Belgrade, Serbia – February 5, 2025 – The Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) hosted a discussion featuring Professor Zhang Weiwei, a distinguished Chinese intellectual and professor at Fudan University, as part of the Horizons Discussion series. The event, moderated by CIRSD President Vuk Jeremić, brought together members of the diplomatic, business, and academic communities in Belgrade to discuss pressing global issues, including China’s geopolitical strategy, U.S.-China trade tensions, the future of global governance, and the Taiwan question.
“For the past ten years, as the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development—a Serbia-based think tank—we have been dedicated to improving the understanding of global affairs in this region,” said Vuk Jeremić in his opening remarks. “Throughout this decade, we’ve had the privilege of hosting some of the world’s most distinguished intellectuals, including Jeffrey Sachs, John Mearsheimer, and Niall Ferguson, among many others.”
Professor Zhang spoke about how China’s governance model is fundamentally different from Western political structures, emphasizing the concept of China as a “civilization-state” rather than a nation-state.
“Most modern states have a beginning—an event, a revolution, or a founding moment. But China has always existed. It has endured for thousands of years, evolving while maintaining its core civilizational values.” Jeremić explained.
Professor Zhang explained that China’s political philosophy is rooted in a selection-based governance system, rather than a Western-style electoral democracy.
“Our model is not about political parties competing for votes every four years—it is about a long-term vision. The West focuses on ‘who governs,’ while China focuses on ‘how to govern well.’ That is why China plans in decades, not election cycles,” Zhang explained.
He then challenged the traditional Western paradigm of democracy vs. autocracy, arguing that the real global divide is not about political systems, but about good governance vs. bad governance.
"The West believes its model is universal, but it has produced deep political dysfunction and populism. Democracy is not an end in itself—it is supposed to deliver good governance. If it fails to do that, then what is the point?" Zhang asked.
He pointed to the rapid and efficient response of China to natural disasters compared to Western failures in crisis management, such as the California wildfires. "In China, our response teams were deployed within minutes when an earthquake hit Tibet. Electricity was restored in hours, and aid reached every affected village in a day. In the U.S., the world's richest country, people in California watched their homes burn while the government did nothing," he stated.
Zhang suggested that China’s system, which blends meritocracy, strategic planning, and selection-based leadership, ensures stability and long-term national progress. He contrasted this with Western democracies, where leaders with little governance experience reach the highest offices through elections based on rhetoric rather than competence.
"China's leaders are not amateurs. By the time they reach the top, they have governed provinces larger than most European countries. Compare that to Western political leaders who are often career politicians with no executive experience."
Professor Zhang outlined how the world is undergoing a “geopolitical recession”—a period in which the existing global institutions no longer reflect the actual balance of power. “When the rules of the road no longer reflect the realities of the road, three things can happen: either the institutions are reformed, new institutions are built, or countries take unilateral action—even war, if necessary,” Zhang explained.
He positioned China as a reformer rather than a revolutionary power, distinguishing it from Russia. “Russia wants to overthrow the old system, while China seeks to reform it. We beat the U.S. at its own game by succeeding within their system—just look at the WTO. The U.S. created it, and now they are the ones considering leaving it, while China remains committed to multilateralism.”
The discussion turned to the escalating U.S.-China trade war, following Donald Trump’s announcement of a 10% tariff on Chinese goods and China’s countermeasure of 10-15% tariffs on U.S. products. Zhang was firm in his response: “We have been preparing for this for four years. Trump’s return was anticipated, and we are fully ready. The U.S. economy depends more on China than China depends on the U.S. This is not just tit-for-tat—we are strategically countering.”
Jeremić noted that markets reacted nervously to the trade escalation, asking if this could lead to a broader economic downturn. Zhang, however, was confident: “The U.S. will lose this trade war. They will lose the tech war. They will lose miserably.” He added, “China is moving from a defensive to an offensive position economically. We have the technology, the manufacturing, and the rare earths that the U.S. military industry depends on. We will use our strengths.”
Jeremić observed, “I have no doubt that China can survive a trade war with the U.S., and I also have no doubt that the U.S. can survive a trade war with China. The question is, who suffers more? But for smaller nations like Serbia, the consequences of such a war could be much more severe.”
On Taiwan, Zhang made a clear and strong statement about China’s determination: “We have been patient for 75 years. But patience has its limits. If the U.S. supports peaceful reunification, fine. If not, we will achieve it—by peaceful means if possible, by less peaceful means if necessary. But reunification will happen.”
Zhang warned the U.S. against interfering, stating, “If the U.S. provokes a military conflict over Taiwan, it will no longer be seen as a superpower the next day.”
With rising U.S. tariffs on both the EU and China, Zhang acknowledged a potential opportunity for stronger Sino-European ties. “China’s position has been consistent for decades—we support European integration and hope Europe will be a strong pole in a multipolar world.” However, he was critical of Europe’s current dependence on the U.S., quoting French President Macron’s statement that Europe risks becoming a ‘vassal’ of the U.S.
“China moves like a bullet train. We do not wait for Europe to make up its mind.” Zhang said bluntly.
In his closing remarks, Professor Zhang reiterated China’s commitment to global stability and reform. "China does not seek confrontation, but we are ready for any challenge. Our model is working, and our time has come. The world must recognize that the future will not be dictated by one power alone, but by those who govern wisely. This is the new reality. The question is, who is prepared to adapt?" he concluded.
