Abstract:

The external dimension of Chinese modernization is characterized by its commitment to“the path of peaceful development,”engaging with international law as an emerging power through a two-fold interaction in the process of development. On the one hand, the rise of emerging powers has challenged the hegemonic status of traditional great powers, destabilizing the established international political and economic order. On the other hand, the motivation and capacity of emerging powers to advance international law have come under scrutiny, highlighting the need to move beyond both the great power-dominated model and the predicament of fragmented development. With the sustained enhancement of their national strength and international influence, emerging powers represented by China have acquired greater voice in the construction of international order through legal, institutional, and systemic participation and innovation, consistently providing public goods to the international community and promoting the democratization of the international order. Chinese modernization transcends the paradigm of international law of great powers embedded in the traditional Western path to modernization, propelling international law toward a more equitable and reasonable direction.

Key words: Chinese modernization, international law, international law of great powers, international law of emerging powers, international law for development