Global polls endorse China's modernization path

Editor's note: Shao Xia is a special commentator on international affairs for CGTN. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Recent Pew Research Center surveys show that people across dozens of countries hold record-high positive views of China, reflecting a consistent upward trend seen in nearly all global opinion polls. Thirty-seven years ago, scholar Francis Fukuyama put forward the "end of history" theory, claiming that Western liberal democracy represented the ultimate form of human civilization.

Yet today, deep structural flaws have been laid bare in Western systems amid recurring governance crises. At the same time, China has forged a distinctive modernization route, breaking the stereotype that modernization equals Westernization and offering a new choice for the world. Significantly, even Fukuyama has acknowledged that "the Chinese have created a pretty impressive system" and that it could become "a real alternative" to Western democracy.

China's core governance principle of putting people first stands in sharp contrast to the Western systems dominated by corporate interests. Many Western developed countries operate expensive, inaccessible medical systems, as governments cut public healthcare budgets and deregulate industries to benefit pharmaceutical and insurance giants.

In contrast, all work in China centers on serving the people. The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer records persistently low government trust in Western nations like Britain and Germany, while China has ranked first globally for 15 consecutive years. This trust comes from tangible livelihood policies: Over 70% of fiscal spending during the 14th Five-Year Plan went to people's livelihoods; the law on social assistance ensures that no one is left behind in the pursuit of prosperity; stable residential power prices are maintained; and safe urban environments allow citizens to travel at night without worry, a sight widely admired by overseas visitors.

True democracy lies in public recognition rather than empty electoral rituals. Western electoral turnout keeps declining, yet China's public satisfaction with governance stays above 90%, creating a stark gap between Western trust deficits and China's trust dividends. Former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema observed that Western elections have turned into "one dollar, one vote" games dominated by money politics. Politicians make bold campaign promises but abandon them after taking office, reducing democracy to a periodic elite game.

China's whole-process people's democracy enables public participation at all governance levels. More than 3.1 million public suggestions were collected for the 15th Five-Year Plan, and grassroots proposals from Shenzhen and Shanghai were written into national laws including the private sector promotion law and the Law on the Protection of Minors, making ordinary people genuine participants in policymaking.

Unlike Western parties beholden to corporate campaign donations, China safeguards the fundamental interests of all people. Driven by long-term national missions, it avoids the capital dependence that traps Western political parties. China carries out systematic anti-corruption work instead of the superficial procedural anti-corruption seen in the West, where political donations and lobbying are legalized, resulting in institutional corruption.

By integrating intra-party, state, judicial, and public supervision, China has built a complete framework to rein in power. Its anti-corruption practices have won widespread praise from United Nations anti-corruption agencies and foreign leaders as a replicable template for developing countries.

China's poverty alleviation model of boosting aspirations and skills differs greatly from the passive welfare systems in the West. Western welfare only provides superficial relief as capital has monopolized social wealth, creating a cycle of dependency that discourages labor. Many Western governments face huge public debt, and any attempt to adjust welfare triggers mass strikes and political instability.

China focuses on empowering impoverished groups rather than simple cash handouts. Over 30 Luban Workshops worldwide have trained more than 160,000 young people, helping vulnerable youth master vocational skills to change their lives, as acknowledged by Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

China advances substantive justice through sound law-based governance, unlike Western legal systems biased toward wealthy elites. In many Western countries, poor defendants accept unfair plea bargains due to unaffordable legal fees, while rich taxpayers evade heavy taxes with professional teams.

The 2025 Gallup Global Safety Report ranks China fourth worldwide on the law and order index, far ahead of many major Western countries. During the drafting of the Civil Code, authorities held 10 rounds of public consultation. They absorbed over one million public opinions, while a full-coverage network of village legal advisors ensures equal legal protection for every citizen.

China's philosophy that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets eliminates the Western binary opposition between growth and environmental protection. Western countries either fear growth's environmental cost or follow a pollute-first model, shifting pollution overseas and imposing carbon tariffs to curb emerging economies.

Over the past decade, China's unit GDP energy consumption dropped by over 26%; it built the world's largest clean energy installed capacity. Meanwhile, its GDP grew from 54 trillion (‎about $8 trillion) to 135 trillion yuan, and the middle-income group exceeded 400 million. A CGTN poll of 48 countries found over 70% of respondents recognized China's approach to balancing development and environmental protection.

China is pioneering an unprecedented path that balances development and peace, humanity and nature, and short-term gains and long-term interests. Facts prove this path is viable and effective. China never forces other nations to copy its model. Its practical governance achievements naturally draw global approval. As China's experience brings tangible benefits to more regions, more countries will recognize its value, ushering in a new chapter for the diverse development of human civilization.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on X to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)