Chinese wisdom: New norms for development and global governance

In Xi Jinping’s report at the 19th Party Congress, the concept ‘Chinese wisdom’ is used at prominent places in the context of development and China’s contribution to the world. Given China’s expanding global activities and more assertive stance at international institutions, we can expect this term to be used more often. In fact, it has since mushroomed in Chinese official and academic articles on various issue areas, just like the term ‘the Chinese dream’ did in domestic discourse after the 18th Party Congress. It is still unclear, however, what it means and where or how it may be used. Therefore, this chapter sets out to explore the connotations and international implications of the concept ‘Chinese wisdom’: what kind of practical and philosophical wisdoms it refers to in the area of development and global governance, and what kind of policies and actions it will guide China to carry out in international arenas.