Today's world is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. In this context, there is an urgent need to recontextualize international development within the framework of international cooperation. Understanding each country through its unique story holds the key to stepping up international cooperation.

The Chinese Story in Global Order had its book launch on the opening day of the 75th Frankfurt Book Fair, whose motto this year was "And the story goes on…"

Niels Peter Thomas, the president of the book's publisher, Springer Nature Group, and professor of Goethe University Frankfurt Sonja Lang, emphasized the importance of exchanging ideas, learning from one another, and prioritizing knowledge, understanding and collaboration to shape our desired future. 

Based on a synthetic model, the book constructs for evaluating national images, together with a historical review and quantitative analysis, the book uses this model to draw connections between the Chinese story and global development.

The book aims to enhance international readers' understanding of China's adaptive and well-established pathway in the face of globalization. Through eight chapters, it covers topics such as China's nation branding policy transformation since the 1978 Reform and Opening Up, an analysis of significant approaches to theorizing nation branding since World War I, the creation of an original theoretical model of country image, an examination of the change and continuity of China's international image respectively from political, economic and cultural perspectives, and at last, suggestions for the way forward. 

From an international development standpoint, understanding China's story within the global order is no longer a simple policy issue determined by independent elements. Instead, in the context of globalization, it is a complex policy challenge composed of interdependent elements that require a different approach beyond the current evaluation systems. Therefore, exploring The Chinese Story in Global Order should adopt a future-oriented perspective focusing on enhancing consensus and international coalition. 

Building unity should be based on principles, which, in a globalized world, refers to the willingness and capacity to coexist with differences. The Chinese Story in Global Order serves as a testament to the importance of international cooperation in sustaining international development. Managing divisions has challenged international policymakers and will continue to pose challenges for future leaders. 

As the world stands at a crossroads, we must acknowledge the unprecedented challenges posed by rapid social change and the deepening of global society. In the meantime, a global perspective helps us recognize that our actions have consequences for others and that the world's problems have consequences for us. Therefore, we need to answer the question—how does the story go on?

The writer is the author of The Chinese Story in Global Order and a professor of Public Administration and Cultural Studies at the School of English and International Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University.