Near a border checkpoint in Ruili, southwest China's Yunnan Province, the Yinjing Border Primary School enrolls a significant number of Myanmar students – around 38% – who, along with Chinese students, all receive free compulsory education.

Such cross-border engagement extends beyond primary education. The Ruili Vocational Secondary School has developed an industry-education integration model focused on sectors such as textiles, electronics and equipment manufacturing. Partnering with 17 institutions in Myanmar, the school has trained more than 110,000 Myanmar workers.

While some return home equipped with new skills, others choose to stay in China, contributing to local industries. This is evident in the Ruili Border Industrial Park. Around 5,000 Myanmar workers are employed in the Youngor industrial complex alone. These engagements not only boost local economies but also create shared opportunities across borders.

Ruili's experience is far from isolated. Similar stories can be found along the China-Laos Railway, at the China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Border Cooperation Center and in trade zones along the China-Vietnam border. Together, they illustrate a broader pattern of regional connectivity driven by China's neighborhood diplomacy.

China's neighborhood diplomacy

As the country with the largest number of neighboring states, China has long emphasized the importance of fostering stable and cooperative relations with its neighbors.

"A basic policy of China's neighborhood diplomacy is to develop friendship and partnership with its neighbors and foster an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood, which embodies the philosophy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a written address to a symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept on October 24, 2023.

Xi first described China's neighborhood diplomatic concepts as "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness" in 2013. The concepts underscore the importance of building trust, pursuing shared development and promoting openness in regional cooperation.

According to Xing Guangcheng, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of History, China's neighborhood diplomacy is ultimately aimed at building a community with a shared future. He emphasized its peaceful nature, noting that China views neighboring countries as a community with shared interests and seeks to foster stable and mutually beneficial relations. China's development, he added, will not come at the expense of others' interests.

At the same time, he noted that this vision is pursued through platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, alongside efforts to strengthen strategic trust, manage differences through dialogue, deepen economic integration and enhance connectivity.

Delivering tangible benefits

Over the past decade, these ideas have translated into a wide range of tangible outcomes.

Regional cooperation frameworks such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the China-Cambodia "Diamond Hexagon" have gained momentum, while economic ties between China and ASEAN countries have continued to deepen. Negotiations on a China-Japan-South Korea free trade agreement have also progressed, reflecting sustained efforts to expand regional economic integration.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, for instance, has evolved into a major driver of Pakistan's economic transformation. By improving infrastructure, enhancing energy supply and stimulating industrial development, the project has not only supported economic growth but also strengthened people-to-people ties between the two countries.

China has also actively promoted dialogue through multilateral platforms such as the Boao Forum for Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the China-Central Asia Summit. These mechanisms provide opportunities for countries in the region to exchange views, coordinate policies and explore new areas of cooperation, contributing to a more interconnected and dynamic regional landscape.

Beyond economic and institutional cooperation, people-to-people exchanges have played an increasingly important role. Chinese medical teams have helped restore sight to thousands of cataract patients in Cambodia, while China-funded schools in Laos have expanded access to education for local children. Through initiatives in healthcare, education, culture and sports, China has sought to deepen mutual understanding and strengthen social ties across the region.

Building a neighborhood community with a shared future

Scholars note that in a world marked by uncertainty and fragmentation, China's neighborhood diplomacy reflects the philosophical underpinnings of China's foreign policy, represents China's peaceful development strategy and offers a framework for advancing regional modernization through collaboration rather than zero-sum rivalry.

Kenyan scholar Cavince Adhere sees China's neighborhood diplomacy as rooted in traditional Chinese culture, reflecting a commitment to inclusiveness and common development. He said the vision resonates with the aspirations of developing nations.

Tang Zhimin, assistant president of China-ASEAN Education Extension at the Bangkok-based Panyapiwat Institute of Management, believes that Asian values emphasize integrity, sharing and inclusiveness. He said China's neighborhood diplomacy provides a clear guiding ethos for advancing Asian modernization.

Warwick Powell, an adjunct professor at Queensland University of Technology and advisor to former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, said that while Western nations often view the world through a zero-sum lens, China handles its relations with neighboring countries from a symbiotic perspective rooted in connection rather than isolation.

Powell describes China as a powerful enabling force, empowering neighboring countries and maintaining regional stability so that others can prosper alongside China. "China's vision reminds us that our futures are intertwined. And the strongest way forward is often together," Powell said.