编者按：在保护主义不断抬头、经济全球化遭遇逆风之际，中国为何坚定不移扩大开放？中国持续扩大高水平开放对世界意味着什么？3月31日，英国经济学家、伦敦市经济与商业政策署前署长、中国人民大学重阳金融研究院高级研究员罗思义接受《人民日报》记者专访，以西方学者视角透视中国扩大高水平开放的历史逻辑与国际价值，指出中国的持续开放既是自身发展的必由之路，也是动荡世界中最宝贵的确定性。相关内容整版发布于和，现将专访中英文内容发布如下。罗思义英文新著亦将于近期发布，敬请关注： （中文内容约5900字，预计阅读时间15分钟）
▲原文整版发表于《人民日报》2026年3月31日第17版
Part 01
“中国在发展水平较低时，敢于下定决心对外开放，这份勇气和判断非常难得”
《人民日报》：在40多年来的改革开放实践中，中国最让您震撼的变化是什么？
罗思义：最引人注目的无疑是中国取得的巨大成功。1978年我刚开始研究中国经济时，曾有人不解，说中国只是一个发展中国家，你应该研究德国或者美国。当时我的回答是，中国的发展必将取得巨大成功，因为中国的经济发展理论是科学正确的。如今，事实已经充分印证了这一点，只要打开电视就有人在讨论中国的发展。
中国发展的成功是长期且全方位的。从数据来看，中国经济保持长期稳定增长态势，经济增速远高于世界平均水平。2005年之前，我从未到过中国，只是从经济政策和理论层面认定中国的发展思路极具智慧，必然会取得巨大成功。2005年，我第一次来到中国，此后开始频繁到访中国。2009年，我开始在中国的大学任职。这些年来，我见证了中国一个个重大发展项目落地，民众生活水平切实提升。
我始终认为，经济发展的本质不是建钢厂、造高楼，而是以人为本。中国以人为本的发展理念绝不是口号，而是真正抓住了经济发展的核心目的——让民众的生活变得更好，让他们能接受更好的教育、享受更好的医疗。经济的成功、物质的进步，最终都要落脚在民众生活的改善上，这是最核心的一点。我经常往返于北京和上海，以前路上要花将近一天时间，现在坐高铁最快只需约4个小时，这就是发展给民众带来的便利。
北京市规划展览馆让我印象深刻。展览馆里陈列着一张1949年时北京的城市规划图，当时故宫还是北京最大的建筑之一，如今这座城市早已发生天翻地覆的变化。站在那里，我更加坚信自己选择了正确的研究方向。中国巨大的发展变化，纵观人类历史都是难以置信的。
《人民日报》：中国对经济全球化有过疑虑，对加入世界贸易组织也有过忐忑，但坚信融入世界经济是历史大方向，“中国经济要发展，就要敢于到世界市场的汪洋大海中去游泳”。您如何看待中国的开放进程？
罗思义：我一直坚定支持全球化。1978年中国一开启改革开放进程，我就判断，这一决策必然会让中国取得成功。此后，我密切关注中国的发展。当初中国在发展水平较低时，敢于下定决心对外开放，这份勇气和判断非常难得。
从经济学理论来看，贸易自由化、经济全球化是经济发展的必然选择，脱离全球市场不可能实现真正的发展。一个国家要成为科技和经济强国，必须参与全球分工与合作，中国的成功实践就是明证。从前，有质疑声音说，中国只会模仿、组装，没有创新能力；现在，现实已经彻底改变了外界对中国的看法——中国在电动汽车、可再生能源、人工智能等领域都成为全球领先者。这足以证明，中国选择开放的决策是正确的。没有哪个发展中国家能在对外开放上取得像中国这样的成就，中国做到了。
Part 02
“开放在中国已经成为一种社会共识，融入中国的民族心态和文化特质中”
《人民日报》：在开放进程中，中国全社会在坚持和扩大开放上的共识是否发挥了重要作用？
罗思义：据我观察，中国人对西方国家的了解程度，远比西方人对中国的了解程度要深得多。
中国人的思维方式具有开放性，始终以平视的眼光看世界，从本国发展的实际出发，吸收借鉴各国的先进经验，为中国所用。开放在中国已经成为一种社会共识，融入中国的民族心态和文化特质中。更重要的是，中国民众在对外开放的过程中，逐渐建立起自信，这是全新的变化。也正因此，走国际化道路是中国发展的必然选择。
《人民日报》：当前中国正全力推进制度型开放，从传统的“要素流动型开放”到“制度型开放”，这是否意味着中国推进开放的重心发生了变化？
罗思义：中国的开放重心确实发生了变化，这种转变非常必要、明智。在要素流动型开放阶段，中国完成了初期的积累，而现在推进制度型开放，是中国与国际经济体系深度对接的必然要求。
中国在联合国等国际组织中发挥着越来越积极的作用。中国深入了解国际规则，结合自身发展实际建立起符合中国国情、与国际接轨的制度框架，与国际组织开展平等的互动合作。制度型开放不是没有原则的开放，而是在遵循国际通用规则的基础上，打造适合自身发展的制度体系。中国的这一发展路径，逻辑清晰、步骤稳健，符合中国的发展阶段，也符合全球化的发展趋势。
《人民日报》：您曾经任职的伦敦是一座非常开放的城市。从人类发展史看，开放是否是一个国家发展进步的必然要求？
罗思义：的确，开放是一个国家发展进步的必然要求。每个国家的文化基础不同，开放的方式也会有所差异，但开放的核心逻辑是相通的。伦敦是一座极具开放性的城市，来自世界各地的人在这里生活、工作。开放是伦敦能长期保持活力的关键。
中国的开放是将国际先进经验、技术、规则吸收到自身的发展框架中，结合中国实际进行创新，是一种智慧的学习发展模式。
Part 03
“中国的发展成就和开放态度，让各国看到了合作价值”
《人民日报》：当前全球保护主义、单边主义抬头。对于世界经济和全球发展来说，保护主义会造成什么后果？
罗思义：保护主义的结果必然是负面的，但这种负面影响不会达到毁灭性的程度，因为实行保护主义的国家已经不再拥有足够的实力主导全球经济、迫使其他国家跟随其保护主义政策。具体来说，会出现两种趋势：一方面，个别发达国家奉行保护主义，其经济形势会持续低迷，政治层面的矛盾也会加剧；另一方面，全球南方国家会继续坚定走向全球化。
保护主义阻挡不了全球开放的主流。世界上的大多数国家，尤其是新兴的全球南方国家，都没有选择保护主义，而是继续坚持开放，中国等国家支撑着全球经济的开放格局。因此，保护主义会给全球经济带来伤害，但不足以逆转人类历史的开放趋势。
《人民日报》：面对不断抬头的保护主义，中国坚定扩大高水平开放对世界经济意味着什么？
罗思义：中国坚定扩大高水平开放将推动中国和世界的经济增长。中国拥有超大规模的国内市场和完整的产业体系，是中国经济持续向好的有利条件。中国扩大开放并非依赖外部市场，而是在立足国内的基础上，与国际市场实现更深度的融合。这些年，中国坚定选择开放发展道路，也收获了开放带来的成果——中国经济始终保持稳定增长，民众从经济发展中获得实际福祉。
世界上大多数国家都反对保护主义，坚持经济全球化，这些国家需要一个稳定、开放的大国引领。作为世界第二大经济体、第一大货物贸易国，中国坚定扩大开放，会成为国际贸易体系的核心，吸引各国与中国开展合作。中国的发展成就和开放态度，让各国看到了合作价值。今年以来，欧洲等地区领导人频繁访华，就是因为他们清楚，中国是坚持开放的重要经济体，与中国合作符合其经济利益。
《人民日报》：有一些声音认为，经济全球化造成部分国家贫富差距拉大。您怎么看？
罗思义：把贫富差距拉大归咎于全球化纯属无稽之谈。一些国家贫富差距的根源不是全球化，而是其国内政策失灵，把自身问题归咎于全球化是完全错误的。
首先，从全球层面来看，全球化推动了包括中国在内的众多全球南方国家的发展，这是有目共睹的。中国的发展成就不必多说，越南、印度尼西亚等国也在全球化中实现了快速发展，民众生活水平大幅提升，这是全球化带来的积极成果。其次，一些西方国家出现的贫富差距加剧问题，根源在于其国内政策失灵。以美国为例，过去几十年，美国社会的财富分配失衡，经济增长没有惠及普通民众，这是其国内政策问题，与全球化无关。
Part 04
“中国坚定扩大开放，为全球南方国家提供了更多合作选择和发展机遇”
《人民日报》：中国“十五五”规划纲要提出了一系列新的发展举措，您最关注哪方面？
罗思义：我对于中国在科技创新领域的发展最为关注。没有哪个发展中国家能像中国这样，在众多科技领域跻身全球领先行列。从“十四五”初期少数领域的技术领跑，到如今在电动汽车、可再生能源、人工智能等多个领域的全球领先，西方主流媒体纷纷报道中国的科技成就，这一转变令人惊叹。
中国的科技成就核心在于研发投入的高占比和高转化效率，某些数字超过部分西方主要发达经济体，且绝大部分研发投入应用于实体经济，转化为实际生产力。高水平的研发投入、与实体经济的深度结合、政府的科学引导，这三大因素将推动中国科技发展持续突破。我相信，“十五五”规划纲要的实施将让中国在全球科技领域持续领先，通过与其他发展中国家的广泛合作，也将推动各国共同发展。
《人民日报》：您如何看待中国与其他全球南方国家的开放合作？
罗思义：这种合作让中国成为全球南方国家发展的重要引领者，也为全球南方现代化建设提供了新的选择。金砖国家合作机制的发展是最明显的例子。金砖国家是一个体量巨大的经济合作组织，个别国家试图阻碍其发展但没有成功，原因就在于金砖国家的合作惠及了所有成员国，为各国提供了新的发展机遇。
对于全球南方国家来说，贸易伙伴越多，发展的空间就越大。作为世界上最大的货物贸易国，中国坚定扩大开放，为全球南方国家提供了更多合作选择和发展机遇，帮助这些国家突破发展瓶颈，走向现代化。
《人民日报》：您希望通过自己的研究和发声，给中国、给世界传递怎样的理念？
罗思义：德国著名哲学家黑格尔曾说，在世界历史的每一个阶段，都有一个民族担当起世界精神的使命，而这个民族的精神符合世界历史的必然进程。我坚信，在当前的历史阶段，人类发展的核心方向体现在中国的发展中。中国的复兴并非依靠先天禀赋，而是选择了符合自身国情的开放发展道路，抓住了历史机遇。中国推进改革开放的初衷是解决自身发展问题，却最终创造了人类历史上最成功的经济发展模式，推动了全球经济发展。作为经济学家，我希望通过研究，让世界更客观地认识中国的开放发展道路，让中国的发展智慧为全球发展提供借鉴。
过往的生活经历让我见证了封闭带来的困境，而在中国，我看到的是社会持续进步、民众生活水平不断提升的蓬勃景象。这种鲜明的对比，让我对中国的开放发展道路有了更深刻的认知。从理论上理解发展规律是一回事，亲身经历不同国家的发展历程是另一回事。中国选择了符合自身国情的开放发展道路，抓住了历史机遇。中国40多年的开放发展，用实际成果证明了这条道路的正确性。我希望更多国家能从中国的开放发展中获得借鉴，共同推动全球经济朝着更好的方向前进。
▲《环球时报》2026年4月2日第5版整版转载
由罗思义领衔撰写的著作《Economic Analysis of China in the World》（暂译名：《世界经济视野下的中国分析》）将于近期由LID出版公司与中国图书进出口总公司合作出版。本书汇集了来自欧洲和拉丁美洲的六位顶尖经济学家，从国际视角深度剖析中国的发展模式与全球影响。其中罗思义撰写的开篇章节尤为引人注目，他以严谨的数据分析，直面并驳斥了西方关于“中国经济效率低下”的主流叙事。
▲点击查看视频
在题为《为何中国社会主义经济比资本主义更高效》的章节中，罗思义直指问题的核心。他引入国际通用的增量资本产出率（ICOR）作为衡量标准，即每产生1%的GDP增长所需的投资占GDP的比重。数据显示，在截至2021年的五年平均值中，中国的ICOR为7.1，远优于美国的10.0、欧元区的22.4和德国的30.3，在全球前20大经济体中位居第二。这无可辩驳地证明，中国的投资在促进经济增长方面比主要资本主义经济体更为高效，所谓“中国需要5-7美元投资才能产生1美元GDP”的说法是纯粹的“假新闻”。
他进一步揭示了高效背后的制度原因。通过对比2008年国际金融危机和新冠疫情危机期间中美两国的表现，他指出：资本主义美国的经济衰退伴随着私人投资的剧烈萎缩，而社会主义中国则凭借强大的国有部门和国家主导的银行体系，在危机中逆势扩大了投资规模，从而稳住了经济增长和投资效率。中国的国家投资发挥了强大的“反周期”调节作用，这是其宏观经济韧性和投资高效的关键。罗思义总结道，中国投资的高效性并非偶然，而是植根于其社会主义经济体制的内在优势。
本书其他章节还从去全球化、产业政策、中巴合作、全球经济治理等多个维度，提供了理解中国经济的丰富国际视角。本书旨在超越二元对立叙事，推动关于中国及多极化世界的理性对话。
作为本书的核心作者之一，罗思义长期深耕中国经济研究，其著述被翻译为多国语言，具有广泛的国际影响力。此前，他已出版、以及等多部著作，系统阐述了对中国发展模式的深刻洞察。此次他通过扎实的经济学分析，为“中国模式”的讨论提供了坚实的实证支撑，再次彰显了其作为知名中国问题专家的洞察力。该书现已启动预热，正式发售信息敬请关注后续发布。
英文内容
At a time when protectionism is rising and economic globalization faces growing headwinds, why does China remain committed to expanding opening up? What does its high-level opening up mean for the world?
In a recent interview with People's Daily, John Ross, former director for economic and business policy for the mayor of London and senior fellow at the Renmin University of China's Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, shared his insights based on more than four decades of research on China's economy.
Q1: What has been the most striking change in China over the past 40-plus years?
A: The most striking thing is undoubtedly China's great success. When I began studying the Chinese economy in 1978, some people did not understand, saying that China was a developing country and that I should study Japan, Germany or the US. My answer was that China's development would be hugely successful because its economic theory was correct. Now, the facts have confirmed this, and many people are discussing China's development.
China's success is comprehensive. Its economy has grown steadily. Before 2005, I had never been to China, but from the perspective of economic policy and theory, I believed that China's thinking was very wise and would achieve great success. In 2005, I came to China for the first time, and I have been visiting ever since. In 2009, I began working at a university in China. Over the years, I have witnessed the implementation of major projects, and the most remarkable change has been the improvement in people's lives.
Q2: What experience in China impressed you most?
A: I believe the essence of the economy is not to build steel or buildings, but to put people's lives first. China's people-oriented approach is not a slogan, but the core purpose of the economy: to make people's lives better, so they can receive better education, enjoy better medical care and all the other things that allow them to lead a better life. Economic success and material progress must ultimately be reflected in improvements in people's lives.
To give a simple example, I often travel between Beijing and Shanghai. It used to take nearly a day, but now it takes about four hours by high-speed rail. This is the convenience brought to the public.
I was also deeply impressed by the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall. It displays a city map from 1949, when the Forbidden City was one of the largest buildings in Beijing. Today, the city has undergone earth-shaking changes. Standing there, I was even more convinced that I chose the right field of research. The scale of China's transformation is extraordinary in human history.
Q3: How do you view China's shift from doubts about globalization to firm commitment to opening up?
A: I have always been a staunch supporter of globalization. As soon as China began its reform and opening up in 1978, I judged that this decision was part of what would lead to China's success. Since then, I have paid close attention to China. When China was at a low level [of development], it had to courage to open up to the outside world. Such courage and judgment are very rare.
From the perspective of economic theory, trade liberalization and economic globalization are inevitable choices, and it is impossible to realize real economic goals without the global market. If a country wants to become a technological and economic power, it must participate in the global division of labor and cooperation. China's success has proven this.
In the past, some believed that China could only imitate and assemble, and lacked innovation. Now, reality has completely changed that perception. China has become a global leader in fields such as electric vehicles, renewable energy and AI. This proves that China's decision to open up was correct. No developing country has achieved the same achievements as China in opening up.
Q4: Why has opening up become a consensus in China?
A: In my observation, Chinese people know much more about Western countries than Westerners know about China.
Chinese people have an open mindset, always look at the world from a head-up perspective, proceed from their own reality, absorb and learn from other countries, and use them for China? Openness has become a social consensus in China, embedded in its national character. More importantly, the Chinese people have gradually developed self-confidence through opening up, which is a brand-new change. This makes internationalization an inevitable choice for China.
Q5: Has China's focus shifted toward institutional opening up?
A: The focus of China's opening up has indeed changed, and this change is both necessary and wise. In the stage of factor-flow opening, China has completed the initial accumulation. Now, promoting institutional opening up is an inevitable requirement for China to deeply integrate with the international economic system.
China is playing an increasingly active role in international organizations. It has a deep understanding of international rules, has established an institutional framework in line with China's national conditions and international standards, and has carried out equal interaction and cooperation with these organizations. Institutional opening up is not opening up without principles, but building an institutional system that suits China while following general international rules. China's path has clear logic and steady steps, in line with its current stage and the broader trend of globalization.
Q6: Is openness essential for national development?
A: Indeed, opening up is an inevitable requirement for a country's progress. Each country has a different cultural foundation, and the way it opens up may also be different, but the core logic of openness is the same. London is a very open city, where people from all over the world live and work. Openness is the key to London's vitality.
China's opening up involves absorbing advanced international technology and rules into its own framework and innovating in combination with China's reality, which reflects a kind of wisdom in learning.
Q7: What are the consequences of rising protectionism?
A: The outcome of protectionism is necessarily negative, but this impact will not be globally devastating, because protectionist countries no longer have enough power to dominate the global economy and force others to follow their policies.
Specifically, there will be two trends: on the one hand, as some developed countries pursue protectionism, their economic situation will become sluggish and political conflicts will intensify. On the other hand, countries in the Global South will continue to move firmly toward globalization.
Protectionism cannot stop the overall trend of global openness. Most countries, especially emerging economies in the Global South, have not chosen protectionism. They continue to adhere to opening up. China and other countries support an open global economic system. Therefore, protectionism will hurt the global economy, but it will not be enough to reverse the long-term trend of openness in human history.
Q8: What does China's continued opening up mean for the global economy?
A: China's firm commitment to expanding high-level opening up will drive economic growth in both China and the world. China has a super-large domestic market and a complete industrial system, which are favorable conditions for the sustained improvement of its economy. China's expansion of opening up does not rely on external markets, but rather on achieving deeper integration with the international market based on its domestic foundation. In recent years, China has firmly pursued the path of open development and has reaped the benefits of openness, the economy has maintained stable growth and people have gained tangible benefits.
Most countries oppose protectionism and support globalization. These countries need a stable and open major power. As the world's second-largest economy and largest trading nation in goods, China is committed to expanding its openness and becoming a central pillar of the international trading system, attracting countries to cooperate. China's development achievements and open approach have demonstrated the value of cooperation. Since the beginning of this year, leaders from Europe and other regions have frequently visited China, recognizing that cooperation with China aligns with their economic interests.
Q9: Some say globalization has widened the wealth gap within countries. What is your take on this?
A: It is nonsense to blame globalization for the widening gap between rich and poor. The root cause of inequality in some countries is not globalization, but the failure of their domestic policies. It is wrong to attribute their own problems to globalization.
First, from a global perspective, globalization has promoted development in many countries in the Global South, including China, which is obvious to all. Vietnam, Indonesia and other countries have also achieved rapid globalization, and living standards have greatly improved, which is a positive result of globalization.
Second, the widening wealth gap in some Western countries is rooted in domestic policy failures. Take the US as an example: over the past few decades, wealth distribution has become increasingly uneven, and economic growth has not benefited ordinary people. This is a domestic policy issue, not a result of globalization.
Q10: Which aspect of China's opening up interests you most?
A: I am most interested in China's scientific and technological innovation. No other developing country can rank among the world's leaders in so many fields of science and technology like China. From being a technological leader in a few areas at the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan to becoming a global leader in electric vehicles, renewable energy, AI and other fields, mainstream Western media has reported on China's scientific and technological achievements. This transformation is remarkable.
The core of China's scientific and technological achievements lies in the high proportion of R&D investment and the high efficiency of converting this investment into products. Some figures exceed those of major Western developed economies, and most R&D investment is applied to the real economy and transformed into actual productivity. High-level R&D investment, deep integration with the real economy and scientific guidance – these three factors promote China's technological breakthroughs. I believe that the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan will allow China to lead in an increasing number of global science and technology fields, and through extensive cooperation with other countries, it will also promote the common interests of all nations.
Q11: How do you view China-Global South cooperation?
A: This kind of cooperation has made China an important leader among the countries of the Global South and provided a new path for their modernization. The BRICS cooperation mechanism is the most obvious example. The BRICS countries form a huge economic cooperation organization. Some individual countries tried to hinder it but failed. The reason is that cooperation among BRICS countries benefits all member states and provides new opportunities for each.
For countries in the Global South, the more trading partners they have, the greater their opportunities. As the world's largest trader of goods, China has firmly expanded its opening up, offering more cooperation options and opportunities for these countries, and helping them overcome bottlenecks to move toward modernization.
Q12: What message do you hope to convey about China's development to the world?
A: The renowned German philosopher Georg Hegel once said, "World history is the progress of the consciousness of freedom." Framed in modern terms, this means that at a certain stage of world history, the progress of one country determines and reflects the progress of humanity.
I firmly believe that, at the current historical stage, the core direction of human development is reflected in China's development.
China's rejuvenation does not rely on innate endowments but has chosen an open path suited to its national conditions, creating a historical opportunity. China's original intention in promoting reform and opening up was to solve its own problems, but in the end, it achieved the most successful economic development in human history and promoted the global economy. As an economist, I hope that through research, the world can understand China's path more objectively and use China's experience as a reference.
Past experience has allowed me to personally witness economic disaster, for example, shock therapy in Russia in the 1990s. But in China, I see vigorous social progress and continuous improvement in people's living standards. This stark contrast has given me a deeper understanding of China's opening-up. Understanding economic laws theoretically is one thing. Experiencing the course of different countries firsthand is another. China has chosen an open path suited to its national conditions and has presented a historical opportunity. Its opening up over the past 40 years has proved the correctness of this path with tangible results. I hope more countries can learn from China's experience and jointly promote the global economy in a better direction.
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中国人民大学重阳金融研究院（人大重阳）成立于2013年1月19日，是重阳投资向中国人民大学捐赠并设立教育基金运营的主要资助项目。
作为中国特色新型智库，人大重阳聘请了全球数十位前政要、银行家、知名学者为高级研究员，旨在关注现实、建言国家、服务人民。目前，人大重阳下设7个部门、运营管理4个中心(生态金融研究中心、全球治理研究中心、中美人文交流研究中心、中俄人文交流研究中心)。近年来，人大重阳在金融发展、全球治理、大国关系、宏观政策等研究领域在国内外均具有较高认可度。
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