From November 30 to December 2, 2025, a representative delegation from the Valdai Discussion Club took part in the 9th Understanding China Annual Conference themed “New Plan, New Development, New Choices – Chinese Modernization and New Vision for Global Governance”.
Li Shulei, member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, head of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, and Huang Kunming, secretary (head) of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the guests with welcoming remarks.
The Valdai delegation was led by Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club. In his speech at the opening session, he noted, in particular, that modern China “is a vivid demonstration that there are many paths to prosperity and that there is no point in imposing a single value model on the entire world... It is the ability to take into account both one’s own and others’ interests that will enable humanity to develop successfully and find balance in the modern world.”
A key focus of the conference was the discussion of the future of global and regional institutions. According to Andrey Bystritskiy, the new system of international governance in the emerging world order will include the SCO, BRICS, and financial institutions such as the New Development Bank, which Russia and China are developing together with their partners.
The Valdai delegation also included Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Discussion Club; Alexander Lukin, Academic Director of the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Head of the Department of International Relations at the Higher School of Economics; Vasily Kashin, Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics; Andrey Kortunov, expert of the Valdai Discussion Club; Fyodor Voitolovsky, Director of the IMEMO RAS; and Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club and Professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.
As part of the Understanding China conference, the Valdai Discussion Club co-hosted a roundtable discussion with the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy (CIIDS). Leading experts from Russia and China discussed practical issues of bilateral strategic cooperation in a changing global order in a closed-door format. Representing the Chinese side were Li Junru, Executive Vice Chairman of the Academic Committee of the CIIDS and former Vice Rector of the CPC Central Party School, and Feng Wei, Vice Chairman of the CIIDS.
The ninth annual Understanding China conference was organized by the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy in Guangzhou, China. Its objective was to provide a broad discussion of China’s initiatives on the global stage and its achievements in economic and technological development, promoting global openness, and free trade. The forum was attended by former heads of state and government, prominent scholars and public figures, as well as a number of high-ranking Chinese government officials.
