By Wei Zhezhe, Liu Botong, People’s Daily

In a modest corner of Jiangmen, south China’s Guangdong province, residents of Weidong village are experiencing firsthand a form of democracy that starts at the grassroots level and reverberates all the way to Beijing.

Wu Tengxin, a local villager who relies on a scooter for daily mobility after contracting polio, recalls a time when the village’s public spaces were ill-equipped for people with disabilities. Now, thanks to a simple suggestion made during a meeting, his everyday life has changed.

In November 2022, a team from a local legislative outreach office – a branch of China’sNational People’s Congress (NPC) – visited Weidong village and set up a “bench-style meeting.” Residents, including the elderly and those with disabilities, gathered to voice their concerns about inadequate accessibility.

Amid the conversation, Wu offered a straightforward proposal: “I hope rural accessible facilities can be improved to make mobility easier for people with disabilities and the elderly.” His words were relayed verbatim to lawmakers.

The response was swift. On June 28, 2023, at the third session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, legislators passed a law on building a barrier-free living environment. The law stipulates that improvements”shall align with social and economic development levels, coordinate urban and rural progress, and gradually narrow the gap in infrastructure between urban and rural areas.”

Today, Wu observes that the village’s main roads and public squares have been upgraded with accessibility features that make getting around considerably easier.

This episode illustrates what Chinese officials call “whole-process people’s democracy” – a system where citizen input is woven into every stage of policy development.

Jilie Ziri, head of Abuluoha village in Butuo county, southwest China’s Sichuan province, remarked that for young generations in China, democracy has become a lived experience. “Villagers are the masters of village affairs,” he said, emphasizing how active villager participation has injected new vitality into local governance.

Experts point to consultative democracy as a cornerstone of this process. Tao Kaiyuan, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy and vice president of the Supreme People’s Court, underscores the important role of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, whose members hail from every stratum of society and bring a wealth of expertise and connections.

Their regular forums, field research, and public consultations have created robust channels for citizens to contribute ideas and forge consensus.”This approach gathers collective wisdom and transforms public voices into policy,” Tao said.

Another crucial manifestation is the effectiveness of China’s political party system. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Chinese democratic parties actively fulfill their duties, offering recommendations that often translate into concrete policy decisions. This integrated approach demonstrates the unique strengths of China’s political system and the advantages of whole-process people’s democracy.

Tao emphasized that whole-process people’s democracyhas evolved into an efficient and dynamic democratic practice – one that not only reflects the essence of socialist democracy but also presents a pioneering model of political civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global governance and democratic development.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

At China’s recent annual “two sessions,” Chinese modernization once again captured global attention. International observers are closely following a range of new measures designed not only to accelerate Chinese domestic transformation but also to unlock fresh opportunities for global development.

They believe that Chinese modernization, built on a foundation of openness and cooperation, will continue to yield global benefits with each new milestone.

Today, China stands as a formidable force in the global economy – accounting for around 18 percent of the global economy and nearly 30 percent of world manufacturing output. Year after year, the nation has contributed about 30 percent to global economic growth. With import and export records with almost all countries and regions designated in the United Nations Statistics Division, the country is a major trading partner for more than 150 countries and regions. In 2024, its exports to over 160 countries and regions saw growth.

Often hailed as the “world’s largest developing country,”the “second-largest economy,””world’s factory,””global market,” and “innovation powerhouse,” China is increasingly viewed as a beacon of stability and progress.

In recent years, high-profile events such as the seventh China International Import Expo – where intended deals exceeded $80 billion – and the establishment of over 1.239 million foreign-invested enterprises have reinforced the nation’s reputation as a vast, dynamic market.

Meanwhile, policies encouraging Chinese companies to “go global” have seen a steady stream of new technologies, goods, and services permeate international markets, knitting the country ever tighter into global value chains and bolstering its commitment to win-win cooperation.

The influence of Chinese modernization is evident far beyond its borders. In the Central African Republic, President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly screened China’s political documentary Carry the Reform Through to the End for cabinet discussions, while officialsin Uzbekistan are adapting China’s poverty-reduction experience to suit their national context. These moves challenge the assumption that modernization must follow Western models, suggesting that China’s alternative pathway offers a viable route to development.

Beyond economic growth, Chinese modernization is increasingly celebrated for its potential to foster win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.

Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for example, Kazakhstan secured its first maritime access and Laos launched its first modern railway. Support from the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund has propelled over 160 projects, benefiting more than 30 million people. Moreover, China has given all the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, signaling its commitment to an open and inclusive global economy.

China’s modernization agenda also tackles global challenges head on. In response to global environmental risks, China advocates for building a community of all life on the Earth. To bridge the digital and AI divide, it has launched the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All to ensure that technological advancements benefit every corner of the globe.

On the security front, China continues to promote dialogue and reconciliation in conflict zones while engaging in multilateral security collaborations, reinforcing its reputation as a nation committed to peace and stability.

By proposing initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilizations Initiative, China is not just charting its own course toward modernization but championing an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization – one that seeks to ensure that no nation is left behind on the path to prosperity.

The global appeal of Chinese modernization is far from accidental. Decades of reform and opening up have accelerated its development while enabling the country to contribute to global governance. On the international stage, it has taken on a leadership role – actively shaping global norms, building a community with a shared future for mankind, and advancing world peace and development. By sharing its successful experiences and technological advancements, the country seeks to help other developing countries chart their own courses toward progress.

With over 1.4 billion people engaged in this modernization journey – a number that surpasses the total population of all developed countries combined – China’s approach is redefining the global modernization landscape. For China, modernization is not solely a national endeavor but a blueprint for global progress – a vision that promises a more inclusive future for all.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Amid rising protectionism and headwinds against economic globalization, international observers is increasingly scrutinize how China collaborates with partners to drive shared development.

The past year witnessed China actively constructing a new system for a higher-level open economywhile achieving measurable advancements in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by China, stands as a significant international public good and serves as a vital platform for fostering a more inclusive and mutually beneficial form of economic globalization.

Built upon the principles of planning together, building together and benefiting together, the initiative has attracted participation from over 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations. The sectors and scope of Belt and Road cooperation have continued to expand, while the level of cooperation has been further elevated.

This initiativehas created a cooperation platform for common development and helped many developing countries speed up their march toward modernization.

The BRI embodies China’s vision for bridging the global development gap. Through a systematic and multi-level cooperation framework, it directly addresses key global development challenges.

The initiative strengthens development foundations through “hard connectivity”in infrastructure, eliminates institutional barriers through “soft connectivity” in policy coordination, and fosters people-to-people bonds through “people-to-people connectivity.”It injects new energy into addressing global issues such as infrastructure bottlenecks, lack of development momentum, and weak governance capacity.

The BRI has breathed new life into global trade by enhancing economic connectivity. With the operation of the China-Laos Railway, fruits freshly picked in Southeast Asian countries can reach markets in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan province on the same day via the Lancang-Mekong Express service of the China-Laos Railway.

The gantry cranes at Greece’s Piraeus Port are operating at full capacity, while the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line cuts previous Asia-Europe cross-border transportation by five to 10 days.

In Peru, the opening of the Chancay Port has cut single-trip sea transport time between China and Peru to 23 days, slashing logistics costs by over 20 percent.

The construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway is underway, and key projects such as the China-Vietnam cross-border trainsand Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link have made significant progress, creating new momentum for global connectivity and expanding space for world economic growth.

The BRI serves as a driving force for global modernization. The modernization China pursues is not for China alone, but for all developing countries through joint efforts. This reflects the broad vision of Chinese modernization in creating a new model for human advancement.

Global modernization should be pursued to enhance peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation and bring prosperity to all. This aligns seamlessly with the vision and goals of the BRI.

In the new era, China’s Juncao technology is bringing prosperity to people in a number of developing countries; the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project has improved livelihood in the region; the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway accelerates the modernization of cities along its route.

These micro-level transformations are collectively shaping a macro development landscape. By prioritizing development, the BRI helps partner countries build new engines of economic growth, unlock development potential, and create broader opportunities for modernization worldwide.

The BRI also embodies China’s commitment to carrying forward the Silk Road spirit. The Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit is the most important source of strength for Belt and Road cooperation.

This spirit is consistent with the ideal of “all states joining together in harmony and peace” long upheld by the Chinese nation, with the Chinese people’s principles of amity, good neighborliness and “helping others to succeed while seeking our own success,” and with the call of the times for peace, development and win-win cooperation.

Throughout history and today, China has consistently championed resolving differences through dialogue, opposing division through solidarity, and promoting development through cooperation – an approach that defines its role as an “enabler” in the global arena.

This vision is also at the heart of the BRI. In a world undergoing profound transformation, upheaval, and changes unseen in a century, the BRI serves as a vital source of positive energy.

As high-quality Belt and Road cooperation continues to focus on delivering high-standard, sustainable and people-centered projects, China will work with all partners to create new opportunities and contribute to global development and prosperity.