These systems must be optimized to improve the soft environment for development and promote the comprehensive efficiency of strategic functional platforms. Moreover, the western region must accelerate the development of distinctive industries and expand the industrial chain by combining new and old infrastructure to generate advanced potential for digital technology development. Despite various internal and external difficulties, the western region’s contribution to China’s stable economic recovery, improvement of people’s lives, and social harmony has been significant. However, the western region still faces several challenges that hinder high-quality development. To overcome these challenges, the western region must improve the soft environment for development, broaden the industrial chain, merge new and old infrastructure, and monitor the requirements for development. By focusing on these key steps, the western region can achieve higher-quality, more efficient, equitable, sustainable, and safer development, thus contributing to the overall development of China.

The Chinese economy is currently undergoing a transition from a phase of high-speed growth to one of high-quality development, with innovation-driven progress becoming increasingly crucial. In this new historical stage, innovation is viewed as a necessary condition for creating a modern nation and a significant undertaking for putting into practice the new development idea and creating a new development pattern. However, to fully grasp the potential of innovation, it is necessary to define it and explore its essence. Innovation should go beyond the development of new technologies, business models, and cultural systems; it should be value-oriented, addressing social issues brought on by growth. Exploration is a crucial aspect of innovation, involving venturing into uncharted territory with no guide or set of rules to follow. To innovate through exploration, an entrepreneurial and pragmatic mindset is necessary. Entrepreneurship and pragmatism describe individuals who possess an innovative spirit and are willing to take risks to achieve their goals. However, China’s innovation progress has been inadequate, with underlying reasons lying in culture, system, customs, and ecology. To progress from needle points to match heads or little wooden sticks, there is a need to foster a practical culture, practicalism, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Scientific and technological innovation is the key driving factor for economic development and social progress, and it gets more important in the competition for comprehensive national strength, especially in the current world that is undergoing profound changes unseen in centuries. Under such background, how can China build up its own strategies for scientific and technological innovation? To make this clear, we will discuss in this chapter the situations and challenges faced by China for scientific and technological innovation at first, then we will figure out the missions and tasks of China for its scientific and technological innovation in the new era, and on such basis we will go deeper to find out the strategy and path towards high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement.

As socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is gaining momentum. Against this backdrop, Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has made a call to implement the innovation-driven development strategy, and stresses that innovation is the primary driving force for development. Since the key to developing innovation in China is to build up a sound national innovation system, in this chapter, we will discuss the theoretical foundations of the national innovation systems, make clear the new circumstances facing China’s national innovation system, and give an overview of China’s national innovation system. And after analysis, we find that it is imperative for China to promote the opening-up and cooperation of the national innovation system with other countries in the world.

Innovation culture and innovation ecosystem, referring to a soft environment for scientific and technological innovation that can support the healthy and efficient operation of the national innovation system, are of profound significance to the scientific and technological development of an institution, a region and even a state. The building of innovation culture and innovation ecosystem actually means establishing the value concept and behavior mode to promote innovation, or creating an enabling environment and social atmosphere for innovation. The construction of China’s innovation culture and innovation ecosystem is the call of the time. It has achieved remarkable results though, it still faces multiple problems. However, by learning from international experience, we can always find out the task and methods of how China can construct own innovation culture and innovation ecosystem.

China adheres to an innovation-driven development policy, and has vowed to become self-reliant in science and technology, strengthen basic research, achieve breakthroughs in core technologies, promote innovation, better protect intellectual property rights, and make greater efforts to transform the country into a science and technology powerhouse. To achieve those goals, China has established a project of building the capital Beijing into a national sci-tech innovation center with global influence which will act as global leaders in cutting-edge technology, lead the trend of industrial development, gather high-end innovation platforms, and maintain an open environment. In this chapter, we mainly discuss about the reason why and how we build Beijing into an international scientific and technological innovation center, including the focus and initiatives of the project.

Human health is closely related to economic and social development, while economic and social development is strongly associated with the development of science and technology. In this regard, human health is affected by science and technology to some extent. For example, medical technology can help improve human health and alleviate human suffering from diseases. However, its contribution to national health is limited. We believe we must rely less on the development of medical technology and the provision of medical services to improve the national health, than on the economic and social development, living environment and personal lifestyle. In this chapter, we will mainly discuss how medical technology impacts human health, what the focus of medical technology is and what the right direction of its future development is.

Artificial Intelligence has become an indispensable part of our daily lives, transforming the way we interact, work, and live. One of the most significant contributions of AI is in the healthcare sector, where it has enabled doctors and healthcare professionals to diagnose diseases, monitor patient health, and develop personalized treatment plans. Additionally, AI-powered robots are being utilized in surgical procedures, reducing the chances of human error and improving patient outcomes. In the finance industry, AI-powered algorithms are being used to analyze financial data and identify patterns that help investors make informed investment decisions. Furthermore, AI-powered chatbots are being employed to provide customer support and address customer queries in real-time, improving customer satisfaction and reducing the workload of support staff. In agriculture, AI-powered tools are being used to monitor crop health and predict crop yields. By analyzing environmental data such as temperature, humidity, and soil moisture levels, AI algorithms can determine the optimal conditions for crop growth. Finally, AI is transforming the transportation industry by enabling the development of self-driving cars and improving traffic management.

Graphene is a remarkable new material with a huge range of potential applications. With a thickness of only one atomic layer, it is the thinnest substance known to man and also the strongest, with a theoretical strength of 100 times that of steel. The Beijing Graphene Research Institute is positioned as a source of fundamental technology for the graphene industry, a base for high-end graphene material production and equipment R&D, a platform for “R&D OEM” for multinational corporations, a hub for high-tech talent and an innovation and entrepreneurship base. The most active application market right now is graphene, which has high hopes for advancements in thermal control and excellent health. Future plans for the graphene sector depend on preparation, and it is essential to adapt our way of thinking and recognize the transition from research to engineering to industrial thinking while moving from basic research to industrialization. The essential solution to the issue of collaborative innovation between business, academia, and research is for China to promote the collaborative innovation model of a single entity and allow millions of firms with internal collaborative innovation capabilities to develop.

The notion of the intelligent world is a sweeping and comprehensive concept that encompasses the convergence of physical and informational infrastructures. China's vision of achieving socialist modernization by 2035 includes a strong emphasis on technological and scientific innovation, positioning the country among the most innovative nations in the world. To thrive in the intelligent world, businesses must break free from conventional paths of innovation and evolve from imitation and introduction to integration and originality. The intelligent world is characterized by the widespread application of intelligence, including artificial intelligence, life science and technology, blockchain, new materials, and 5G/6G communication technology. Companies must choose the best course for technological transformation in light of the shifts in the global innovation ecosystem, trade system, and geopolitical landscape. The intelligent world offers numerous prospects for different industries, but the ability and power of any one company to participate is restricted. Companies should concentrate on the underlying core technology and determine their own positioning to genuinely participate in the creation of the smart world.

With all the efforts to put in the prevention and control of air pollution, China’s air quality has been improved significantly. However, China still suffers from combined air pollution comprising dual high O₃ and PM_2.5. In response to the international call for climate action, China has put forward the strategic goals of “achieving CO₂ emissions peak before 2030, carbon neutrality before 2060”. To achieve these goals, it is imperative for China to integrate pollution control and carbon reduction. In this chapter, we will introduce the characteristics of China’s air pollution and the history of governance, analyze the correlation between combined air pollution and climate change, investigate the mechanism and potential of the “dual carbon” strategy to promote the deep integration of pollution control and carbon reduction, and discuss the approaches to carbon neutrality and the fundamental improvement of air quality under the concept of ecological civilization.

The goals for peak CO₂ emissions and carbon neutrality constitute a strategic choice made by China to achieve sustainable development for the Chinese nation and build a community of a shared future for mankind. It requires a broad and profound systemic reform in economy and society, as well as a strict control over environmental pollution. Under the background of dual carbon goals, we must control environmental pollution effectively and efficiently through green and low-carbon technologies, and solid environmental protection systems. In this chapter, we will summarize the theoretical and practical achievements of China in environmental pollution control over the past few years from the following three aspects: sewage treatment, indoor air pollution control and synergy of pollution control and carbon reduction in the industrial field. Besides, we will also provide a high-quality development path for the environmental pollution control industry to open up new space and lay a solid foundation for the realization of the dual carbon goals.

In the joint action with the international community to fight against climate change, China set the goal of achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. This is not only China’s response to the international community to tackle climate change, but also a great driver for the high-quality development of China’s economy. However, to achieve the dual carbon goal, China faces dual challenges in time and difficulty. To address these challenges, the priority is to vigorously develop low- and zero-carbon energy sources, especially renewable energy sources, including photovoltaic, wind and hydropower, as well as new types of renewable energy sources, such as geothermal and solar thermal energy. The key to the development of such energy is technological innovation, through which we can transform and upgrade traditional industries, accelerate the development of emerging industries, and truly achieve the dual carbon goals. In this chapter, we will discuss the current status, challenges and development trends of the industries and technologies related to renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen energy and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).

Both the world and China are undergoing a scale of change unseen in a century. Along with the enhancement of its overall national strength, international status and global influence, there is an urgent need for China to have a strong voice and guide public opinion in the world that is compatible with its status. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, President Xi Jinping has delivered important speeches on strengthening international communication on several occasions. How should China strengthen its capacity and discourse in international communication? What policies and measures should China adopt to make itself heard around the world? With these questions in mind, this article explores the ways to display a true, multidimensional and panoramic view of China and present an admirable, amicable and respectful image of China to the world based on a communication concept with “value communication” as the core.

At present, the international landscape is changing drastically. China now faces an increasingly complex international communication environment, and various pressures and challenges are emerging one after another. However, these problems and challenges also provide new opportunities for the country’s discourse construction in the new era. What challenges does China face in international discourse? How should China build its discourse system to tell Chinese stories well in the new era? The article first analyzes the problems and challenges facing China’s international discourse from the historical and political perspectives, and then explores the ways to strengthen China’s discourse system for international communication from the theoretical and practical perspectives. To promote the innovative development of Chinese discourse in the new era, it concludes that efforts should be made to provide an adaptive discourse for Western society to understand China’s development and offer Chinese solutions to global problems. China’s discourse system for international communication should be open, inclusive and innovative.

The year 2021 is called the “first year of the metaverse”. The year witnessed the concept of “metaverse” extending from industry insiders to the general public, and saw the basic formation of the metaverse industry paradigm as many giants entered the industry one after another. At present, the mobile internet has shown a solidified pattern and pervading monopoly. In this case, it becomes impossible for startups to break through the siege in the consumer market, and the interval between hardware updates is extended. What is indeed the metaverse? How should we build the metaverse? What opportunities and challenges will the metaverse bring to human society? This article focuses on finding answers to the aforesaid questions. In the face of the great historic opportunities brought about by the metaverse, we should drive a new round of technological innovation and industrial iteration, foster new-type leading enterprises and nurture new industrial clusters in the development of metaverses. At the same time, efforts are needed to guide platform enterprises to take the initiative to take social responsibilities and establish an open, inclusive, mutually beneficial and symbiotic metaverse governance ecology through comprehensive use of legal, market, regulatory, technological and other means.

Currently, the media landscape is undergoing unprecedented changes. The media world is witnessing a transition from professional journalists to “everyone being a journalist” as well as the restructuring of communication power, structure and ecosystem. In this context, what should China do to enhance its international communication capacity? How should we address the challenges brought about by media transformation? Along with the growth of China, the vast majority of Western countries still haven’t changed their Cold War mentality when viewing China. In this case, what kind of “photographic plate” and what kind of picture should we present to the world? The article analyzes the situation that China’s international communication face, and proposes solutions to strengthen the country’s ability to disseminate its voices around the world. It concludes that new communication ideas are needed in the future development of communication studies as well as international communication theory and practice. Chinese media organizations and Gen-Z ought to be important contributors to the construction of new communication philosophy.