Chinese governance stays true to its mission

Sinology, civilization and the mission of governance

By Duan Peng

The CPC has led the Chinese people toward modernization by giving an ancient civilization a modern political form. Whole-process people's democracy, common prosperity, and high-quality development are not borrowed doctrines.

They are contemporary expressions of a civilization that has continually renewed itself, translating China's enduring political tradition into modern governance.

Developing countries face common challenges: reducing poverty, sustaining growth, safeguarding security, preserving cultural identity, and building independent narratives. The deeper question is how to modernize without being defined by external discourses, drawing instead on their own civilizational heritage.

A mission gives governance its civilizational direction. Its success, however, depends on whether political parties can forge a consensus on good governance while respecting their differences. Such consensus does not require uniformity.

It grows from a genuine understanding of one another's civilizational logic. Bridging that gap demands more than linguistic translation — it requires people who can interpret one civilization through the lens of another.

These individuals need not copy China's experience, but adapt governance principles proven in practice to local realities and turn them into institutions that suit their societies.

For too long, political parties across the developing world have been spoken for rather than heard.

The answer is not louder messaging, but a shift from political advocacy to the exchange of governance knowledge.

Sinologists are natural interpreters, making Chinese governance intelligible across cultures while enabling other countries to explain their own development paths in concepts and narratives that resonate globally, securing a more equal voice in global governance.

Today, there is an opportunity to build a more pluralistic, development-oriented body of global knowledge — not to promote a single model, but to encourage equal dialogue, mutual learning, and stronger governance across the developing world.

As barriers to knowledge recede, greater understanding among political parties can translate into deeper cooperation, enriching global governance with the experience and wisdom of the developing world.

The author is the president of Beijing Language and Culture University. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.