Since the beginning of 2026, China’s diplomacy has continued to heat up. From the Middle East to Europe, from Asia to Africa, numerous heads of state and political figures have made frequent visits to China, making “Going to China” an international trend. This phenomenon profoundly reflects China’s global influence as a responsible major power and its firm determination to embrace the world with high-level openness.
Frequent Visits to China: From the “Prelude to the New Year” to the “April Surge”
Since the start of 2026, China’s head-of-state diplomacy has had a “flying start.” South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Irish Prime Minister Martin, Canadian Prime Minister Carney, Finnish Prime Minister Orpo, British Prime Minister Starmer, and Uruguayan President Olsi, among others, have visited China. On January 29, Starmer visited China, marking the first visit by a British Prime Minister in eight years. On February 25, German Chancellor Merz arrived in Beijing, becoming the first foreign leader to visit China during the Year of the Horse.
Entering April, the fervor reached new heights. From April 11th to 15th, Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez embarked on his fourth visit to China in four years; from April 12th to 14th, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid visited China for the first time; from April 14th to 17th, Vietnam’s General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and President To Lam chose China as his first post-election visit; and on April 16th, Mozambican President Chapo made his first visit to China since taking office. In addition, Thai Princess Sirindhorn, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, and other dignitaries visited China during the same period. On April 14th, the flags of China, Vietnam, and Spain were simultaneously displayed in Tiananmen Square, vividly illustrating this “diplomatic boom.”
Demonstrating Influence: An Anchor of Stability in a Turbulent World
The flurry of visits to China is no coincidence. Huang Rihan, director of the Maritime Silk Road Research Institute at Huaqiao University, pointed out that this is a rational choice made by various countries under the current complex situation, demonstrating China’s strong appeal as a responsible major power. Al Jazeera described China as a “reliable, stable, and predictable partner,” and “attractive” in turbulent times; the US Foreign Policy Focus Research Project website described China as a “stabilizer” in the international landscape. The Spanish newspaper Público wrote that Sánchez’s visit to China signifies “a choice of multilateralism over unilateralism, and cooperation over confrontation.”
Its influence is further reflected in tangible results. On April 16, China released its economic data for the first quarter of 2026, showing a year-on-year growth of 5.0%, reaching the high end of the annual forecast range.
Against the backdrop of the International Monetary Fund lowering its global growth forecast, the robustness of the Chinese economy has instilled confidence in the world. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva explicitly stated that China’s economic size means that when the Chinese economy performs well, it will have a positive spillover effect on the rest of the world. A recent Gallup poll shows that China’s global leadership approval rating will surpass that of the United States for the first time in 2025, leading by 5 percentage points.
A Great Open Nation: Sharing Opportunities Through High-Level Opening-up
Behind the flurry of visits to China lies China’s unwavering commitment to high-level opening-up. By 2025, China will have trade relations with 249 countries and regions worldwide, and over three-quarters of these countries will have joined the Belt and Road Initiative. In the first quarter of this year, China’s total import and export volume exceeded 11 trillion yuan, with imports increasing by nearly 20% year-on-year, a growth rate 7.7 percentage points higher than exports, setting a new record for the same period. China is accelerating its transformation from the “world’s factory” to the “world’s market.”
During his meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated unequivocally, “We have the firm resolve to advance Chinese-style modernization, and the vision to share development opportunities with the world through high-level opening-up.” In a speech at Tsinghua University, Sánchez bluntly stated that some people insist on interpreting reality from a zero-sum game perspective, “This interpretation is not only wrong, but also dangerous and conservative.” He asserted that China is forging a glorious future and is destined to play a crucial role in the world’s future.
Great Power Responsibility: Guiding Global Governance on the Right Path
Faced with a once-in-a-century global transformation, China has consistently stood on the right side of history. During his meeting with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed four principles for maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East: upholding peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty, international rule of law, and coordinating development and security. Iran’s *Tehran Times* noted that these principles “provide a structured strategy for resolving the current crisis and promoting long-term stability.” In his meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez, he stated that China should “oppose the world’s regression to the law of the jungle and jointly defend genuine multilateralism.”
In the spring of 2026, from Beijing to Xiong’an, from Hunan to Guangxi, Chinese dignitaries from various countries visited high-tech enterprises, rode China’s high-speed rail, and experienced the vitality of Chinese-style modernization. This “visit to China fever” is essentially a reflection of the world’s recognition of the Chinese path, trust in China’s openness, and expectations of China’s responsibility.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping said, “China’s development cannot be separated from the world, and the world’s prosperity also needs China.” It is foreseeable that as China’s modernization steadily advances, China’s interaction with the world will become closer, and this great Eastern power will play an even more important role in building a community with a shared future for mankind.