The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held in October came to a successful conclusion after Communist Party of China (CPC) elected Comrade Xi Jinping at its core.
The Congress took place at a critical time as the entire Party and citizens of China from all race were ready to embark upon a new journey to build the country into a modern socialist country and advance the second centenary goal.The Congress took stock of its achievements and accumulated valuable experience in all-round manner and charted the course for China’s development into the future. The Congress is not only of great significance to the development process of the CPC and China, but also has a far reaching impact on the world.
The past decades witnessed three major events of great significance for the cause of the party and people. It embraced the centenary of the Communist Party of China, ushered in a new era of socialism with Chinese Characteristics; eradicated poverty and build a moderate prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary goal. China however, embarked on a new journey towards a modern socialist country in all respects.
Over the last Ten years, the Chinese people have, under the leadership of the CPC, continued to create impressive miracles. Nearly 100 million rural residents living below the poverty line emerged from poverty, enabling China to meet the poverty reduction target set out in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule. We have put forward and applied a new development philosophy, worked hard to promote high-quality development, and pushed to foster a new pattern of development.
China thus has witnessed a historic rise in it economic strength: its GDP has grown to 17.77 trillion US dollars accounting for 18.5% of the world economy, the average annual growth rate reached 6.6%; its per capita GDP surpassed 12,000 U.S. dollars, with a middle-income group of more than 400 million people; China contributes 38.6% to world economic growth, surpassing the total contribution of G7 countries; its manufacturing sector and foreign exchange reserves remain the world’s largest.
The country has pursued a more proactive strategy of opening up. China has become a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, leading the world in total volume of trade in goods. The Belt and Road Initiative has been welcomed by the international community. China’s ranking on the Global Innovation Index (GII) has risen from 35th a decade ago to 11th in 2022. Guided by a people-centered philosophy of development, China has built the largest education, social security, and healthcare systems in the world, life expectancy reached 78.2 years, making further progress in achieving common prosperity for all.
Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context. It is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature and of peaceful development.
To pursue high-quality development is the first and foremost task to build a modern socialist country in all respects. China will fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy, promote high-standard opening up, and accelerate efforts to foster a new pattern of development that is focused on the domestic economy and features positive interplay between domestic and international economic flows. China remains Africa’s largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. In 2021, the bilateral trade volume reached $254.3 billion, up 35.3% year-on-year and hitting a record high. By the end of 2020, Chinese companies had invested more than $43 billion in Africa, covering highway, electricity, telecommunications and port projects etc. Chinese companies have helped African countries build and upgrade over 10,000 kilometers of railway, around 100,000 kilometers of highway, 1,000 Bridges, 100 ports, and many large-scale power plants, hospitals and schools, which have boosted economic growth, increased tax revenues, created jobs and improved people’s lives, bringing tangible benefits to the African people.
Today, our world, our times, and history are changing in ways like never before. Human society is facing unprecedented challenges. At this new historical starting point, China stands ready to work with the international community to implement the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and join forces to meet all types of global challenges. China will continue to honour the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith and with a commitment to the greater good and shared interests, put forwarded by President Xi Jinping. We will enhance partnership with Africa of mutual respect, equality and sincere cooperation, so as to accelerate common development and prosperity, and truly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
