Peoples’ Republic of China, which has emerged as the second largest economic power in the world is now at the center stage of world affairs. Its views, ideas, attitude towards relations with foreign countries, the way it solves problems – will influence the overall global developments today. It is the Communist Party of China that leads in formulating China’s principles, policies and plans. So, all the countries of the world are enthusiastically scanning and analysing the reports of the 20th National Congress of the CPC held from 16-10-22 to 23-10-22.
China had always been a controversy, more than the Soviet Russia about its path of revolution, and its own way to socialist construction. The path to socialism is not a preformed road. The world is aware of welfare socialism of social democracies like Sweden and Switzerland, which are capitalist but not hegemonic. It is also known how Cuba had its own way, with ups and downs, and has refashioned some of its policies after China’s Open up and Reform policies. Vietnam and North Korea too made changes to some extent following China’s development. But in general, there is utmost vilification of China and its path.
China, has been surrounded by controversies from various corners with different angles, apart from canards and distortions spread by the imperialist camp (Eg. Washington Post Oct 17, 2022, on the Congress). There is thus a need to shed ideological dogmatism, political prejudices, hegemonistic hostility, and view China with open mind.
[for more on these subjects, see the following articles, in countercurrents.org on China:
https://countercurrents.org/2021/07/china-communist-party-was-always-a-controversy-part-2/ on 17-07-21
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This article briefly presents a review of CPC 20th congress and focuses on its global effects.
“From this day forward, the central task of the CPC will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization,” Xi Jinping said at the inaugural session of the Congress. The theme of the conference was to keep the great flag of socialism with Chinese characteristics high, fully implement the idea of socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, carry forward the party’s great entrepreneurial spirit, build self-confidence and strength, uphold fundamental principles, embrace new opportunities, and move forward with courage. Xi claimed that scientific socialism in China in the 21st century has demonstrated a new consciousness, and the Chinese-style modernization has provided a new path in modernization for mankind.
China’s modernization means modernizing a large population. Modernization of China means socialist modernization. Achieving peaceful development, common prosperity for all, material and ethical advancement, cultural and moral upliftment, harmony between mankind and nature. Jinping stressed that it would provide mankind with a “new way” to achieve modernization.
Tian Yun, former vice director of the Beijing Economic Operation Association, analyzed that China-way modernization is providing a new pattern in today’s age of globalization, eliminating the two “vicious byproducts” associated with western style modernization-The hegemony and colonization. China stands firmly against all forms of hegemony, power politics, cold war mentality, interference in the internal affairs of other countries and double standards in dealing with issues. China is committed to the right path in economic globalization. “It is committed to fostering a development-friendly international environment, creating new drivers for global growth, and working with other countries,” Xi said. There are five elements embedded in the definition of China-style modernization which guide China’s march toward the second centennial goal. When such a target is achieved, it could mark an unprecedented achievement in the history of mankind and “a fundamental turnaround in global landscape” it was felt by analysts.
“China is home to a population of 1.4 billion. This is more than the combined population of all modern and developed countries. That means when China reaches its second-century goal, it will become a modern economy with the largest population in the world”. China-style modernization involves peaceful, green development, as appreciated also by advocates of ecological socialism and environmentalists like John Bellamy Foster of Monthly Review, who had earlier denounced China model.
Another major difference of China’s modernization with Western economies is its emphasis on common well-being. This is in stark contrast to the path of modernization of western countries, that stresses the so-called trickle-down theory.
The development of some countries was linked to the blood and tears of other countries. It is impregnated with exploitation, invasion, occupation, colonization or the destruction of the natural resources of those colonies or neo colonies. “Some countries developed at the cost of destroying natural resources and emitting carbon dioxide at sky-high levels that fuels global warming.” said Yao Jing yuan, special researcher of the Counsellors’ Office of the State Council.
“To build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must, first and foremost, pursue high-quality development.” Specifically, the industrial system will be modernized, with measures to advance new industrialization, and boost China’s strength in manufacturing, product quality, aerospace, transportation, cyberspace and digital development. To advance rural revitalization across the board, China will continue to put agricultural and rural development first, consolidate and expand achievements in poverty alleviation, and reinforce the foundations for food security on all fronts.” Xi announced
“The CPC will work hard to address issues that are of great concern to the public, improve the basic public service system to raise public service standards, and make public services more balanced and accessible, thereby making strong progress in promoting common well-being,” Xi said. “China will improve the income distribution system. We will ensure higher pay for more work. We encourage people to achieve prosperity by working hard. We will promote equality of opportunity, increase the incomes of low-income earners, and expand the size of the middle -income groups,” he said.
China’s mode of modernization, “proposed amid profound changes unseen in a century, keeps abreast of the trend of the times and fits the requirements of China’s own development as the world’s largest developing country” Wan Zhe, an economist and professor at the Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University, said. They are determined to put education, technology and talent at the fore front of modernization. China’s modernization emphasises that it is the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics in accordance with the country’s needs, time and circumstances.
The situation is summarised by the Belarusian Ambassador to China Yuri Senko who said, “In the five years since the 19th Congress, the socioeconomic agenda in China has undergone quite noticeable changes, which was due to a number of objective reasons – the coronavirus pandemic, the growing competition with developed countries in the field of high technology against the background of geopolitical confrontation with certain Western countries such as the US.”
Xi Jinping elaborates goals and paths in the new journey for the new era
The CPC primarily aims to achieve socialist modernization from 2020 to 2035, building China as a prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally developed, harmonious, beautiful, great modern socialist country. Since there is no readymade way or approach to development that China can directly follow or emulate, the Chinese Revolution has prepared a path of its own for modernization after more than a hundred years of exploration and construction. It offers an entirely new alternative. Many countries are exploring or struggling for their development policies to realize rapid development with the goals of self-development, sovereignty, independence, and maintaining territorial integrity.
“China’s modernization has opened up another development path for all the countries of the world,” Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University said. China’s path of modernization aspires to common prosperity and peaceful development for all. It will succeed in conjunction with the modernization of other countries. This creates opportunities for other countries to achieve their modernization and development. But China does not exhort or force others to accept its ideology. It only assists you to follow the path in accordance with your national circumstances.
Further, China’s modernization, which is very different from Western modernization, poses challenges to the powers that dominate the current world system. Therefore, they are constantly declaring war on China. China also needs to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios and “dangerous storms”. The imperial dominance, and its adherents, do not agree that China will win, as it can bring about the end of the system that they have built to serve their interests, experts said.
“Our future is bright” affirms Xi “but we still have a long way to go. We must therefore be more mindful of potential dangers, be prepared to deal with the worst-case scenario, and be ready to withstand high winds, choppy waters and even dangerous storms,” Xi pointed out and said “We must remain confident in our history, exhibit greater historical initiative, and have the courage to fight and the mettle to win. ”
So as long as China is developing itself, seeking improvement for the livelihood of the Chinese people, trying to pass on more global pro-people policies and systems to other countries, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, SCO, and providing aid to other countries that seek cooperation, help in modernization and peaceful development for mutual benefit, the current hegemonic powers will carry out intense pressures, brutal repressions and attacks on China and respective countries.
This has happened over the past decade. Citing the trade war and repression launched by the US against China’s science-tech industries, as well as provocation and interference over the Taiwan issue, analysts said that there is a need for “enhancing political loyalty in the military, strengthening the military through reform, science and technology, and personnel training, and running the military in accordance with the law; elevating the people’s armed forces to world-class standards; fully, faithfully, and resolutely implementing the policy of One Country, Two Systems; and resolutely opposing and deterring separatists seeking ‘Taiwan independence’.”
Zhang Zixian, a professor at the CPC Central Committee Party School, said: “There are drastic changes that the world has not seen in the last century. Wars that can occur amidst global economic and social crises bring ‘dangerous storms’. Obstacles to China’s national realignment and foreign intervention to support separatist Taiwan could pose a serious threat.” That’s why Xi Jinping stressed on modernizing the capability of China’s national security system and protecting national security and social stability. “National security is the bedrock of national rejuvenation, and social stability is a prerequisite for building a strong and prosperous China,” he said. The party will take coordinated steps for external and internal security, for the protection of the motherland and for the safety of the people along with traditional and non-traditional security, he added.
The inspiring long-term development goals, clear ways to reach them, and broader measures, will undoubtedly ensure the high-quality, sustainable development of the world’s second-largest economy. It is important to note that many major economies, such as the US, do not have such strategic and visionary plans for their own, long-term development, as they focus more on measures that benefit them domestically in their political interest and geopolitics.
In this context, the concept of consistency and accuracy that China is introducing is crucial. There is good reason to believe that China’s steady growth in the coming years will become a stabilizing force for a weak global economy. China’s growth story over the past decade has attracted the attention of the world. Statistics show that the average annual rate of China’s GDP from 2013 to 2021 expanded at an average annual rate of 6.6 per cent, much higher than the global economy’s average of 2.6 per cent, or the 3.7 per cent growth rate of developing economies. Moreover, China’s contribution to global economic growth exceeded 30% during the period 2013-2021, Sun Yeli, spokesman for the 20th CPC National Congress, told a press conference.
China’s economic growth has not only followed the numbers. It has tried to address basic issues for long-term, sustainable development. It has redefined the principle contradiction, and hence principle tasks, and focused less on GDP, and more on tackling disparities (of class, gender, region, rural-urban etc), and ‘sustainable and scientific development’ that stressed on ecolo gical challenges. Thus, China’s economic development over the past decade has become more balanced, coordinated, and sustainable. It has scaled new heights in terms of economic, scientific and comprehensive national power. To some extent, all of these developments represent the contributions that China has made to the world. This year, the global economy has been facing great uncertainty and challenges due to the repeated spread of COVID-19, rising inflation, regional geopolitical conflicts, tightening of US monetary policy, and problems in supply chains. The US has continued its unjustified policy of isolating China from the global economy and trade and suppressing them. All these external headaches have put some negative pressure on China’s development.
The CPC and the Chinese people have tried hard for a long time to open China’s path to modernization. This is a great and ‘infinitely glorious’ path. “Now we are taking confident strides on a new journey to turn China into a modern socialist country in all respects, to advance toward the Second Centenary Goal and to embrace the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The CPC will not be daunted by high winds, choppy waters or even dangerous storms, for the people will always have its back and give it confidence.” In his first speech after being re-elected as the party’s general secretary, he reiterated China’s commitment to promote the building of a human society that strives for a common future.
“We will work with the people of other countries to preserve peace, development, justice, democracy, world peace, promote global development, and promote the building of human society with a shared future,” Xi said. He emphasized the shared values of humanity.
Experts said the concept of “shared values of humanity” presented by the CPC is very different from the so-called “universal values” promoted by western countries. These “universal values” have in fact served as an excuse for hegemony to threaten, intervene, and occupy other countries. Western countries, especially the US, in many cases displayed hypocrisy, indulged in double-standards mis-appropriated these concepts to unite some as allies and followers on one side and separate out few as “enemies-competitors” camp on the other side. Thus, the “values” actually divided the world instead of uniting it. But the CPC’s concept of “shared values of mankind” is inclusive, aimed at uniting all members of the international community, including the civilizations of the Western world.
China has always opposed hegemony that disrupts world peace and will fight under the leadership of the CPC. Experts say China in its new journey will never follow the cruel, bloody path that has been driven by hegemony or imperialism in the past. This implies that China will protect the common values of humanity by upholding fairness and justice.
Xi’s comments further clarify the core ideas that China has been following since the 18th CPC National Congress and explain the main goals and ways. Let’s understand these points through the comments of Su Jiaohui, deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies – Department of International and Strategic Studies, that “China’s policy is not based on a selfish, zero-sum game plan mentality. The idea of promoting human society with a shared future wins. It gets more support from the international community, especially from developing countries.”
The CPC not only has eyes on China’s development and destiny, but also has a greater vision to contribute its efforts to making a better world for the whole of humanity. The Congress agreed to include in the Party Constitution statements on “holding dear humanity’s shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom; and advancing the building of an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.”
“This shows that the CPC is not only guided by its original aspiration and the mission to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, but also “having a greater idea to seek advancement for the human race and seek ‘Great Harmony’ (an ideal society without war and inequality) for the world,” because with greater power comes greater responsibility.” felt Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at Renmin University of China. This in a way shows how China seeks to discharge its proletarian internationalism, rather than imperialist globalization.
DavidLopez, a journalist from Colombia said, “the congress is a historic event, and it is important for journalists like me to be here to witness this event closely because we need to let the people from the other side of the world to understand what’s happening here in China, and we are interested in [China’s] development, economy and technologies and so on.”
We too, are interested in China because it opened an alternate path for development, it aims to build a community of shared future to mankind. Win-Win cooperation and non- interference in domestic matters of other countries being the foot – steps for establishing a new world order for a harmonious, peaceful, developed world.
[ Quotes Based on the speeches of Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 20th National Congress, as published in the Global Times, and special articles, reports and writings of Yang Sheng and Zhang Changyu]
[The author is a senior orthopaedic surgeon by profession, and member National Executive of ICFA, India China Friendship Association. He had several interactions with Chinese people, including two visits to China, and Contributed to countercurrents.org previously.]
