As Western headlines increasingly frame China as a threat, former heads of state and senior international figures attending the 2025 Imperial Springs International Forum (ISIF) in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, offered a sharply different perspective.
Speaking to South reporters on December 2, they described China not as an adversary, but as a driver of cooperation, investment and innovation—one they have observed firsthand over many years.
Many pointed to China's role as a key economic partner, a source of technological leadership, and an important contributor to global stability. They also warned that some of today's biggest sources of uncertainty may actually originate from policy shifts in the West.
Participants stressed that forums like the ISIF create space not only for collaboration, but also for understanding a real China—one often overshadowed by fear-driven narratives.
Reporter | Liu Xiaodi, Huang Yuhan (intern)
Video Editor | Guo Hongda
Video Script & Text | Liu Xiaodi
Cameraman | Guo Hongda, Pan Jiajun
Host & Voiceover | Liu Xiaodi
Cover Designer | Lai Meiya
Editor | Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
