On January 19, 2025, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council released the 2024-2035 Master Plan for Positioning China as a Global Leader in Education, a strategic framework for advancing China’s educational leadership over the next decade. This plan serves as the cornerstone for China’s broader educational reforms, holding profound significance for the nation’s development. In an era of intensifying global competition, strengthening international influence has become a critical component in gaining the upper hand in global affairs. It is also a key metric for evaluating the success of China’s educational aspirations. International influence manifests in two major forms: political discourse power and scientific and technological prowess. Countries that excel in these areas are not only recognized as global educational leaders but are also positioned as strong contenders in the international arena, particularly in higher education. As national strength is increasingly measured by the quality of education, especially in the higher education sector, enhancing international influence is crucial. It is essential for China to respond proactively to the transformative global shifts of the past century and to ensure the country’s modernization is competitive on the international stage, contributing to the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity.