Many participants of the 2025 Understanding China Conference have said that China's development practices offer the world -- countries in the Global South, in particular -- an alternative type of modernization distinct from established Western models, adding stability and momentum to global development.
Themed "New Plan, New Development, New Choices -- Chinese Modernization and New Vision for Global Governance," the conference took place from Sunday to Tuesday in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province. It attracted a record 800 participants from home and abroad, about 70 percent of whom come from countries in the Global South.
Discussions centered on the Communist Party of China Central Committee's recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for China's economic and social development, as well as its global significance.
"The Chinese path to modernization offers a new choice to the developing countries, particularly to African countries, as well as to the Global South at large, by presenting an alternative model to the traditionally conceived perception of Western-style development," Mulatu Teshome, former Ethiopian president, said at the opening ceremony. He said China has made great contributions to global economic growth, poverty reduction, environmental protection and global governance.
"From the experience of Chinese modernization, we can vividly see that countries can achieve progress based on their own national conditions and historical backgrounds by challenging the notion that equals modernization with Westernization," Teshome said.
His view was shared by other participants, including Andrei Bystritsky, chairman of the board of the Foundation for Development and Support of Russian think tank Valdai Discussion Club, who said that China's development proves there is more than one path to national prosperity.
China has transformed and modernized itself rapidly, and radically changed the way of life for a huge number of people, reshaping its role on the global stage, Bystritsky said.
China's pragmatic actions in international cooperation also drew significant attention at the conference. Erastus Mwencha, former vice chairman of the African Union Commission, hailed China's remarkable contributions to multilateralism.
Through the Belt and Road Initiative, China has made significant investments and promoted trade, Mwencha said. Tariff reductions have helped open the Chinese consumer market to Africa while enabling African buyers to access a wide range of China-made products, he said.
Ong Tee Keat, former Malaysian transport minister, noted that multilateral development banks such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank can help bridge infrastructure gaps and support growth needs across the Global South.
According to the China International Development Cooperation Agency, China has increased its Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund to 4 billion U.S. dollars under the Global Development Initiative. It has mobilized over 23 billion U.S. dollars to support the development and invigoration of the Global South, and launched more than 1,800 cooperation projects.
China has also long been providing medical assistance to developing countries. According to the National Health Commission, China has dispatched nearly 30,000 medical workers to 77 countries or regions and established partnerships with 48 hospitals in 43 countries since 1963.
International guests also emphasized that China's development is closely linked to the future of the Global South.
China's Global Governance Initiative reflects the aspirations of the Global South and represents the pursuit of justice and equality, said Essam Sharaf, former prime minister of Egypt.
Sharaf added that the reasonable, timely initiative does not seek to replace existing systems but rather to promote a more balanced and stable world order.
Participants also hailed China's green development. The severe impacts of global climate change demand joint action, and China's green transition offers new opportunities, said Rishan de Silva, executive director of the Geopolitical Cartographer in Sri Lanka.
The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area charts a clear course for strengthened trade ties, Ong said. In the coming years, Malaysia will enhance its green industry cooperation with China and strengthen supply-chain resilience, he added.
