China has released a comprehensive guideline to strengthen and standardize how its enterprises fulfill their social responsibilities in overseas operations, underscoring its commitment to high-quality opening up, sustainable development, and the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

The Guideline on Corporate Social Responsibility in Overseas Operations provides a systematic framework for Chinese companies operating abroad, aligning domestic laws with international norms such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and China's national social responsibility standards.

It aims to guide enterprises "going global" to integrate social responsibility into corporate governance, strategic decision-making, and cross-border operations, while supporting host countries' economic and social development.

It encourages enterprises to embed social responsibility into their international business strategies, comply with both Chinese and host-country laws, and enhance the sustainability of overseas projects.

The core principles are prioritizing shared development over short-term gains, combining international standards with Chinese characteristics, upholding enterprise leadership with responsible innovation, and pursuing mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

A major focus is on supporting host countries' economic growth.

Companies are encouraged to participate in industrial upgrading, infrastructure development, and supply-chain integration through greenfield investment, mergers and acquisitions, and the establishment of service institutions.

The guideline also promotes the development of overseas economic and trade cooperation zones and high-quality, resilient and inclusive infrastructure projects.

Improving local livelihoods and social harmony is another key pillar. Enterprises are urged to localize employment, ensure fair labor practices, prohibit forced and child labor, protect employee health and safety, and respect cultural traditions and religious beliefs.

The guideline highlights the role of "small but impactful" livelihood projects, community engagement, skills training, and public welfare initiatives in fostering people-to-people connectivity.

Environmental protection and green transition feature prominently. Companies are required to comply strictly with host-country environmental regulations, conduct environmental impact assessments, and integrate green principles throughout the investment lifecycle.

The guideline also encourages participation in global climate governance, expansion of clean energy investment, and adoption of green production, procurement and construction practices.

Besides, it emphasizes compliance, risk management, anti-corruption, data security, intellectual property protection, and brand building for the healthy and orderly development of overseas industries.

To ensure implementation, enterprises are called on to establish dedicated social responsibility management systems, strengthen reporting and disclosure, and enhance coordination with governments, communities, and international partners.

Overall, the guideline signals China's determination to elevate overseas business from scale-driven expansion to quality- and responsibility-oriented development, reinforcing the role of Chinese enterprises as long-term contributors to global sustainable growth.