The Evolution of Strategies and the New Face of China in Global Trade

The article is devoted to the study of the evolution of China’s foreign trade strategies and the specifics of the formation of its new face in the global economy. The focus is on the analysis of the country’s historical path from the period of decline in the 19th — first half of the 20th century, associated with unequal treaties and the loss of trade sovereignty, to the modern stage, when China has become the largest trading power in the world. Based on the theory of life cycles of national development, five key stages of foreign trade development are identified: decline, preparatory growth, rapid growth, prosperity and transition to high-quality development. The author shows that China’s transformation in foreign trade was due to a number of factors: industrialization and the formation of its own production base; institutional reforms of the “reform and openness” period; accession to the WTO and the subsequent rapid growth of exports and imports; as well as a strategy of digitalization, greening and diversification of trade relations. Particular attention is paid to the impact of geopolitical challenges and technological breakthroughs, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing and the “new three” of exports (electric vehicles, lithium batteries, photovoltaic systems). The article points out that despite the growth of protectionism, the restructuring of global trade rules and crises in global logistics, China has managed to demonstrate resilience and adaptability. This is facilitated by an integrated production system, a huge domestic market, the active development of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative and the diversification of trade directions. A special role is played by the transition from quantitative indicators to qualitative growth, which is manifested in the increase in the share of high-tech products and services in the country’s export basket. It is concluded that modern China not only follows global trends, but also actively participates in the formation of new rules of world trade, strengthening its influence through the qualitative development of foreign economic activity. The work is relevant in the context of global instability and technological revolution, since China’s experience can serve as a model for other countries seeking to strengthen their positions in the global trading system.

1. Keller W., Li B., Shiue Carol H. Shanghai’s trade, China’s growth: Continuity, recovery, and change since the Opium War1. IMF Economic Review. 2012;61(2):1–55. 2012. DOI: 10.1057/imfer.2013.10

2. Pedersen М. China and the Opium Wars: Brewing the Perfect Cup of Humiliation. 2019. 22 p. URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334278302_China_and_the_Opium_Wars_Brewing_the_Perfect_Cup_of_Humiliation

3. Waung W. The Opium Question in China 1860–1887. 1978. 448 p. DOI: 10.25501/SOAS.00033669

4. Zhiyuan Cui. China’s export growth, 1978–2002. China: An International Journal. 2003;1(2):339–349. DOI: 10.1353/CHN.2005.0035

5. Portyakov V. Ya. Foreign economic relations of the People’s Republic of China. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2020;90(11):1048–1057. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.31857/S0869587320110079

6. Lobanova T.N. The Chinese factor in the construction of a new world order in the 21st century: The rise of China and possible geopolitical consequences. International relations. 2017;2:32–47. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.7256/2454–0641.2017.2.19282

7. 胡 鞍钢. 十四五”蓝图绘就，贵州未来可期—访著名经济学家、清华大学国情研究院院长胡鞍钢. 贵州日报. 2021;21:48–50. Ху Аньган. План на 14-ю пятилетку составлен, будущее Гуйчжоу выглядит перспективным. Гуйчжоу жибао. 2021;21:48–50.

8. Karlusov V.V. Globalization and structural shifts in China’s foreign trade. World and National Economy. 2024;4(68):42–64. URL: https://mirec.mgimo.ru/2024/2024–04/china-foreign-trade-globalization-and-structural-shifts (In Russ.).

9. Feng S., Gu R. A Study on Foreign Trade Strategies from the Perspective of China’s Economic Transformation and Upgrading. Proceedings of Business and Economic Studies. 2022;5(4):73–78. DOI: 10.26689/pbes.v5i4.4306

10. Shi Zhichao. Comparative analysis of the intensity of China’s foreign trade with Group of Seven Countries and ASEAN. Journal of International Law and International Relations. 2023;1(104):73–78. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.33581/2072-0513-2023-1-73-78

11. Mukhopadhyay A. E-commerce trade and data localization: A developing country perspective. International Organisations Research Journal. 2020;15(3):153–175. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.17323/1996-7845-2020-03-06