Month: October 2024

Working together for peace, development and a brighter future for BRICS

During his recent visit to New York to attend the annual general debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and related activities, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed a meeting of foreign ministers from the BRICS cooperation mechanism, which was held at the UN headquarters on September 26.

Wang Yi told his counterparts that: “As leading members of the Global South, we BRICS countries should pursue our own success while promoting the greater good and make our contribution to an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation.”

He went on to say that the BRICS members should promote common security and strive for lasting peace. In today’s world where countries are dependent on each other, humanity lives in an inseparable community of security. No country has the right to manipulate the global security agenda or seek its own security at the expense of others.

On Ukraine, the BRICS should “uphold the principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no fanning the flames by any party, and encourage dialogue and negotiation for the settlement of the crisis. The six-point common understanding jointly released by Brazil and China to this end has received varying degrees of positive response from over 100 countries.

“On Palestine, China stands firmly with Arab countries. We must push for the early realisation of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, support Palestine’s full UN membership, and implement the two-State solution, in a bid to bring enduring peace to the Middle East.”

The BRICS countries should stay focused on development, follow true multilateralism and improve global governance:

“When hegemonic and bullying acts run unchecked, human civilisation will revert to the law of the jungle. It is important that we firmly defend the international system with the UN at its core, uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and reject a selective application.”

He added: “Next month, BRICS will hold its first summit following its membership expansion… We should support Russia’s chairmanship, and take the summit as an opportunity to send a strong message of upholding fairness and justice and promoting common development… We should also step up efforts to set up the Partner Country category, which is a consensus reached by BRICS leaders at the Johannesburg Summit last year and a mission we must accomplish. We need to keep the door open to new members, so as to provide more vigour and drive to the development of BRICS.”

The following is the full text of Wang Yi’s speech. It was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Dear colleagues,

It is a great pleasure to meet you all in New York.

The current international situation is marked by change and instability, and the world is experiencing disorder, slowing growth, uneven development, and a loss of focus in governance. The theme of this year’s General Debate—“Leaving no one behind”—highlights the widely shared aspiration for greater equality, security and prosperity in our world. As leading members of the Global South, we BRICS countries should pursue our own success while promoting the greater good, and make our contribution to an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

—We should promote common security and strive for lasting peace. In today’s world where countries are dependent on each other, humanity live in an inseparable community of security. No country has the right to manipulate the global security agenda or seek its own security at the expense of others. It is important that we make good use of such BRICS mechanisms as the Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs / International Relations and the Meeting of National Security Advisers and High Representatives on National Security to strengthen coordination on international and regional hotspots and make a joint response to the various challenges we face. On Ukraine, we should uphold the principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no fanning the flames by any party, and encourage dialogue and negotiation for the settlement of the crisis. The six-point common understanding jointly released by Brazil and China to this end has received varying degrees of positive response from over 100 countries. On Palestine, China stands firmly with Arab countries. We must push for the early realization of a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, support Palestine’s full U.N. membership, and implement the two-State solution, in a bid to bring enduring peace to the Middle East.

—We should stay focused on development as a priority and remove hinderance to development. Development is an eternal pursuit of humanity and a major yardstick of the progress of times. The Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping has received active support from the U.N. and a vast number of developing countries. BRICS should harness its strengths to drive development to the center of the U.N. agenda, stay attentive to the difficulties facing developing countries, urge developed countries to honor their promises, and give a stronger boost to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is important to keep in mind the urgent needs of developing countries in poverty reduction, development financing, and energy and food security, and seize the opportunities presented by the technological revolution and industrial transformation to foster new drivers for high-quality development.

—We should follow true multilateralism and improve global governance. When multilateralism is under attack, the world will be in disarray. When hegemonic and bullying acts run unchecked, human civilization will revert to the law of the jungle. It is important that we firmly defend the international system with the U.N. at its core, uphold the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and reject a selective application of these purposes and principles. We could take the follow-up to the Summit of the Future as a chance to advance the reform of the international financial architecture, support countries of the South in participating fully in international economic decision-making, governance and rules-making, and increase their voice and representation. “Enhancing International Cooperation on Capacity-Building of Artificial Intelligence,” the resolution cosponsored by China and many other countries of the South, has been overwhelmingly adopted at the General Assembly. We welcome BRICS countries on board for its implementation so that more developing countries can benefit from it.

Colleagues,

Next month, BRICS will hold its first summit following its membership expansion. All eyes will be on this highly significant meeting. We should support Russia’s chairmanship, and take the summit as an opportunity to send a strong message of upholding fairness and justice and promoting common development. We could strive for new milestone outcomes in such areas as finance, AI, and energy and minerals to get the greater  BRICS cooperation off to a good start. We should also step up efforts to set up the Partner Country category, which is a consensus reached by BRICS leaders at the Johannesburg Summit last year and a mission we must accomplish. We need to keep the door open to new members, so as to provide more vigor and drive to the development of BRICS.

Colleagues,

Not long ago, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held its third plenary session. At the session, a new blueprint was drawn up to further advance Chinese modernization. As China pursues high-standard opening up and high-quality development, we will continue to view fellow BRICS countries as good companions and good partners. China will share development opportunities with BRICS countries and other countries around the world and seek more cooperation in building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Thank you.

Cheng Enfu: The countries of the South must unite to oppose imperialism and neoliberalism

We are pleased to publish below the text of a pre-recorded speech by Professor Cheng Enfu for the London conference marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Cheng Enfu is one of China’s leading Marxist economists. He is former President of the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; President of the World Association for Political Economy; Editor-in-Chief of the World Review of Political Economy; and Editor-in-Chief of the World Marxism Review.

In this speech, which is based on his contribution to the edited volume People’s China at 75 – The Flag Stays Red, Professor Cheng discusses the significance of, and progress towards, China’s second centenary goal of building a rich, strong, democratic, civilised, harmonious and beautiful modern socialist country.

Challenging the view typically held by bourgeois economists that there was very little development in pre-reform China, Cheng opines that “the first miracle of creating a preliminarily rich and strong China was achieved before the reform and opening-up”. He explains that New China broke out of underdevelopment, pushed forward science and technology, established an independent industrial system, significantly improved living standards, and achieved comprehensive development in education, culture, health and sports. In the period 1952-78, China’s GDP growth rate was more than twice the global average of 3 percent.

Development accelerated even faster from 1978, with the result that “China’s economic growth rate since the founding of New China has exceeded that of almost all capitalist countries, which vividly illustrate the historic achievements of China’s economic development.”

Professor Cheng observes that the US and its allies are trying to prevent China’s further rise. However, China’s consistent foreign policy – promoting peace and rejecting hegemonism – puts it at the heart of a global multipolar process in which the countries of the South and East are gaining importance. “Even if the US-led West launches a cool war, a cold war or a hot war against China, and keeps increasing illegal sanctions to the extent of a total blockade, China will be able to unite the vast number of developing countries and the countries of the South to fully realise the second centenary goal in a self-reliant manner.”

He advocates the adoption of a new Marxist internationalism, with three core aims:

First, to promote the development of the community of human destiny on the basis of the common values of humankind; second, to promote the development of world socialism on the basis of the core values of Marxism and socialism; and third, to unite all progressive forces at the international level to counter the hegemonic forces and monopolistic oligarchies that have attempted to besiege peace-loving countries and socialist forces such as China, Cuba, North Korea and Iran.

Professor Cheng concludes by calling for a broad unity in “opposition to neo-hegemonism, neo-imperialism, neo-colonialism, neo-racism, neo-liberalism, and neo-fascism, especially in the struggles against Russian-Ukrainian conflicts and Middle Eastern conflicts triggered by the US-led West, and against their attempts to trigger conflicts in a number of Indo-Pacific regions.”

A video of the speech is embedded below the text.

Dear comrades and friends,

First and foremost, congratulations from me and the World Association for Political Economy that I represent to the opening of the conference in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China co-organized by the British Communist Party and Socialist Friends of China.

As we all know, the Chinese nation, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has gone through the bitter modern history of a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society, and finally established a new China in 1949, which not only cleansed itself of the humiliation of being constantly invaded by imperialist powers, but also set off a brand-new situation of becoming stronger. Nowadays, on the basis of fully realizing the first goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in the first century after the founding of the Party, the second goal of building a rich, strong, democratic, civilized, harmonious and beautiful modern socialist country in the first hundred years of the founding of the country is being rapidly realized. I have submitted articles on this subject to the conference. Here I would like to share two points.

1. China has been continuously surpassing the United States in various economic respects and will become the world’s largest economy and a “top country in the center”. The growth rate of China’s economy since 1949 suggests that it will surpass the United States by 2049.

Continue reading Cheng Enfu: The countries of the South must unite to oppose imperialism and neoliberalism

Historic event in the US celebrates China at 75

Below is a brief report by Betsey Piette, originally published in Workers World, about the conference held in New York City on Sunday 29 September to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This event, held at the historic Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center in Harlem, was initiated by Friends of Socialist China and put together by a range of progressive groups and individuals.

Speakers included:

  • Gerald Horne – Author and Historian
  • Zhang Weiwei – Director, China Institute, Fudan University
  • Henry Hakamaki -Iskra Books, Hosts Guerrilla History podcast
  • Danny Haiphong – Journalist and Co-Founder of Friends of Socialist China
  • Margaret Kimberley – Executive Editor, Black Agenda Report
  • Larry Holmes – First Secretary, Workers World Party
  • Mick Kelly – Political Secretary, Freedom Road Socialist Organization
  • Lee Siu Hin – Director, China/US Solidarity Network
  • Omowale Clay – International Secretariat, December 12th Movement
  • Ken Hammond – Party for Socialism and Liberation, Author of multiple books on China
  • Radhika Desai – Convenor, International Manifesto Group
  • Charles Xu – Qiao Collective
  • Mushahid Hussain – Senator and Chair, Pakistan – China Institute
  • Michael Wong – Veterans for Peace Nat’l Board, VFP China Working Group
  • KJ Noh – Journalist and Analyst of the geopolitics of the Asia Pacific region
  • Sara Flounders – International Action Center, Friends of Socialist China
  • Dee Knight – DSA International Committee’s China/Asia Subcommittee
  • Sharon Black – East Coast Co-Coordinator of Struggle/La Lucha
  • Bahman Azad – President, US Peace Council
  • Creighton Ward – Qiao Collective
  • Julie Tang – “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition, Co-Founder of Pivot to Peace
  • Ju-Hyun Park – Nodutdol for Korean Community Development
  • Arjae Red – Union Organizer – Visit to Xinjiang
  • Arnold August – Journalist and Author, Visitor to Xizang (Tibet)
  • Monica Moorehead, Managing Editor, Workers World newspaper

The video stream of the event is embedded below the report.

October 1, 2024, marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, when Mao Zedong declared that “the Chinese people have stood up.” The Friends of Socialist China organized events in London on Sept. 28 –  and, along with Workers World Party, in New York City, on Sept. 29, to celebrate the enormous role China plays in the world today and its contributions to the global struggle.

Speakers addressed the growing danger from U.S. threats, military encirclement and hostile anti-China propaganda that are escalating daily and the need for progressive forces to join together to explain and defend China. Other remarks emphasized China’s important role in providing support for developing countries in Africa and the Global South, including the significance of the recent Africa Summit held in Beijing in early September. 

Other speakers addressed China’s contribution with the Beijing Declaration, jointly issued by the Palestinian resistance organizations, on ending divisions and strengthening solidarity to fight against the U.S./Israeli genocidal wars in West Asia.

The program, held at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center in New York City, opened with the reading of solidarity messages to the people of Palestine and Lebanon in recognition of the horrific escalation of the genocidal bombing, causing the deaths of tens of thousands of people and the murder of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. 

Two representatives from the Chinese Consulate in New York were welcomed. Program Chairperson Sara Flounders introduced a new book to check out: “People’s China at 75,” by Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez.

The program included the opening session and four panels in a Mass Assembly for Peace and Solidarity. The panels’ themes included: “Exposing Imperialist Propaganda”; the “Impact of the New Cold War”; “China and the Global South”; and the “Hybrid War on China,” with speakers either addressing the event from the podium or via pre-recorded messages.    

Organizers of the New York City event include Friends of Socialist China and Workers World Party in coordination with sponsors Black Agenda Report, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Qiao Collective and the International Manifesto Group.

Over 100 people packed the hall. Around 300 more, including 80 from 25 countries outside the U.S., viewed the program by Zoom.

Building on past achievements and forging ahead together toward a Community with a Shared Future

Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, visited New York from September 22-28 to attend the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future and the general debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly as the special representative of President Xi Jinping.

During that week, in a hectic program, Wang Yi also attended a number of events hosted by China, including to promote the Global Development Initiative and to enhance international cooperation on AI, as well as multilateral events, including the Security Council High Level Open Debate, the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting and the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting. He also met with the UN Secretary-General, the President of the 79th session of the General Assembly, and with leaders and foreign ministers of numerous countries.

On September 28, Wang Yi addressed the General Assembly, taking as his theme, ‘Building on Past Achievements and Forging Ahead Together Toward a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity’. He stated that:

This institution, the United Nations, embodies the aspirations of people across the world for lasting peace and common prosperity, and bears witness to the glorious journey of the international community coming together in pursuit of progress. President Xi Jinping stressed on multiple occasions that the role of the UN should be strengthened, not weakened.

He went on to note that, in today’s world:

  • The security of all countries is tied together. In the face of various kinds of global challenges and risks, no one can stay immune or enjoy security alone. Countries need to be guided by a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. We should respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, take the legitimate security concerns of others seriously, and resolve disputes and differences through dialogue and consultation.
  • The development of all countries is deeply integrated. If the rich get richer while the poor remain poor, then “everyone is born equal” would become an empty slogan, and fairness and justice would be even more elusive. Achieving modernisation is a legitimate right of the people of all countries, not a prerogative of a few.
  • Each civilisation has its own strengths. President Xi Jinping pointed out that there is no such thing as a superior or inferior civilisation, and civilisations are different only in identity and location. We should respect the diversity of civilisations and strive to replace estrangement and clash of civilisations with exchanges and mutual learning.
  • Countries should all enjoy sovereign equality. As a large number of Global South nations are growing with a strong momentum, gone are the days when one or two major powers call the shots on everything. We should advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world, and see that all countries, regardless of their size, have their own place and role in the multipolar system.

Prior to addressing a number of the acute areas of conflict and tension at present, the Chinese Foreign Minister noted that:

Peace is the most precious thing in our world today. You may wonder if there is a path leading to peace. In fact, peace is the path. Without peace, development will not sustain; without peace, cooperation cannot happen. For the sake of peace, a single ray of hope is reason enough not to give up; the slightest chance deserves a hundredfold effort.

Besides outlining China’s positions on Ukraine and Afghanistan, Wang said:

The question of Palestine is the biggest wound to human conscience. As we speak, the conflict in Gaza is still going on, causing more civilian casualties with each passing day. Fighting has spread to Lebanon; might must not take the place of justice. Palestine’s long-held aspiration to establish an independent state should not be shunned anymore, and the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people should not be ignored any longer.

China, he added, has always been a staunch supporter of the just cause of the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate national rights, and a staunch supporter of Palestine’s full UN membership. We have recently helped to bring about breakthroughs in intra-Palestine reconciliation and will continue to work in concert with like-minded countries for a comprehensive and just settlement of the question of Palestine and durable peace and security in the Middle East.

The Korean peninsula, he stressed, should not experience war again. The important thing is to make persistent effort for de-escalation, commit to seeking solutions through dialogue and consultation, realise a transition from the armistice to a peace mechanism, and safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula.

China, once a victim of foreign power bullying, knows full well the value of peace and the hard-won gains of development. In fact, China is the only major country that has written peaceful development into its constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear-weapon states [recognised by the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)] to pledge no-first-use of nuclear weapons.

Wang further noted that:

In the face of unilateral, bullying acts such as sanctions and blockade, China firmly supports countries in defending their legitimate rights, upholding the equity and openness of the international system, making global development more coordinated and beneficial for all, and jointly opposing technology blockade and rejecting decoupling or severing supply chains. Sanctions and pressure will not bring monopolistic advantages. Suppressing and containing others will not solve problems at home. The right of people of all countries to pursue a better life should not be taken away. Here, we once again urge the United States to completely lift its blockade, sanctions and terrorism-related designation against Cuba.

In the face of aggravating ecological challenges, he said that China is firmly committed to a path of green, low-carbon and sustainable development. We will move from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest time span in world history, contributing China’s efforts to harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

In conclusion, Wang Yi stated that:

Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the founding of this very organisation. China stands ready to work with all countries to renew the founding purposes and mission of the UN, reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the UN Charter, advocate and practice true multilateralism, build a community with a shared future for humanity, and jointly usher in a better world.

The following is the full text of the Chinese Foreign Minister’s speech. It was originally published on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Mr. President,
Colleagues,

Continue reading Building on past achievements and forging ahead together toward a Community with a Shared Future

Cuban ambassador: China has been a determined force in promoting global solidarity

We are very pleased to publish below the text of the speech given by Her Excellency Ismara M. Vargas Walter, Cuban Ambassador to the UK, at the conference held in London on Saturday 28 September to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Comrade Vargas Walter gave an overview of the history of solidarity between China and Cuba, noting that, in 1960, Cuba became the first country in Latin America to recognise the People’s Republic of China. In recent times, “China’s support for Cuba in overcoming the devastating effects of the US blockade has been invaluable”, while “Cuba has stood with China in international forums, defending its sovereignty and promoting the vision of a multipolar world in which the nations of the global South can thrive free from the chains of imperialism”.

Vargas Walter went on to describe the emerging multipolar world order, of which China is a powerful advocate. “The struggle for multipolarity is the struggle for a world in which no single nation or bloc of nations can dictate the fate of others”.

She concluded her remarks with a powerful call for revolutionary internationalism:

The friendship between our nations is a testament to what can be achieved when we stand together in solidarity. It is a reminder that internationalism is our greatest strength, no matter how small or isolated a country may seem. Let’s continue to deepen our ties, strengthen our solidarity and continue the struggle for a world free of exploitation and imperialism.

Comrades and friends,

It is a great honour to stand before you today as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. We commemorate not only the rise of a great nation but also the enduring legacy of socialist internationalism of which Cuba and China have been proud torchbearers for decades.

When the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, it marked the triumph of the indomitable spirit of the Chinese people in their struggle for sovereignty, dignity and a future free from colonialism and imperialist domination. This victory impacted far beyond China’s borders, inspiring revolutionary movements in Asia, Africa, Latin America and beyond. It was a beacon of hope for the oppressed, demonstrating that unity, determination and a shared socialist vision can change the course of history.

In 1959, ten years after China’s victory, the Cuban Revolution triumphed under the leadership of our Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro. Our revolution was a direct challenge to U.S. imperialism in the heart of Latin America. In 1960, Cuba became the first country in Latin America to recognize the People’s Republic of China, cementing a partnership based on revolutionary solidarity. Despite our geographical distance, Cuba and China were united in a common struggle – the struggle against exploitation, foreign domination and the capitalist system that seeks to divide and subjugate the people of the global South.

Our two nations, one in the Caribbean and the other in East Asia have shown that internationalism is not just an ideal – it is a necessity. In the face of endless provocations, economic blockades and attempts to isolate our revolutions, both Cuba and China have stood tall, defending the dignity of our people and advancing on the road to socialism.

The bonds between Cuba and China have grown stronger over the decades, nourished by mutual respect, and shared principles. Since the early days of our revolutions, China has extended a hand of friendship to Cuba. China’s support for Cuba in overcoming the devastating effects of the U.S. blockade has been invaluable. Cuba has stood with China in international forums, defending its sovereignty and promoting the vision of a multipolar world in which the nations of the global South can thrive free from the chains of imperialism.

However, despite the indomitable spirit of our people, we continue to face unjust actions aimed at undermining our sovereignty. Cuba continues to be arbitrarily listed as a state sponsor of terrorism, a designation that is not only baseless but deeply unfair. This false narrative is part of the broader strategy of imperialist aggression aimed at destabilizing and suffocating our economy. The real intention behind this label is to cause extraordinary damage to Cuba’s development, just as the criminal blockade has done for more than six decades. To be clear, this label has nothing to do with terrorism and everything to do with punishing Cuba for daring to build socialism on its own terms.

China has been a determined force in promoting global solidarity. From its Belt and Road Initiative, which strengthens economic ties and infrastructure development in the Global South, to its investments in sustainable development, China has shown that internationalism is not a relic of the past, but a living principle shaping the future.

At the heart of the struggle for a more just and equitable world is the rise of the Global South. Countries like Cuba, Venezuela and China, along with many others in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, are asserting their right to determine their own future, free from the grip of foreign interference. The struggle for multipolarity is the struggle for a world in which no single nation or bloc of nations can dictate the fate of others.

And China has been a powerful advocate of this new multipolar world order. Its policy of peaceful development and win-win cooperation stands in sharp contrast to the coercion and militarism that define imperialist relations. China’s partnerships with nations in the Global South are based on the principles of mutual respect, non-interference and solidarity – principles that Cuba wholeheartedly embraces.

As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, we must remember that our struggle is far from over. The forces of imperialism are relentless, but so too is our determination to defend the sovereignty of our nations, the dignity of our peoples and the road to socialism that we have chosen.

The friendship between our nations is a testament to what can be achieved when we stand together in solidarity. It is a reminder that internationalism is our greatest strength, no matter how small or isolated a country may seem. Let’s continue to deepen our ties, strengthen our solidarity and continue the struggle for a world free of exploitation and imperialism.

Until victory always!

Thank you so much.

New book: People’s China at 75 – The Flag Stays Red

At our London conference marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, held on 28 September 2024, we launched a new book: People’s China at 75 – The Flag Stays Red. Edited by Friends of Socialist China co-editors Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez, and published by Praxis Press, the book brings together different perspectives and understandings of the trajectory of Chinese socialism over the past 75 years, with the aim of presenting China’s achievements and challenging popular misconceptions.

The book can be purchased on the Praxis Press website in paperback and digital formats.

Synopsis

When the People’s Republic of China was proclaimed on 1 October 1949, China was one of the poorest and most wretched societies on earth. Illiteracy was as high as life expectancy was low but as Chinese leader Mao Zedong had remarked even before the formal announcement of the creation of the PRC, “The Chinese people have stood up.” 

Today’s China is at the forefront of the world economy, it has eliminated absolute poverty and is leading the world in tackling climate change, and the development of new, high quality productive forces, essentially conforming to the fifth industrial revolution.

China has achieved this unprecedented development in less than a century, yet these achievements are frequently misinterpreted or distorted. People’s China at 75 – The Flag Stays Red, organised by the co-editors of Friends of Socialist China, aims to challenge these misconceptions and provide the political, historical and economic context that best explains China’s astonishing rise.

Chapters

  • Keith Bennett and Carlos Martinez: Understanding socialism with Chinese characteristics
  • Ken Hammond: Building socialism with Chinese characteristics
  • Jenny Clegg: China’s transition to socialism: 1949-1956
  • Andrew Murray: Standing up, living long, opposing hegemony
  • Cheng Enfu and Chen Jian: The significance of China’s fulfilment of its Second Centenary Goal by 2049
  • Kenny Coyle: The ‘primary stage of socialism’ in historical context
  • Roland Boer: China’s socialist democracy
  • Mick Dunford: Common Prosperity
  • J Sykes: Mao, China, and the development of Marxism-Leninism
  • Efe Can Gürcan: Building socialism, building the ecological civilisation
  • Radhika Desai: Patient finance: Beijing’s core challenge to the Washington Consensus
  • Carlos Martinez: How China survived the end of history

About the authors

Keith Bennett is a Co-editor of Friends of Socialist China. He studied Chinese History and Politics at SOAS University of London and, on graduating, began a lifetime of working with China at the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding (SACU) in 1979. He has visited China regularly since 1981 and is also Deputy Chairman of the 48 Group Club, whose July 1953 ‘Icebreaker Mission’ was the first western trade delegation to the People’s Republic.

Professor Cheng Enfu is the former President of the Academy of Marxism, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Principal Professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, President of the World Association for Political Economy, Editor-in-Chief of the World Review of Political Economy, Editor-in-Chief of the World Marxism Review, and Honorary Editor-in-Chief of International Critical Thought. His research mainly focuses on Marxist political economy.

Dr Jenny Clegg is an independent writer and researcher, specialising in China’s development and international role; and a former Senior Lecturer/Course Leader in Asia Pacific Studies at the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK. Her works include: China’s Global Strategy: towards a multipolar world (Pluto Press,2009); Storming the Heavens – Peasants and Revolution in China, 1925-1949: a Marxist perspective (Manifesto Press, forthcoming).

Kenny Coyle is a writer, editor and publisher. He is the director of Praxis Press and is a regular contributor to the Morning Star. He has lived and worked in various parts of Asia since 2000.

Professor Michael Dunford is Emeritus Professor at the School of Global Studies, University of Sussex, and Affiliate Scholar at the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor Radhika Desai is Professor at the Department of Political Studies, Director, Geopolitical Economy Research Group, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada and Convenor of the International Manifesto Group. Her Geopolitical Economy: After US Hegemony, Globalization and Empire (2013) proposed geopolitical economy as the proper Marxist anti-imperialist framework for understanding world affairs in the capitalist era. She hosts a fortnightly show, Geopolitical Economy Hour on the Geopolitical Economy Report website. Her most recent book is Capitalism, Coronavirus and War: A Geopolitical Economy (2022, Open Access).

Professor Efe Can Gürcan is an Associate Professor who currently serves as a Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Additionally, he holds the positions of Research Associate at the Geopolitical Economy Research Group, based at the “University of Manitoba, Visiting Scholar at the Shanghai University Institute of Global Studies, and Senior Research Fellow at Hainan CGE Peace Development Foundation. Gürcan has authored seven books and over 30 articles and book chapters on international development, international political economy, and political sociology. His latest co-authored book is China on the Rise: The Transformation of Structural Power in the Era of Multipolarity (Routledge, 2024).

Professor Ken Hammond is professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University. He has been a socialist activist since his student days at Kent State University in the late 1960s-early ‘70s. He lived and worked in China from 1982-87 and has traveled and taught there over the past 42 years. He currently works with Pivot to Peace and is a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. He is the author of China’s Revolution and the Quest for a Socialist Future and China and the World, 1949-2024.

Carlos Martinez is a researcher and political activist from London, Britain. His first book, The End of the Beginning: Lessons of the Soviet Collapse, was published in 2019 by LeftWord Books. His most recent book, The East Is Still Red – Chinese Socialism in the 21st Century, was published in 2023 by Praxis Press. He is a co-editor of Friends of Socialist China.

Andrew Murray is political correspondent of the Morning Star for the second time, the first being from 1978 to 1984. In between he has been Chair of the Stop the War Coalition, Chief of Staff at Unite the union, and an adviser to Jeremy Corbyn when he was Leader of the Labour Party. He has written many books including The Fall and Rise of the British Left and Is Socialism Possible in Britain?

J. Sykes is a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the author of The Revolutionary Science of Marxism-Leninism.

People’s China at 75

1 October 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, when Mao Zedong declared that “the Chinese people have stood up”.

Friends of Socialist China celebrated the extraordinary achievements of the past 75 years with two conferences, in London and New York City. Attendees at the London conference each received a copy of the Morning Star – the only English-language socialist daily newspaper in the world – with a special Friends of Socialist China supplement featuring articles from Zhang Zeguang (China’s ambassador to the UK), Keith Bennett, Rob Griffiths, Andrew Murray, Jenny Clegg, Carlos Martinez, Roger McKenzie, Micaela Tracey-Ramos and Kenny Coyle.

We republish below the contribution by Friends of Socialist China co-editor Keith Bennett. This article presents a broad overview of China’s socialist development, contextualising it in the overall history of the exercise of state power by the working class and its allies and the original road taken by the Chinese communists led by Mao Zedong, which represents a major contribution to the theory and practice of revolution.

The article highlights China’s transformation from poverty to moderate prosperity, examining three major phases of its development: the early period of socialist construction; the era of reform and opening up from 1978; and the new era, starting with the commencement of Xi Jinping’s leadership, characterised by the rapid development of new, high quality productive forces; a strong focus on environmental protection; a merciless campaign against corruption; much improved healthcare and pensions; and a program of common prosperity, ensuring that all sectors of the economy work in the overall interests of the people and of the pursuit of socialism.

Keith concludes: “Whilst China remains, in its own words, in the primary stage of socialism, the overall goal is now to build a modern socialist country in all respects by 2049, when the People’s Republic will celebrate its 100th anniversary. This is truly something that will change the world.”

The PDF of the full Morning Star supplement can be downloaded here.

Although China was the world’s biggest economy for most of the last two millennia, since Britain launched the first Opium War in 1839, the country was reduced to a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society. Not for nothing is the ensuing period known by the Chinese as the “century of humiliation,” marked by unequal treaties, foreign aggression, civil wars and ultimately a victorious revolution.

When the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, China was one of the poorest societies on Earth. Illiteracy was as high as life expectancy was low.

The subsequent political trajectory of the People’s Republic essentially falls into two distinct phases, the second commencing with the launch of the policy known as “reform and opening up” from the end of 1978.

The first period is often described as one of following the Soviet model.

There is some truth to this, just as contemporary China still draws on it to some extent, but it is far from the whole story.

For example, even in its most radical phases, the Chinese revolution never completely rejected a role for the national bourgeoisie.

This in turn meant that rather than a single party system, as in the Soviet Union, China retained, and retains, a multi-party, consultative system, based on acknowledging and upholding the leading role of the Communist Party.

Significantly, the peasantry (with some deviation during the period known as the Great Leap Forward, 1958-62), was not taken as a source of what might be termed “socialist primitive accumulation” to benefit the cities and the promotion of heavy industry.

Rather, policies tended to reflect the fact that the peasantry constituted the majority of the population and, even more that, they were the bedrock of the revolution.

The achievements of the Mao era should not be underestimated or denigrated. They were among the most stupendous in human history.

Despite the terrible years of 1958-62, and the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, life expectancy in China grew by one year for every year that Mao was in power.

From being practically the poorest country on Earth, Mao’s China solved the basic problems of feeding, clothing, housing and educating almost a quarter of the world’s population, provided basic medical care to the whole population, brought literacy to the overwhelming majority, massively improved the social position and role of women, and so on.

Why then was it necessary to make such a radical turn in 1978?

For all its progress, China remained at the time of Mao’s death in 1976 a very poor country, although the basic necessities of life were more or less guaranteed.

Whilst famine had been eliminated, food was still strictly rationed. Xi Jinping, when recalling his young days working with farmers in an old revolutionary base area, has often said that his dream was that one day the villagers would be able to eat meat and eat it often.

Although disparities and inequalities remained, China under Mao may be considered to have been one of the most equal societies on Earth, but to a considerable extent, it was a “socialism of shared poverty.”

Continue reading People’s China at 75