What makes China's development model unique?

Editor's note: CGTN has recently launched the Ask China campaign to satisfy international audiences' curiosity about China. We invite experts, professionals, editors, reporters and others to provide answers to the insightful questions sent to CGTN by our viewers from around the world. Ben Norton is a US Journalist based in Beijing. Ben is founder and editor of Geopolitical Economy Report. He explains why China's development model stands out. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

China's development model stands out for its consistent focus on improving the living standards of the entire population. Rather than prioritizing growth that benefits only a small elite, the core objective has long been to ensure that economic development translates into broader social progress. This emphasis on raising living standards for all has shaped China's policy choices and guided its long-term development strategy.

When Deng Xiaoping launched the reform and opening-up in 1978, the intention was not simply to introduce market forces. China began allowing the growth of private enterprises and welcomed foreign investment, but these reforms were designed as tools to accelerate development and improve people's livelihoods. Market mechanisms were incorporated into the system, yet the broader national goal remained focused on inclusive development.

A phrase often attributed to Deng Xiaoping – "to get rich is glorious" – is sometimes misunderstood. Deng's actual argument was that some regions and groups could become prosperous first, but they would then have the responsibility to help less-developed areas catch up. In this sense, the ultimate aim was not prosperity for a few, but shared development and rising prosperity across the entire country. (Video courtesy of Western China International Communication Organization)