The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has emerged as a major platform for development, connectivity, productivity and poverty alleviation. Its priorities increasingly include modernization, digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), green industrialization and sustainable development. Despite geopolitical tensions and changing geo-economic alignments, the initiative continues to promote socio-economic prosperity, institutional cooperation and shared development. It is also an important component of President Xi Jinping’s four Global Initiatives on development, security, civilization and governance.

The philosophical roots of the BRI can be traced to China’s ancient traditions, which emphasize harmony, multiculturalism, peaceful coexistence and good neighbourly relations. These principles have influenced Chinese society, governance and diplomacy for centuries. Their contemporary relevance presents the BRI not merely as an infrastructure programme but also as an expression of philosophical ideas concerning cooperation, mutual benefit and collective prosperity.

Seven Chinese expressions capture this ancient wisdom: xiehe wanbang, harmony among all nations; he er bu tong, harmony without uniformity; tianxia datong, the ideal of a world of great harmony; qin ren shan lin, friendship with neighbours; zhi ge wei wu, the belief that military power should ultimately end warfare; yi de fu ren, winning people through virtue; and sihai zhinei jie xiongdi, the idea that all within the four seas are brothers. Together, these concepts emphasize human welfare, social justice, equality, compassion and peaceful relations, offering a philosophical foundation for connecting nations through trade, infrastructure and development.

These principles feature in classical Chinese texts, including the Book of Documents, Confucius’s Analects and the Zuo Zhuan. They emphasize harmony........

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