A two-volume compilation of selected writings by Chinese leader Xi Jinping on foreign relations has been released for domestic and international distribution, according to Chinese state media.
The first and second volumes of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Diplomacy bring together 134 pieces spanning January 2013 to November 2025, including speeches and reports, the Communist Party-affiliated Institute of Party History and Literature said in a statement cited by state outlets. The volumes were published by the Central Party Literature Press.
The collection covers a period during which China's foreign policy positions evolved significantly. Over these years, Beijing expanded the Belt and Road Initiative, staked positions in South China Sea disputes, and deepened strategic ties with Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. China also positioned itself as a mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023 and expanded its diplomatic presence across the Global South.
The compilation follows the established practice of producing curated volumes of a sitting leader's policy writings. Earlier volumes under Xi have covered governance, national security, economic development, and the Belt and Road Initiative. Under previous leaders, similar collections were published for Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao, serving as official references for Party officials and government cadres.
Within China's political system, such collections function as authoritative texts that codify the incumbent leader's policy doctrine. They are assigned as study material within Party schools and government institutions and are used to standardise messaging among officials. The international distribution of the volumes is also part of broader efforts to present Beijing's policy positions to foreign audiences through official channels.
The timing of the release comes amid a concentrated push in Chinese diplomacy. In the first half of 2026, Beijing has hosted visits from leaders across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, continued engagement with Pacific Island nations, and advanced multilateral initiatives including the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. The foreign ministry has also sustained diplomatic outreach to European capitals and maintained high-level exchanges with ASEAN member states.
Scholars of Chinese politics have noted that the selective nature of these compilations means certain speeches and remarks are elevated while others are excluded, shaping the official narrative of the leader's policy record. The volumes provide a curated account of Xi's diplomatic engagements rather than a comprehensive archive.
The two volumes are available for purchase in China and through international distribution networks managed by China International Book Trading Corporation, according to state media reports.
Sources: gov.cn/SCIO
