The 2024 Understanding China Conference (Guangzhou) took place at the Guangzhou Yuexiu International Congress Centre.

(KPL) The 2024 Understanding China Conference (Guangzhou) took place on December 3 at the Guangzhou Yuexiu International Congress Centre.

Over 600 participants from the political, strategic, business, academic, and think tank sectors, both domestic and international, attended.

Themed “Carry through the Reform to the End--Chinese Modernization and New Opportunities for World Development,” the conference was a joint effort by the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy, the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Guangdong provincial government. 

Thanks to the support of its domestic and international partners, the Understanding China Conference has become a leading global platform for understanding China’s development strategy.

This year’s conference saw a significant increase in international participation, with 100 representatives from overseas, Hong Kong and Macao, including nine former heads of state, 16 ministerial-level officials, two ambassadors to China, and other leaders from diverse fields.

This reflects the conference’s growing global influence and the increasing desire for international dialogue and consensus-building.

The programme included keynote speeches at the opening ceremony, six parallel seminars, 14 thematic forums, two closed-door discussions, and numerous supporting activities, attracting over 100 domestic and international media outlets.

China consistently adheres to the development logic of “China can only do well when the world is doing well. When China does well, the world will get even better,” framing its progress within the context of human development and providing more opportunities for global progress. Today China is steadily advancing Chinese-style modernization through high-quality development.

This not only fulfills the aspirations of 1.4 billion people for a better life but also contributes to global peace and development. As former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome said, Chinese-style modernization is not just internal development for China; it offers new opportunities for global development. China looks forward to working with other countries to create a favorable environment for development, address various difficulties and challenges, and promote a model of global modernization characterized by peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and common prosperity.

This year’s conference prioritized showcasing the global significance of China’s further and comprehensive deepening of reforms and its advancement of Chinese-style modernization, demonstrating to the world that Chinese-style modernization has opened up new paths for promoting global modernization.

The agenda also aimed to: demonstrate the characteristics and achievements of Chinese-style modernization; address international concerns about China’s further and comprehensive deepening of reforms and its commitment to expanding high-level opening up; and foster discussion on topics such as the unified multi-ethnic Chinese nation and common development of the Chinese nation, cultural preservation and innovation in historically and culturally significant cities, and the innovative development of women’s leadership. Ultimately, the conference sought to promote fine traditional Chinese culture and facilitate cultural exchange and mutual learning.

KPL