Category: Development

Minister Liu Jianchao: Promoting a human community with a shared future

We reprint below an important article by Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, which first appeared in China Daily.

In his article, Minister Liu outlines the key points and significance of the three major initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, namely the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI). According to Liu, together they promote “global organic unity… in order to build a human community with a shared future.” This unity, “following the trend of human progress and in response to the unprecedented changes in the world, points to the direction in which the world, which now is at a crossroad, should go.”

He further outlines the essence of each initiative, as follows:

“The GDI, from the perspective of growth, answers the question of what development philosophy people need and how to achieve global development. It is aimed at creating the material foundation for a human community with a shared future. The GSI, from the viewpoint of security, focuses on the issue of what sort of security humanity needs and how to achieve universal security. It is aimed at providing security guarantee for the community. The GCI… answers the question of how to view different civilisations and promote exchanges and mutual learning among them. It aims to build the cultural foundation for the human community.”

Targeting issues like humanity’s survival, development, and modernisation, the GDI effectively responds to the strong aspiration and urgent need of the international community, developing countries in particular, to achieve faster economic growth. It also focuses on tackling the unbalanced and inadequate development within and among nations, thus setting the direction for the cause of global development and global cooperation on development.

China’s success in brokering a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and its commitment to promoting the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis through peace talks, are all examples of how we address security dilemmas by following the GSI. Targeting issues such as misunderstandings, estrangement, lack of mutual trust and inclusiveness among civilisations, the GCI aims to achieve dialectical unity based on the commonality and notwithstanding the diversity of civilisations, by seeking the common ground among them while fully respecting that diversity.

Whilst also outlining the influence of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy on the initiatives, Liu particularly emphasises how they are rooted in and embody Marxism.

“The vision of building a human community with a shared future and the three global initiatives are scientific. They encapsulate the stances, viewpoints, and methods of Marxism, reflecting the hallmarks of Marxism, and demonstrating salient theoretical characters. Underpinned by dialectical and historical materialism, the vision and the three global initiatives reveal the laws governing the development of human society and its future direction.”

They are also people-centred: “Focusing on the aspiration for a better life of the peoples across the world, the vision and the three global initiatives highlight the overall interests of humanity and strive to improve the common wellbeing of all peoples.

“Moreover, their vision of caring for every individual is self-evident. Responding to the yearning of peoples of different countries for peace, development and cooperation, the vision and the three global initiatives are committed to creating the right conditions to realise and guarantee each individual’s well-rounded development.”

Concluding his arguments, Minister Liu notes:

“The vision of a human community with a shared future and the three global initiatives uphold and apply Marxist stances, viewpoints and methods, and constitute a well-developed system of thought with compelling logic. They reflect China’s keen grasp of the law of history and its civilisation, and its deep reflection on the questions that have emerged in modern times.

“The three global initiatives, which are interconnected, interdependent and mutually reinforcing, provide a strong underpinning for the vision of building a global community with a shared future and offer China’s solution to build a better world.”

In March this year, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, proposed the Global Civilization Initiative at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. The GCI was the third global initiative he proposed to promote global organic unity after the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative in order to build a human community with a shared future.

The unity, following the trend of human progress and in response to the unprecedented changes in the world, points to the direction in which the world, which now is at a crossroad, should go. It is a new development of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and speaks volumes about the sense of history, mission and responsibility, and the global vision of Chinese communists with Xi Jinping as their chief representative. To break new ground in advancing major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, we must get a sound grasp of the scientific nature and the considerable significance of this unity and the inherent relationship between the vision and the three global initiatives.

From the historical perspective, the three global initiatives, reflecting three major themes of human progress, constitute three pillars that support the overarching vision of a human community with a shared future.

In the long river of history, different civilizations, flowing and converging from time to time, have surged forward like waves. Along with the continuous progress of human society and the deepening of globalization, countries have become increasingly connected and inter-dependent, forming a community with a shared future.

People of all countries have come to realize that material abundance, peace and stability and cultural prosperity are what all societies aspire for. To achieve them, we need growth, security and civilization, which complement and reinforce each other.

As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “Only when the granary is full will people learn etiquette; only when people are well fed and clothed will they know honor and shame.” Growth is the basis for security and civilization. Only when all countries prosper can peace last and civilizations thrive.

“Stability brings a country prosperity, while instability leads a country to poverty,” is another ancient Chinese saying. Security is a prerequisite of growth and civilization. Chinese people in ancient times believed that the civilized tend to enjoy safety while the uncivilized are more prone to face troubles and encounter danger. Civilization develops on the basis of economic growth and security. It is the accumulation of a people’s cultural pursuit and carries the imprint of a nation’s history. It has a gradual and imperceptible influence on people’s way of thinking and doing things, providing spiritual strength to the cause of development and security.

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Prachanda: China’s socialism offers Nepal valuable insights for improving the lives of the disadvantaged

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, Prime Minister of Nepal, who is also the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), visited China from September 23-30, with his first engagement being to attend the opening of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou and to meet there with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Prachanda has visited China many times, but this was the first visit of his current third term as Prime Minister.

During his visit, Prachanda gave an exclusive interview to the Chinese newspaper, Global Times.

In its preamble, the newspaper described the Nepalese leader as having witnessed abject poverty in his youth and therefore, becoming “determined to change his country’s corruption and a ruling exploitative class, Prachanda embarked on a revolutionary path to transform Nepal’s destiny.” It added: “As a staunch socialist and a long-time member of the Communist Party, Prachanda has deep ties to China.”

The interview features a detailed overview of the economic situation in Nepal and the current stage and prospects of the country’s relations with China in the economic and social fields. Prachanda tells his interviewers that:

“Nepal urgently requires to create more jobs in order to address the unemployment problem, enhance productivity, expand the output of exportable goods and services, explore new markets for export, control inflation, and maintain trade balance. These objectives stand as my foremost priorities.”

He then adds: “China has ascended to become the world’s second-largest economy, showcasing remarkable achievements in the socio-economic transformation of its society. Notably, China serves as a significant pillar of economic support for Nepal. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China in 1955, China has played an important role in assisting Nepal’s infrastructure and development endeavours. Many of these projects hold immense importance for our nation’s progress. As China continues to advance, its support and investment in Nepal are continuously growing. Nepal views China’s development trajectory as an opportunity, with the BRI [Belt and Road Initiative] serving as a suitable platform for enhancing trans-Himalayan multidimensional connectivity.”

One key element of the two countries’ cooperation, which holds the potential to be transformatory for the Nepalese economy, is a planned railway link. On this, Prachanda notes:

“The primary concern associated with this project is how quickly we can bring it to fruition. You must be aware that the construction of this project requires a substantial amount of resources that Nepal alone cannot afford. In such a situation, we have no choice but to rely on external funding. However, we also share concerns that the size of the loan for this project and terms and conditions should be manageable for the Nepali economy.”

Asked whether he believes that socialism is still relevant in Nepal, the veteran communist leader replies:

“Nepal’s constitution defines Nepal as a socialism-oriented state. In my view, socialism and Chairman Mao’s ideas and teachings remain relevant to transform Nepal into a socialist country.

“Under the socialism and the leadership of Mao, the Communist Party of China (CPC) established the People’s Republic of China. The CPC developed its unique path to socialism with Chinese characteristics.

“Similarly, Nepal will determine its own path as a socialism-oriented country that suits its historical political development and current geopolitical realities. It’s not about Nepal imitating China’s socialism and Chairman Mao Zedong. China’s socialism and Mao’s ideas offer us valuable insights to improve the socio-economic status of the oppressed and economically disadvantaged class of people.”

He is also asked whether he believes he has realised the dreams and goals he had when he first fought in the revolution, drawing this reply:

“I should say our dreams have been partially realised. Politically, the country has overthrown a centuries-old monarchy and has been transformed into a republic. This would not have been possible without our ‘People’s War.’ Now, in the eyes of the constitution and laws, all citizens are equal. The country has adopted inclusive policies protecting the basic rights of people from all walks of life. From the highest level such as parliament and other constitutional bodies to the lowest level of political representations such as ward committees, from government institutions to cooperatives, from recruitments in government jobs to student admissions in colleges, certain reservations have been ensured for people from marginalised groups like women, the economically poor, and the underprivileged classes. This remarkable achievement was institutionalised through the constitution promulgated in 2015.

“Despite achievements made in several areas, I must admit that much remains to be done in the economic sector. Economic, technical, and educational advancements take a longer time to show visible results. To achieve progress in these sectors, we need consistent, long-term efforts, and most importantly national consensus.”

We reprint below the full text of Comrade Prachanda’s interview.

We also reprint the full text of the joint statement between China and Nepal, which was released following Prachanda’s talks with his Chinese counterpart, Premier Li Qiang, in Beijing on September 26.

The statement notes that both countries agreed that, “since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1955, China and Nepal have withstood changes of the international situation, always upheld mutual respect, equality, solidarity, mutual assistance and win-win cooperation, setting a fine example of friendly interaction between countries with different social systems and of different sizes… China firmly supports Nepal in upholding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and respects and supports Nepal’s independent choice of social system and development path that suits its national conditions.”

The statement reviews in detail all areas of bilateral cooperation and addresses ways to advance them in a smoother and more expeditious manner. It adds:

“The two sides commended their mutual support in fighting COVID-19 together. The two sides expressed satisfaction over the completion and handover of the China-aided project of upgrading and renovating the Civil Service Hospital in Nepal and are ready to further strengthen health and medical cooperation, including expediting the installation of a Bone Marrow Transplant Service at the B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Nepal.”

China and Nepal also stressed “the importance to uphold true multilateralism, promote greater democracy in international relations, and make global governance more just and equitable. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and other multilateral mechanisms to uphold the common interest of developing countries. The two sides support the multilateral trading system and oppose protectionism. They will work together to make economic globalisation more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial for all, promote global and regional peace, security, development and prosperity, and build a community with a shared future for humanity.”

The following articles were originally published by Global Times and the Xinhua News Agency.

Nepal to maintain non-aligned policy in friendly relations with neighbors, hopes China’s strengths will help bolster economy: Nepalese PM

At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda commenced his five-day state visit to China from September 23 to 30, his first visit to China since the start of his third term as the Prime Minister of Nepal. The 69-year-old is a legendary figure in Nepal. Born in a poor Brahmin farming family in Pokhara in 1954, he witnessed abject poverty in his youth. Determined to change his country’s corruption and a ruling exploitative class, Prachanda embarked on a revolutionary path to transform Nepal’s destiny. In 2008, he became the first prime minister of Nepal after the abolition of the monarchy. In 2016, he assumed the office of prime minister for a second term, and in November 2022, this veteran of Nepalese politics made a comeback for a third term. As a staunch socialist and a long-time member of the Communist Party, Prachanda has deep ties to China. After assuming office as the first term as prime minister of Nepal, the first country he visited was China. In 2008, he also came to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Continue reading Prachanda: China’s socialism offers Nepal valuable insights for improving the lives of the disadvantaged

Chinese Embassy symposium: The CPC and the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind

On 22 August 2023, the Chinese Embassy in the UK held a symposium themed The Communist Party of China and the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, to which a range of political parties, organisations and individuals were invited. Three people attended the symposium on behalf of Friends of Socialist China, at which Ambassador Zheng Zeguang, Minister Zhao Fei, Minister Wang Qi and other senior diplomats introduced Xi Jinping’s concepts in relation to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Ambassador Zheng and the ministers from the Chinese Embassy provided valuable reports on China’s major foreign policy initiatives directed at supporting global peace, prosperity and friendship: the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilisation Initiative. The presentations were followed by contributions from Robert Griffiths of the Communist Party of Britain; Ella Rule of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist Leninist); Andy Brooks of the New Communist Party; Keith Bennett of Friends of Socialist China; and British scholars Martin Albrow, Frances Wood and Martin Jacques. The event concluded with a wide-ranging discussion, to which Carlos Martinez and Francisco Dominguez both contributed on behalf of Friends of Socialist China.

We publish below the report of the syposium from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the UK, along with Keith Bennett’s speech and Carlos Martinez’s remarks.

The Chinese Embassy in the UK Holds a Symposium on “The Communist Party of China and the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”

On 22 August 2023, the Chinese Embassy in the UK held a symposium themed “The Communist Party of China and the Building of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”, which was attended by representatives of various political parties and people from different sectors in the UK. At the symposium, H.E. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang, Minister Zhao Fei, Minister Wang Qi and other senior diplomats at the Embassy introduced the important thought of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party building and the important contributions made by the CPC to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Participants from the British side made remarks respectively, sharing their understanding of the tenets and significance of the relevant philosophies of the CPC.

Ambassador Zheng pointed out that to understand China, one must understand the CPC. The key to China’s great achievements to date lies fundamentally in the strong leadership of the CPC and its Party building. Since the 18th Party Congress, the Chinese communists with General Secretary Xi Jinping as their chief representative, have attached great importance to the innovation of Party building on practical, theoretical, institutional and other aspects, and formed the important thought of General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party building.

This important thought is a scientific summary of the theoretical development and practical experience of Party building in the new era. It represents a major theoretical innovation that answers the call for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It has given sensible answers to what kind of Marxist party exercising long-term governance we should develop in the new era, and how we should go about achieving it. This innovation has enabled the CPC to always remain at the forefront of the times, brimming with vigour and vitality.

Ambassador Zheng said that the CPC has led the Chinese people in a concerted effort to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary Goal, to embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance towards the Second Centenary Goal, and to promote the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation.

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Capitalist and socialist modernisation

The Sixteenth Forum of the World Association for Political Economy (WAPE) took place from 25 to 27 September 2023 in Fuzhou, China, co-organised by Fujian Normal University. The theme of the forum was Chinese modernisaton and the prospects of world modernisation. Although unable to attend in person, Friends of Socialist China co-editor Carlos Martinez was invited to submit a video presentation.

Carlos’s presentation, entitled Capitalist and socialist modernisation, takes up a number of questions: What is modernisation? Is modernisation desirable? How has modernisation been achieved in the West? What is China’s modernisation plan? What are the unique characteristics of Chinese modernisation? How does socialist modernisation differ from capitalist modernisation? What effect does China’s modernisation on the global journey towards development and socialism?

The video and the text of Carlos’s presentation are available below.

What is modernisation, and is it necessary?

Modernisation is a somewhat nebulous concept. It means different things to different societies at different times. By definition, its parameters are constantly changing.

In the broadest sense, it means adapting to the latest, most advanced ideas and techniques for meeting humanity’s material and cultural needs.

In sociology, there is more or less an equals sign between modernisation and industrialisation, and is generally held to begin with Britain’s Industrial Revolution. We can think of it essentially as the transition from ‘developing country’ status to ‘developed country’ status; from a predominantly rural society to a predominantly urban society; from a technologically backward society to a technologically advanced society.

Is this desirable? Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder, but most people consider modernisation to be desirable, because it enables higher living standards for the masses of the people.

With modernised industry, production techniques, communication methods, transport systems, energy systems and healthcare strategies, there exists the possibility of providing a healthy, meaningful and dignified life to all, such that each individual has reliable access to a healthy diet, to decent housing, to clothing, to education, to healthcare, to a vibrant cultural, social and intellectual life, and to fulfilling work. In short, modernisation makes it possible to attend to people’s basic human rights.

The fruits of modernisation have thus far been divided extremely unequally: the process of industrialisation in North America, Europe and Japan has created previously unimaginable wealth for a few, but this has been accompanied by desperate poverty and alienation for significant numbers. However, modernisation creates a material basis for common prosperity, far beyond what a pre-modern economy can offer.

Specifically in the case of China, the government has set a goal of “basically realising socialist modernisation by 2035”, and has defined some parameters for this:

  • Reaching a per-capita GDP on a par with that of the mid-level developed countries such as Spain or the Czech Republic
  • Joining the ranks of the world’s most innovative countries in the realm of science and technology
  • Becoming a global leader in education, public health, culture and sport
  • Substantially growing the middle-income group as a proportion of the population
  • Guaranteeing equitable access to basic public services
  • Ensuring modern standards of living in rural areas
  • Steadily lowering greenhouse gas emissions and protecting biodiversity, so as to restore a healthy balance between humans and the natural environment

If achieved, these aims will constitute a significant – indeed world-historic – improvement in the living standards of the Chinese people, and will blaze a trail for other developing countries.

How did the West modernise?

But is China doing anything new? After all, it won’t be the first country to achieve modernisation.

In mainstream modernisation theory in the West, the dominant narrative is that the countries of Western Europe, North America and Japan achieved their advances via a combination of good governance, liberal democracy, free-market economics, scientific genius, geographical serendipity and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit.

Historical investigation reveals a considerably different story.

The most important precursors of the West’s modernisation are colonialism, slavery and genocide. The conquest of the Americas, the settlement of Australia, the transatlantic slave trade, the colonisation of India, the rape of Africa, the Opium Wars, the theft of Hong Kong, and more. The profits of colonialism and the slave trade were essential for propelling the West’s industrialisation, as was so eloquently uncovered in Eric Williams’ classic 1944 work, Capitalism and Slavery.

As Karl Marx famously wrote in Volume 1 of Capital: “The discovery of gold and silver in America, the enslavement and entombment in mines of the aboriginal population, the beginning of the conquest and looting of the East Indies, the turning of Africa into a warren for the commercial hunting of black-skins, signalled the rosy dawn of the era of capitalist production.”

Such is the ugly truth of European modernisation. And the story is not so different in the United States. Many of the so-called founding fathers of that country were slave-owners, and they established a slave-owners’ society. They went to war against the indigenous peoples and against Mexico in order to expand their territory.

In the 20th century, having established their domination over the Americas, they constructed a neocolonial global system that is still in place to a significant degree, imposing American hegemony on the world.

A network of 800 foreign military bases. NATO. An enormous nuclear arsenal. Genocidal wars waged on Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya. Systems of economic coercion and unilateral sanctions.

Proxy wars, coups, regime change projects, destabilisation.

This is the global system of violence that has facilitated and accompanied North American modernisation.

Japan’s rapid rise was facilitated first by its brutal expansionist project in East Asia, particularly Korea and China, and then through adaptation to and integration with the US-led imperialist system, the much-vaunted ‘rules-based international order’.

South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan Province constitute the small handful of non-imperialist territories that have been able to achieve modernisation, but these are special cases. Their shared proximity to China and the DPRK is no coincidence; they have been inducted into the imperialist club by the US, to play a dual role as regional policemen and living advertisements for capitalism on the frontline of its confrontation with socialism. Both roles rely on at least a certain degree of prosperity for a section of the population.

There is no shortage of countries of the Global South which have attempted to apply the “liberal democracy plus free market capitalism” formula, but none have been successful in modernising. Indeed the West’s prescriptions for (and interference in) developing countries have largely led to chaos and disaster.

The contrast between the West’s success in modernising and the Global South’s failure has fed into a largely unspoken but widespread and pernicious racism: an assumption that white people are somehow inherently more advanced than everyone else.

This supremacism is allowed to fester, because in addition to dividing working class and oppressed communities, it provides convenient cover for the reality that capitalist modernisation is built on the foundations of colonialism, imperialism and hegemonism.

As Kwame Nkrumah commented, “in the era of neocolonialism, under-development is still attributed not to exploitation but to inferiority, and racial undertones remain closely interwoven with the class struggle.”

How is China modernising?

China’s journey towards modernisation starts in 1949 with the founding of the People’s Republic, the early construction of socialist industry, land reform and the extirpation of feudalism and the landowning class, and the provision of at least basic levels of education and healthcare services to the whole population.

In 1963, Premier Zhou Enlai, supported by Liu Shaoqi, Deng Xiaoping and Chen Yun, first raised the question of the Four Modernisations: of agriculture, industry, national defence, and science and technology. Despite a complex political environment this goal was revived in the early 1970s, and, with the launch of reform and opening up in 1978, China accelerated its pursuit of those goals, and ushered in an era of rapid development of the productive forces and improvement in the people’s living standards.

China’s journey of modernisation has evolved again in recent years with the pursuit of the second centenary goal: of building a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by 2049.

China is on a fast track to becoming an advanced, developed country, and this process stands in stark contrast to the West’s modernisation process:

First, China’s modernisation is built on the efforts of the Chinese people rather than on war, colonialism and slavery.

Second, its fruits are to be shared by everybody, not dominated by the wealthy. As General Secretary Xi Jinping said in his work report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China’s modernisation is “the modernisation of common prosperity for all.”

Even today, not everyone in the West is able to enjoy the fruits of modernisation. Consider for example the US, where tens of millions lack access to healthcare; where over half a million people are homeless; where life expectancy for African Americans is six years less than for their white counterparts; where – according to the US Department of Education – over half of adults read below a sixth-grade level.

Third, China’s modernisation is becoming a green modernisation, fuelled by clean energy, careful not to destroy the planet that sustains us. Again quoting Xi Jinping’s work report, “it is the modernisation of harmony between humanity and nature.”

Capitalist modernisation has had a disastrous impact on the environment. With 4 percent of the global population, the US alone is responsible for 25 percent of historic greenhouse gas emissions. The simple fact is that humanity literally cannot afford for China’s modernisation to follow this pattern.

Socialist modernisation will become the ‘new normal’

The West’s modernisation path is not open to the countries of the Global South, and it wouldn’t be desirable even if it were. Today, the road of capitalist modernisation is closed, so how is China able to modernise?

China does not have an empire, formal or informal, but it does have a particular advantage of being a socialist state, a “people’s democratic dictatorship based on the alliance of workers and peasants”, to use Mao Zedong’s expression. Such a state can use its power to direct economic activity towards the goals of the social classes it represents.

Thus the specificities of China’s modernisation – the commitment to common prosperity, to ending poverty and underdevelopment, to preventing climate collapse and to peaceful development – are a function of China’s political system, its revolutionary history, and the leadership of the CPC.

At a meeting of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2016, Xi Jinping made this point very succinctly: “Our greatest strength lies in our socialist system, which enables us to pool resources in a major mission. This is the key to our success.”

Or as Deng Xiaoping famously commented in 1984: “the superiority of the socialist system is demonstrated, in the final analysis, by faster and greater development of the productive forces than under the capitalist system.”

In a world still largely dominated by capitalism – and an intellectual world still dominated by bourgeois ideology – it’s easy to forget this system’s fundamental and irreconcilable contradictions, which Marx identified with such clarity and profundity 150 years ago; contradictions which lead inexorably to inefficiency, stagnation and crisis. A political economy directed at the production of exchange values rather than use values can never result in common prosperity.

In China, the capitalist class is not the ruling class and is therefore not able to direct the country’s resources according to its own prerogatives. At the top level, resources are allocated by the state, in accordance with long-term planning carried out by, and in the interests of, the people.

This is what is enabling a new type of modernisation, which is blazing a trail for socialist and developing countries the world over.

The fruits of this process are being shared with the world, via mechanisms such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, which are creating a path for the countries of the Global South to break out of underdevelopment, even where they lack China’s resources and political advantages.

As such, China’s evolving modernisation has great historic significance, and offers valuable lessons for the world. It is an embodiment of historical materialism in the current era: capitalism has long since exhausted its ability to fundamentally drive human progress, and therefore the future lies with socialism.

CGTN interview with Senegalese President Macky Sall

In this episode of the CGTN series Leaders Talk, filmed in the South African city of Johannesburg immediately following the BRICS Summit and the China/Africa Leaders Dialogue held in its margins in August, Wang Guan interviews President Macky Sall of Senegal.

President Sall sets out a strong case for the reform of international institutions formed in the wake of World War II. The world has changed greatly since then and reform is demanded by Africa and the Global South as we are moving towards a multipolar world. 

Senegal was the first country in West Africa to sign up for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) advanced by President Xi Jinping. President Sall extols his personal and friendly relationship with his Chinese counterpart and is full of praise for China’s relations with Africa.

China, he notes, once suffered aggression from the colonial powers, so today it shows empathy and humility in its dealings with others. Citing a recent discussion he held with French President Emmanuel Macron, he said that his message to Africa’s other partners is that we want the same from them. There is now a generation, including himself, born after the end of colonial rule, and they have a new mentality.

Turning to questions of development financing and foreign debt, Sall makes the point that China’s financing is based on requests made by Africa and priorities set by Africa. Refuting ideas of a ‘Chinese debt trap’, he notes that Africa’s debt to China is only some 12% of its total. Moreover, the interest rate is low, at a maximum of 2.5%, with a minimum repayment period of 20 years, and a grace period before payments become due that is generally longer than that offered by others.

Furthermore, citing a China-built expressway in his country as an example, because China’s projects are built quickly, they can often be generating revenue for a few years before any loan repayments fall due.

The full interview with President Macky Sall is embedded below.

Belt and Road: A Ten-Year Celebration and Reflection

In the following op-ed, Erik Solheim – President of the Green Belt and Road Institute and former UN Under-Secretary-General – reflects on the first decade of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Solheim observes that “China has signed more than 200 Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 152 countries and 32 international organizations”, accounting for three-quarters of the world’s population, and practically all developing countries. The BRI has “brought huge benefit to developing countries, lifting millions of people out of extreme poverty.” For that reason, the author considers that the BRI is, without doubt, “the most important international initiative that serves as a global cooperation platform to reshape global development.”

Solheim describes a number of BRI projects around the world which are aiding low-carbon development and connectivity. He cites the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the Addis Ababa – Djibouti Railway as “shining examples that have helped African connectivity and green transformation.”

The author introduces a series of interesting suggestions for further enhancing green development along the Belt and Road, and concludes by expressing his hope that the BRI’s second decade will be as successful as its first.

This piece was first published on CGTN on 19 September 2023.

In February this year, I had an exciting visit to Bracell in Brazil. It is the most modern and greenest pulp factory in the world, a few hours from the megacity of Sao Paulo. The operations are purely fuelled by renewable energy and forests are used in a sustainable way. It underlines the South-South cooperation in the new global era. Bracell operates fully in Brazil, producing 3 million metric tons of pulp a year and creating about 6,000 jobs for the Brazilians. The mother company is the Indonesian RGE, which set up this factory in Brazil as part of its global product schemes. China has a prominent role to play as well, since the project is funded by Chinese banks and its pulp will primarily supply the Chinese market for paper and tissue. From Brazil to Indonesia and China, Bracell showcases a new global development cooperation landscape, bringing together three of the most important developing nations in the new global economy.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and the Belt and Road Initiative are among the new mechanisms to unlock the potential of such South-South cooperation. And there is no doubt that the Belt and Road is the most important international initiative that serves as a global cooperation platform to reshape global development. Since it was unveiled in 2013 by President Xi Jinping, it has progressed with robust vigor and vitality. This year marks the 10th anniversary and it is right on time to sum up what has been achieved and to look ahead.

Looking back, the first decade of the Belt and Road cooperation has been a resounding success. Its great achievements are generally three-fold.

First, the sheer scale. As of June, China signed more than 200 Belt and Road cooperation agreements with 152 countries and 32 international organizations. Together, they account for about 40% of the world’s economy and 75% of global population. With a handful of exceptions, all developing countries are part of the initiative. And in different countries, the Belt and Road takes on different forms. It is by far the most important investment venture of our time. It has brought huge benefit to developing countries, lifting millions of people out of extreme poverty.

Second, the great contribution of green corridors. The China-Laos Railway has delivered more than 4 million tons of cargo since it was put into operation in 2021, hugely helping landlocked Laos to link to global markets in China and Europe and increase cross-border tourism. Indonesia’s first high-speed train, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, reached 350 km per hour during the joint commissioning and test phase in June this year, reducing the journey between the two huge cities from over 3 hours to 40 minutes. The Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the Addis Ababa – Djibouti Railway are shining examples that have helped African connectivity and green transformation. The green corridors have not only helped facilitate transportation and green mobility in developing countries, but also greatly boosted trade, the tourism industry and social development.

Third, the commitment to green development. In September 2021, President Xi Jinping announced the decision to halt all Chinese overseas coal investment. The move reflected a strong determination to advance green transition and has had a profound effect in driving other developing countries to a green path and high-quality development.  Interestingly it happened at a time when many Belt and Road countries like Kenya, Bangladesh and Pakistan also decided to abandon coal.

Looking ahead, China may need to consider new steps to further green the BRI to ensure its sustainability and continued progress.

First, it is important to designate the BRI as a major vehicle for green investments. China has taken a leading position in nearly all renewable technologies. BYD is now the biggest electric vehicle company in the world. LONGi is the world’s biggest solar enterprise. China Three Gorges Corporation is a global leader in hydropower development and operation. Envision ranks as one of the world’s largest wind turbine companies. CATL has led the way in battery making. These companies have huge interests in and abilities to invest overseas. BYD recently said that it will invest over 620 million US dollars in an industrial complex to make electric cars in Brazil and LONGi has massive investment in Malaysia to produce solar products.

Second, efforts can be made to optimize the green corridors. The Mombasa-Nairobi Railway can potentially connect East Africa all the way to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, landlocked countries that have beautiful landscapes and are desperately longing to become attractive tourist destinations, as well as to be linked to ports and thus global markets. Similarly, the Jakarta-Bandung Railway could continue to reach Surabaya, the second-largest city of Indonesia, with fantastic landscapes and historical sights. I am glad to see that China and Indonesia have discussed this potential extension after Premier Li Qiang took a test ride on the bullet train recently. In addition, it is crucial to promote collaboration among countries involved in the Kunming-Singapore Railway Network to complete the project in an efficient manner, so that the countries can benefit from a most advanced transport system, boosting tourism and increasing economic integration. The Kunming-Singapore rail web will have a tremendous impact on the region’s connectivity and prosperity.

Third, the BRI should become a platform dedicated to exchanging investment and best practice for nature protection. President Xi Jinping visited Saudi Arabia in November last year. Saudi Arabia and Iran were invited this August to be new members of the BRICS. The Chinese support to peace has brought a very positive influence on the Middle East. There is huge space for cooperation between China and the Middle East on desert control and water management. The Ninth Kubuqi International Desert Forum opened last month in the city of Ordos, and lots of discussion emphasized that China’s best practice of desert control can be shared with the Middle East. By the same token, presidents of five Central Asian nations met with President Xi Jinping in Xi’an this May at the China-Central Asia Summit, which resulted in an inspiring declaration on environmental cooperation. China’s success in water management and protecting wild animals such as giant pandas, Tibetan antelopes and snow leopards shows the way for nature protection overseas.

Fourth, people-to-people bonds should be enhanced. One serious consequence of the COVID pandemic is the breakdown in the texture of global connectivity. Relationships and connections suffered an unprecedented challenge. The Belt and Road can play a significant role in creating a better global atmosphere and fighting stupid ideas of zero-sum and decoupling. The Belt and Road can serve as a forum to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, bridging cultural gaps and promoting understanding among peoples. I recently worked with Zhejiang Province to set up a tourist office in Europe, which will function as a window into the splendid Song Dynasty as well as the tea and silk culture of this historical province. The forthcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou is another example of bringing people together. Tea and sport are great catalysts to unite people from diverse regions and backgrounds.

The Belt and Road ten-year fruitful journey demonstrates that it is not about unreachable visionary or hollow dreams, but about determination and real action. It has met the inaccessible development hopes of many developing countries and has brought concrete benefits to people and communities. Let’s hope that, over the next decade, the Belt and Road will continue to be a major driver in global green development and bringing people together across continents.

CGTN interview with Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye

In this episode of the CGTN series Leaders Talk, Wang Guan interviews Évariste Ndayishimiye, the President of Burundi. The interview was filmed in Shanghai during the Burundian leader’s recent state visit to China.

Burundi is a small, landlocked country in east central Africa, sharing land borders with Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. It was colonised by Germany during the imperialist “scramble for Africa”. Following World War I, it was handed to Belgium under a League of Nations mandate and after World War II was made a so-called United Nations Trust Territory, finally winning national independence in 1962.

Burundi established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China the year after it obtained independence, making this year the 60th anniversary of their bilateral ties. 

They have been 60 years of fruitful cooperation, leading President Xi Jinping, in his meeting with his Burundian counterpart, to describe the relationship of one of all-weather friendship. For his part, President Ndayishimiye, who was making his first visit to China as president, but who has previously visited the country on a number of occasions, describes the relationship as one of friendship, solidarity and brotherhood. If there is one country, he says, that always stands with Burundi, whether in good times or bad, it’s China, which is always the first to come to his country’s support in times of difficulty.

Whenever he visits China, Ndayishimiye is keen to delve deeply into the lessons provided by China’s development. His ambition is for Burundi to become an emerging country by 2040 and a developed country by 2060. China, he notes, has become a global power in a very short time, so it is possible. He seeks to learn from China by reorganising his own country to work for the people’s well-being.

Ninety per cent of Burundi’s population currently works in agriculture, so this sector is also the foundation of its collaboration with China. Since 2009, under the auspices of FOCAC (the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation), agricultural experts from China have introduced various hybrid rice strains to Burundi, leading to a huge increase in the country’s food production. President Ndayishimiye praises the role of Chinese experts, who “work with our people shoulder-to-shoulder on the ground.”

However, China’s assistance to Burundi does not stop at agriculture, but also embraces such sectors as healthcare, education and infrastructure, including energy, roads and the expansion of the international airport in the country’s largest city and former capital, Bujumbura. 

Burundi’s president is scathing about the record and legacy of European colonialism in his country. “Burundi is like a big family, but the colonisers’ strategy was to divide in order to rule over the resistant people.” He contrasts this to China and utterly refutes any suggestion of “Chinese colonialism” in Africa. He has studied Chinese history and the country was itself once a victim of colonialism. A devout Christian, the president invokes words from the Bible when he insists that China does not believe in doing unto others what has been done unto itself. Interestingly, almost the identical words can be found in the sayings of the Chinese sage Confucius. According to Ndayishimiye, the colonial powers are simply judging China by their own standards.

The full interview with President Évariste Ndayishimiye is embedded below.

Remarks by Xi Jinping at the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue

Alongside the main BRICS Summit, held in the South African city of Johannesburg, a ‘BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue’ was held on the sidelines on August 24

Hosted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, the event was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Russian President Vladimir Putin participated online.

More than 60 leaders and representatives of African countries and other emerging markets and developing countries, as well as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the New Development Bank Dilma Rousseff, and leaders of other international and regional organizations, also attended.

Xi Jinping delivered remarks at the dialogue under the title, ‘Hand in Hand Toward a Community of Shared Development’. He began by noting that:

“Development embodies our people’s aspiration for a better life. It is the top priority for developing countries and a timeless theme for humanity. As the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is due for a midterm review this year, the delivery of most Sustainable Development Goals remains slow. This is a cause for concern, and the global development endeavour faces formidable challenges.”

Xi pointed out that China has invariably stood in solidarity with fellow developing countries through thick and thin. The country has been and will always remain a member of the developing countries. Since holding the first High-Level Dialogue on Global Development last year, China has set up a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, with a total funding of four billion US dollars, and Chinese financial institutions will soon set up a special fund of 10 billion dollars dedicated to the implementation of the Global Development Initiative (GDI).

Xi added:

“Over the past decade, China has provided a large amount of development assistance to Africa and helped build more than 6,000 km of railway, over 6,000 km of highway, and 80-plus large power facilities on the continent. Going forward, China will carry out more cooperation with African countries to support Africa in enhancing its own capacity for development. Specific measures will be taken, such as providing satellite mapping data products, implementing a Smart Customs cooperation partnership, and launching with UNESCO a ‘GDI for Africa’s Future’ action plan, to support sustainable development in Africa.”

The following is the full text of President Xi’s remarks. It was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

Hand in Hand Toward a Community of Shared Development

Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China
At the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue
Johannesburg, August 24, 2023

Your Excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa,

Colleagues,

Let me begin by thanking President Ramaphosa for preparing the Dialogues. I am delighted to join you all in this discussion on global development.

Development embodies our people’s aspiration for a better life. It is the top priority for developing countries and a timeless theme for humanity. As the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is due for a midterm review this year, the delivery of most Sustainable Development Goals remains slow. This is a cause for concern, and the global development endeavor faces formidable challenges.

The international community must pursue the larger interests of all countries, respond to people’s concerns, and restore development to the center of the international agenda. The representation and voice of developing countries in global governance should be increased, and developing countries be supported in realizing better development. It is also important to uphold true multilateralism, forge a global development partnership, and create a secure and stable international environment for shared development.

Continue reading Remarks by Xi Jinping at the BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue

Xi Jinping: ​Enhancing solidarity and cooperation to overcome risks and challenges and jointly build a better world

Prior to the opening of the main BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, a BRICS Business Forum was held on August 22, marking ten years since the birth of the BRICS Business Council, also in South Africa. 

In an address to the forum’s closing ceremony, which was read on his behalf by Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, President Xi Jinping, noting that, “changes in the world, in our times and in history are unfolding in ways like never before, bringing human society to a critical juncture”, posed the following questions:

“Should we pursue cooperation and integration, or just succumb to division and confrontation? Should we work together to maintain peace and stability, or just sleepwalk into the abyss of a new Cold War? Should we embrace prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, or allow hegemonic and bullying acts to throw us into depression? Should we deepen mutual trust through exchanges and mutual learning, or allow hubris and prejudice to blind conscience? The course of history will be shaped by the choices we make.”

The Chinese leader noted that humanity has “achieved notable economic development and social progress over the past decades, and that is because we have drawn lessons from the two world wars and the Cold War… and embarked on the right path of openness and development for win-win cooperation… What people in various countries long for is definitely not a new Cold War or a small exclusive bloc; what they want is an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys enduring peace, universal security and common prosperity.”

Stressing the need to promote development and prosperity for all, President Xi continued: “Many emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs) have come to what they are today after shaking off the yoke of colonialism. With perseverance, hard work and huge sacrifices, we succeeded in gaining independence and have been exploring development paths suited to our national conditions. Everything we do is to deliver better lives to our people. But some country, obsessed with maintaining its hegemony, has gone out of its way to cripple the EMDCs. Whoever is developing fast becomes its target of containment; whoever is catching up becomes its target of obstruction. But this is futile, as I have said more than once that blowing out others’ lamp will not bring light to oneself.

“Every country has the right to development, and the people in every country have the freedom to pursue a happy life. With that in mind, I have proposed the Global Development Initiative, with the goal of promoting development for all by the international community and boosting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Highlighting the increasing role of the BRICS countries in the global economy, the Chinese leader noted: “The collective rise of EMDCs represented by BRICS is fundamentally changing the global landscape. EMDCs have contributed as high as 80 percent of global growth in the past 20 years, and their share in the global GDP has increased from 24 percent 40 years ago to more than 40 percent.”

Xi again expressed China’s support for more countries to join the BRICS mechanism, while noting that this is not a matter of pressing countries to take sides or fomenting confrontation:

“The gathering between BRICS countries and more than 50 other countries in South Africa today is not an exercise of asking countries to take sides, nor an exercise of creating bloc confrontation. Rather, it is an endeavor to expand the architecture of peace and development. I am glad to note that over 20 countries are knocking on the door of BRICS. China hopes to see more joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism.”

We reprint below the full text of President Xi’s speech. It was originally carried on the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Your Excellency President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa,
Members of the Business Community,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Friends,

I wish to extend my warm congratulations on the success of the BRICS Business Forum in South Africa!

Ten years ago here in South Africa, we BRICS leaders witnessed the birth of the BRICS Business Council. Since then, the Council has stayed true to its founding mission. It has seized opportunities to deepen cooperation, contributing to economic and social development of BRICS countries and helping sustain global economic growth.

Continue reading Xi Jinping: ​Enhancing solidarity and cooperation to overcome risks and challenges and jointly build a better world

China supports Caribbean countries pursuing development and strength through unity

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana was one of a number of international leaders to combine an official visit to China with attending the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games, held from late July in the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu.

President Ali met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Chengdu on July 28.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Guyana, though far apart, have enjoyed a time-honored friendship. Guyana was the earliest country in the [English-speaking] Caribbean region to recognize the one-China principle and establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Last year, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Guyana was celebrated. China and Guyana should be good friends who trust and count on each other, and both countries should share opportunities, meet challenges, seek cooperation and advance development together, so as to promote the building of a more close-knit China-Guyana community with a shared future, the Chinese President said, adding that China is ready to enhance synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, and to elevate the level of high-quality BRI cooperation between the two countries.

Xi Jinping also congratulated Guyana on being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2024-2025 term. China supports Guyana in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, and is ready to work together to practice true multilateralism, safeguard the common interests of the numerous developing countries, jointly tackle global challenges, including climate change, food security and energy security, and build a human community with a shared future together.

Xi Jinping added that during his first visit to the Caribbean region in 2013, he joined leaders of nine [English-speaking] Caribbean countries having established diplomatic relations with China in establishing a comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and the Caribbean countries. China, he said, has always supported the Caribbean countries in seeking strength through unity, and pursuing development and prosperity, and is ready to work with the Caribbean countries to build an even closer community with a shared future. He expressed the hope that Guyana will continue to play an active role in promoting the development of relations between China and the Caribbean countries.

President Ali said that the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Guyana and China have been years of friendship, cooperation, and mutual support. Guyana firmly abides by the one-China principle, highly admires President Xi Jinping’s outstanding leadership, and highly values China’s international influence. China, the Guyanese President said, has played an important role in the economic and social development of Guyana and the Caribbean region, not only by sharing its experience, but also by providing valuable assistance for Guyana and other regional countries, including in developing infrastructure, connectivity, medicine and health.  Guyana hopes to carry out close cooperation with China to better address global challenges such as energy, climate change and food security.

The Guyanese head of state also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on July 30. 

Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than five decades ago, China and Guyana have always treated each other with mutual respect and equality. The political mutual trust between the two sides has become even firmer as time goes by, he said, adding that their practical cooperation has achieved fruitful results, setting an example of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation between countries with different social systems, histories and cultures. China stands ready to work with Guyana to promote relations between China and Caribbean countries, meet global challenges together, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and improve international fairness and justice.

Reporting on the visit, the Hong Kong newspaper, South China Morning Post, said that China and Guyana had agreed to strengthen their cooperation in agriculture, energy and mining, as well as in education and culture. Under an agreement signed last September, Sinopharm International was building six new regional hospitals in different parts of Guyana and China had also built roads, hotels and airports in the country.

Among the other foreign leaders who attended the opening ceremony of the World University Games, alongside President Xi Jinping, were the Presidents of Indonesia, Mauritania and Burundi, as well as the Prime Minister of Georgia.

The following articles were first carried on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Xinhua News Agency.

Xi Jinping Meets with Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali

On the morning of July 28, 2023, President Xi Jinping met in Chengdu with Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali who is in China to attend the opening ceremony of the 31st summer edition of the FISU World University Games and pay a visit to the country.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Guyana, though far apart, have enjoyed a time-honored friendship. Guyana was the earliest country in the Caribbean region to recognize the one-China principle and establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Last year, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Guyana was celebrated. In recent years, Guyana has witnessed rapid economic and national development, and China is advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development. China and Guyana should be good friends who trust and count on each other, and both countries should share opportunities, meet challenges, seek cooperation and advance development together, so as to promote the building of a more close-knit China-Guyana community with a shared future.

Continue reading China supports Caribbean countries pursuing development and strength through unity

Liu Jianchao: BRICS countries have become an important force for peace and development

Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) recently visited South Africa to attend the BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue, which was organised by the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa under the theme of ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism’. This was one of the preparatory international gatherings being held in South Africa as it prepares to host the BRICS Summit later in August. Reflecting the trend of more countries seeking to join BRCS, the meeting was attended by leading members of 41 political parties.

Addressing the meeting, which was held on July 18, Liu said, in the past 17 years, the BRICS countries have turned many seemingly impossible things into reality step by step, becoming an important force for maintaining world peace and stability, revitalising the cause of global development, and promoting the progress of human civilisation. He added that the the Chinese side firmly supports the deepening and expansion of the “BRICS+” cooperation mode, and supports the efforts to advance the BRICS expansion process, and to enhance the representativeness and influence of the BRICS, so as to gather more strength for maintaining world peace and promoting common development.

The previous day, Liu had met with Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the ANC. Liu said that, since the establishment of the relationship between the CPC and the ANC 40 years ago, both parties have always supported each other, laying an important political foundation for the development of relations between the two countries. It should be noted that, whilst the formal relations between the ANC and CPC were established 40 years ago, the relations between the ANC and China date back to at least 1954, when Nelson Mandela sent Walter Sisulu to the country to seek China’s support for the anti-apartheid struggle. However, at that time, and for years to come, the IDCPC maintained a formal position of only establishing party-to-party relations with fellow communist parties and organisations, so the ties were previously handled by other departments.

Mbalula said, the ANC thanked the Chinese side for its strong support for the Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa during the construction of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania. He hoped to make good use of this platform, enhance governing capabilities and better build his country. The South African side supports a series of important global initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping, and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with the Chinese side in BRICS and other multilateral mechanisms to build a better world.

On July 18, Liu met with Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the ANC and of the Republic of South Africa. Ramaphosa stated that China is an important strategic partner for South Africa and expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for its valuable support in South Africa’s struggle for national independence, liberation, and economic development, as well as its support for hosting the BRICS Summit. The ANC regards the CPC as a trustworthy friend and appreciates the assistance provided by the CPC in areas such as official training.

Liu also met with Solly Afrika Mapaila, Secretary-General of the South African Communist Party (SACP). Liu stated that the CPC and the SACP are both Marxist political parties and good comrades and brothers. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with the SACP, promote theoretical innovation in Marxism based on practice, provide scientific theoretical guidance for the development of undertakings of our respective countries, and work together to promote unity and cooperation among progressive forces in China and Africa, as well as the development of the international socialist movement.

Recalling his recent visit to China, Mapaila said the SACP attaches great importance to its relationship with the CPC and hopes to further strengthen friendly exchanges between the two parties, learn from the CPC’s experience in party building and state governance, and promote the national democratic revolution in South Africa.
Liu also met with political party leaders from other countries in the margins of the conference. Meeting with Roque Silva Samuel, Secretary-General of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), Liu said that China and Mozambique are good friends, partners, and brothers sharing weal and woe. In recent years, President Xi Jinping and President Filipe Nyusi have maintained close exchanges, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. The CPC and FRELIMO have a long-standing friendship, he noted.

Silva also said that the people of Mozambique and China have a long-standing friendship and expressed gratitude for China’s strong support to Mozambique’s efforts in struggling for national independence and national development, and maintaining national stability. FRELIMO cherishes the brotherly friendship with the CPC and hopes to strengthen all-round exchanges and cooperation, and push bilateral relations forward.

Following his stay in South Africa, Minister Liu visited Madagascar and Mauritius, two important island countries in Africa. On July 21, he met with Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, who said that China is a good friend and trustworthy partner of his country and thanked the Chinese side for providing valuable assistance for Madagascar’s economic and social development and for improving the lives of the Madagascan people over a long period of time. The Madagascan side admires the CPC for leading the Chinese people to achieve great development achievements and become the world’s second largest economy. This has set an example for developing countries including Madagascar, and strengthened Madagascar’s confidence in realising its own development and its determination to reinforce cooperation with China. The ruling parties of Madagascar and China have similar philosophies, he said, adding that Madagascar has always stood with China, firmly supported China’s position in international affairs, supported China-proposed major global initiatives, and is willing to be a window and platform to promote Africa-China cooperation.

Whilst in Madagascar, Liu also met with the Foreign Minister and the Presidents of the National Assembly and the Senate.

On July 24, Liu met with Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Leader of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) and Prime Minister of Mauritius, in the capital, Port Louis. Jugnauth recalled that he had met with President Xi Jinping twice in 2018, something which is still fresh in his memory. The friendship between Mauritius and China has a long history, he noted, with the governments and political parties of the two sides maintaining friendly exchanges and numerous cultural exchanges.

Liu also met with Maneesh Gobin, General Secretary of the MSM, together with a number of government ministers. Liu said that China and Mauritius share extensive common interests in safeguarding the rights and interests of developing countries and addressing global challenges such as climate change. The Chinese side supports Mauritius in playing a role in international and regional affairs, and is willing to strengthen international cooperation, jointly oppose hegemonism and power politics, and benefit the people of China and Africa.

General Secretary Gobin said he believed that China had not only achieved its own prosperity and development, but also benefited Africa and the world at large through its development. He added that, since the MSM established relations with the CPC, the two parties have maintained friendly relations and regular exchanges. The Chinese side has given huge support to the MSM and the people of Mauritius in project exchanges, skills training, and facility funds. The Mauritian side particularly thanked China for the vaccines and other support offered during the COVID-19 pandemic, which helped Mauritius successfully control it. Mauritius is the first African country to sign a free trade agreement with China, he observed. It is hoped that the two sides will expand cooperation in trade, finance, education, science, technology, and media, strengthen infrastructure construction, and treat Mauritius as a bridge to develop business with Africa.

Minister Liu also met with a number of other ministers, including the Foreign Minister and leader of the Patriotic Movement of Mauritius, in the course of his visit.

The following reports were originally published on the website of the IDCPC.

Liu Jianchao Attends BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue

Johannesburg, July 18th—The BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue was held here today by the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa under the theme of BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism. Paul Mashatile, Deputy President of the ANC and Deputy President of South Africa attended and addressed the function. Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the dialogue and delivered a speech. About 400 participants were present, including representatives of political parties of BRICS such as Fikile Mbalula, Secretary-General of the ANC, political heavyweights from 41 political parties, such as former South African presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, and Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president, as well as representatives from international organizations.

Liu said, in the past 17 years, the BRICS countries have turned many seemingly impossible things into reality step by step, becoming an important force for maintaining world peace and stability, revitalizing the cause of global development, and promoting the progress of human civilization. The BRICS have adhered to the value of development and sharing, and continuously injected strong impetus into the development of the global economy; adhered to the value of building security together, and have successfully blazed a path of security featuring dialogue rather than confrontation, consultation rather than coercion, and partnership rather than alliance, and adhered to the value of co-existence among civilizations to enhance mutual understanding among people.

Liu said, political parties are the source of policies of countries, representatives of people’s interests, and an important force that determines the domestic and foreign affairs of a country. Every gathering of the BRICS political parties is not only a summary of cooperation experience, but also shows our commitment to cooperation, and an exploration of the future of cooperation. The CPC is willing to work with political parties of other countries to build and make good use of the BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue platform. We should focus on coordinated development and be a contributor to global development; strengthen solidarity and coordination to be a builder of world peace; promote exchanges and mutual learning and be a promoter of civilizations; improve global governance and be a defender of international order.

Liu said, the Chinese side firmly supports the deepening and expansion of the “BRICS+” cooperation mode, and supports the efforts to advance the BRICS expansion process, and enhance the representativeness and influence of the BRICS, so as to gather more strength for maintaining world peace and promoting common development. BRICS and Africa should forge a partnership that promotes global development causes, maintains world peace and security, carries out exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and practices true multilateralism. Both sides should jointly implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, and make the development of the international order more just and equitable.

Representatives of political parties from all countries present said in their speeches that major changes have taken place in the geopolitical landscape of the world today, and the role of the BRICS has become increasingly prominent. The BRICS countries should work with other countries to promote the construction of a mechanism featuring inclusiveness and development that meets the needs of mankind. As an important force in the political life of each country, political parties should shoulder the political responsibilities of leading the way, building consensus, promoting development, strengthening cooperation, and improving governance, and actively explore modernization paths that suit their own national conditions.

Representatives from all countries voiced support for the strengthening of cooperation between BRICS countries and Africa, to accelerate economic growth in Africa and the world. They stressed their support for the central role of the United Nations in international affairs, upholding true multilateralism, and safeguarding international fairness and justice. As an important part of the BRICS mechanism, the BRICS Political Parties Plus Dialogue plays an important role in building consensus among political parties and promoting BRICS cooperation. Therefore the dialogue should be made a institutionalized one to strive for more practical results.

Continue reading Liu Jianchao: BRICS countries have become an important force for peace and development

Kerry must understand – the climate crisis lives in a developmental context

In the following article, submitted to us by Keith Lamb, the author argues that the current China visit by John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, provides an opportunity for the two countries to cooperate in an area that is vital for the future, indeed the survival, of humanity. However, he notes that approaching this issue in isolation is not feasible in the long-term. The fight against climate catastrophe has to be combined with that for development as well as against war and for peace. The Global Development Initiative (GDI), proposed by President Xi Jinping, provides just such a holistic template and approach and is already reflected in numerous agreements between China and other countries of the Global South.

“How can we achieve our global climate goals without having Beijing working with us? We can’t, it’s that simple! There’s no way any one country can solve this crisis and particularly if we’re large emitting nations.” This was the answer of US climate envoy John Kerry being interviewed on MSNBC. He went on to claim that China and the US had agreed to separate climate, which affects us all, from the many other bilateral Sino-US issues.

This sensible recognition that there is a wider commonality binding humanity together is a welcome change from the hegemonic “America first” and faux human-rights rhetoric too often emanating from US circles. When it comes to climate and cooperation with China, Kerry went on to say that, “it’s not a question of the US giving away something, by cooperating we all gain something.”

This pragmatic win-win attitude should serve the diplomatic and well-mannered Kerry well on his current July 16-19 trip to Beijing, where he will discuss the climate crisis and hopefully promote a successful COP28 climate change conference, due to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Coming after the recent visit by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, it may also serve to thaw Sino-US tensions.

However, for real climate cooperation, which seeks the salvation of our planet and humanity, the many Sino-US tensions to which Kerry alludes cannot be bracketed off indefinitely. These tensions include the trade war, sanctions, interference in China’s domestic affairs, not least regarding Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the US’ military containment of China.

To illustrate this point, climate talks have been suspended in the past, due to Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The weather balloon debacle led to Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceling his Beijing visit. The pushing of China’s red lines, the threatening of China’s integrity, and the China threat hysteria all push the world closer to the possibility of environmental annihilation, as the US plays a fool’s game of ‘chicken’, risking nuclear catastrophe.

Even without this dire outcome, according to Brown University, the US military is responsible for twice the amount of greenhouse emissions as all the cars in the US. War causes incalculable damage to the environment due to factors such as fuel infrastructure destruction and the use of depleted uranium.[1] In Ukraine, we have seen how the destruction of energy infrastructure has led to renewed use of coal and the purchasing of expensive and environmentally damaging US fracked gas by Europe.

Continue reading Kerry must understand – the climate crisis lives in a developmental context

Interview with DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi

President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, paid a state visit to China, from May 24-29, visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. During his visit, President Tshisekedi was interviewed by Wang Guan for the CGTN series, Leaders Talk. 

Noting that he had never visited China before, Tshisekedi congratulated the country on its achievements in modernization, pointing out that, in the late 1960s, China and Congo were at approximately the same level of economic development. The leap China has made, he continued, is impressive. The Chinese model is one that he would like to emulate and replicate in his own country. 

Asked why he had made a point of laying a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes and visiting the Museum of the Communist Party of China, Tshisekedi explained that there are notable parallels between the history of the two countries. They had both suffered from poverty and famine. But China has leveraged its strength and resources to escape from this legacy. Coming to China to see how this had been achieved was, he said, important to him. Regarding some of the negative things said about China by some international voices, he noted that to ensure the safety of more than one billion people, in terms of food security, education and health, is an enormous challenge. Rather than condemn China, he is inspired by its achievements and seeks to build a strong friendship.

Surveying some of the key areas of enhanced cooperation agreed during his visit, the President cited climate change, where the bilateral partnership could benefit the whole world, particularly with the DRC being the most biodiverse country in Africa.

He also laid strong emphasis on the need for the DRC to stop being purely an extractive site for its vast mineral wealth. By moving to refining, jobs would be created and development promoted. China, he explained, had agreed to join hands to promote the industrialisation of the DRC. Without added value, Tshisekedi asserts that Congo’s vast resources are virtually worthless in terms of the country’s development needs. The same could be said for its agricultural produce. Tshisekedi is grateful to China for its understanding and support, which is already producing tangible results, for example in terms of Chinese investment in battery manufacturing facilities that are crucial for renewable energy.

Development is a pressing need and for this peace and security are also needed. In Tshisekedi’s view, Xi Jinping’s concepts of the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative can all be of immense benefit to the DRC as well as to Africa as a whole. The DRC and Africa need China to stand alongside them in the search for peace and as a partner for development.

Moving to the end of the interview, President Tshisekedi struck an optimistic note. One day, he insisted, the DRC would achieve zero poverty. It is possible. China has done it.

The full interview with President Tshisekedi is embedded below.

China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo expand cooperation

The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, paid a state visit to China at the invitation of his counterpart, President Xi Jinping, May 24-29. 

Meeting on May 26, the two heads of state announced the elevation of their bilateral relationship from a strategic partnership of win-win cooperation to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and the DRC have established a profound traditional friendship in the historical process of striving for national liberation and opposing colonial aggression, and the two countries are strategic partners sharing broad common understandings and working jointly for common progress.

This statement of President Xi carries deep and profound historical content and significance. When the founding father of the DRC, the Pan-Africanist and revolutionary socialist Patrice Lumumba, was murdered by the imperialists and their local stooges in 1961, millions of people across China gathered to express their militant solidarity with the Congolese people and mourn for their slain leader. Premier Zhou Enlai presided over one such gathering of 100,000 people in Beijing’s Workers’ Stadium.

On November 29 1964, when the US and other imperialist powers escalated their overt intervention in the Congo in response to the tenacious resistance of the Congolese people, millions of Chinese again mobilized in solidarity. Mao Zedong, joined by other senior Chinese leaders, including Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, Peng Zhen, Dong Biwu and Guo Moro, presided over a mass rally of 700,000 people in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Similar gatherings took place in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xian, Kunming and across the country.

The previous day, Chairman Mao had issued a statement in support of the Congolese people and against US aggression. US imperialism, the Chinese leader noted, had “murdered the Congolese national hero Lumumba, and subverted the lawful Congolese government. It imposed the puppet Tshombe on the Congolese people, and dispatched mercenary troops to suppress the Congolese national liberation movement. And now, in collusion with Belgium and Britain, it is carrying out direct armed intervention in the Congo. In doing this, the purpose of US imperialism is not only to control the Congo, but to also once again enmesh the whole of Africa, particularly the newly independent African countries, in the grip of US neo-colonialism. US aggression has encountered heroic resistance from the Congolese people and aroused the indignation of the people of Africa and the whole world.”

Mao’s statement continued:

“Congolese people, you are not alone in your just struggle. All the Chinese people are with you. All people throughout the world who oppose imperialism are with you… By strengthening national unity and persevering in protracted struggle, the Congolese people will certainly be victorious and US imperialism will certainly be defeated.”

China’s solidarity with the Congolese people’s struggle was not confined to words and gestures. Throughout the 1960s, China rendered significant moral and material support to the armed struggle of the Congolese people against imperialism and neo-colonialism waged by such historic leaders as Laurent-Désiré Kabila and Antoine Gizenga.

Having referred to this history, Xi Jinping went on to say that China has been the largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment for the DRC for many consecutive years. The successful experience of Chinese modernization shows that developing countries have the right and ability to explore paths to modernization suited to their national conditions. China is ready to work with the DRC to further synergize their development strategies, and to support each other and pursue cooperation for greater development and common progress on their paths to development and revitalization.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China will continue to provide assistance for the economic and social development of the DRC, support the DRC’s industrialization strategy, strengthen cooperation with the DRC in such fields as energy, minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing, and further tap into their potential for cooperation in such fields as digital economy, education and health. China is also ready to send agricultural technology experts to the DRC.

Under the current international circumstances, he noted, China and Africa should strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever. Both sides should stay committed to the basic norms governing international relations, reject all forms of hegemonism and power politics, oppose interference in other countries’ internal affair, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Having congratulated Xi on his re-election as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and as President of China, President Tshisekedi noted that the friendly cooperation between the DRC and China, having withstood the test of time and achieved fruitful results over the past half a century, deserves to be cherished by both sides. He thanked China for its important help and valuable support for the DRC’s economic and social development over the years, and stressed that the DRC remains firmly committed to the one-China policy and firmly supports China’s efforts to realize national reunification. 

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation agreements in such areas as investment, green economy and digital economy.

President Tshisekedi also met with other Chinese leaders, including Premier Li Qiang. Premier Li noted that China and the DRC are good friends, partners and brothers, adding that bilateral relations will surely achieve greater development and better benefit the two peoples. For his part, Tshisekedi noted that the DRC highly values cooperation with China and is willing to learn from China’s experience in its leapfrog development.

In the joint statement signed by the two heads of state, China and the DRC agreed to expand cooperation in education, scientific research, health, infrastructure construction, mining, agriculture, digital, environment, sustainable development, hydrocarbon fuels, energy, defense and security, and other fields in line with the interests of both sides.

China reiterated its firm support for the Congolese side in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguarding its own security and development interests, firmly supporting the Congolese side in steadily advancing major domestic political agendas, firmly supporting the Congolese people in independently choosing a development path suited to their national conditions, and resolutely opposing interference by external forces in the internal affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

They agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of peace and security, especially closer military exchanges between the two countries, cooperation in personnel training, combating transnational crime, equipment technology, military industry, joint exercises and training.

China will encourage more enterprises to invest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and participate in infrastructure construction in accordance with the relevant plans formulated and recommended by the DRC, so as to help the diversified development and industrialization of the Congolese economy. And it will strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture, processing and manufacturing, natural resource exploration, development, and local processing to increase its added value, and support the Congo in achieving independent and sustainable development.

The two sides agreed to regularly evaluate mining cooperation and consolidate relevant cooperation based on the long-term and mutual interests of the two countries. With an attitude of mutual trust, pragmatism and fairness, problems arising in the process of cooperation should be resolved through friendly consultations. China will continue to encourage enterprises to accelerate the implementation of agreed infrastructure projects, strengthen cooperation with the Congolese mining sector, encourage enterprises to participate in investment in the development of the new energy battery value chain, support the upgrading of the industrial chain and enhance independent development capabilities.

They also agreed to deepen high-quality cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. China welcomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo to join the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative. The DRC is willing to strengthen cooperation with China at the bilateral and multilateral levels on the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.

President Xi Jinping was invited to  pay a state visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The specific date will be agreed through diplomatic channels.

Immediately prior and preparatory to the state visit, the DRC’s Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula visited China at the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

Qin said that China is willing to help the DRC to turn its resource advantages into a driving engine for economic development, and hopes that the DRC could create a sound business environment and provide security guarantee for Chinese investors, adding that both sides should strengthen solidarity and coordination at the UN and on other multilateral occasions, firmly safeguard the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and jointly develop fairer and more equitable international order and global governance.

Alexis Gisaro Muvuni, DRC’s minister of state for infrastructure and public works, a member of President Tshisekedi’s delegation, in an interview with Xinhua prior to the visit, praised the results of the two countries’ infrastructure cooperation, such as the People’s Palace, home to the National Assembly and the Senate, and the Martyrs Stadium, which can accommodate 80,000 people. The minister said that Chinese companies genuinely support Africa by building infrastructure, including roads and bridges, and bring tangible benefits to the Congolese people.

The following articles were originally carried on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily. The Joint Statement was machine translated from Chinese and lightly edited by us.

Xi Jinping Holds Talks with DRC President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo

Chinese Foreign Ministry, 26 May 2023

On the afternoon of May 26, 2023, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who was in China for a state visit. The two heads of state announced the elevation of the bilateral relationship from a strategic partnership of win-win cooperation to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China and the DRC have established a profound traditional friendship in the historical process of striving for national liberation and opposing colonial aggression, and the two countries are strategic partners sharing broad common understandings and working jointly for common progress. Xi said in recent years, bilateral cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. China has been the largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment for the DRC for  many consecutive years, and the two sides have become a close-knit community with shared interests and a shared future. The successful experience of Chinese modernization shows that developing countries have the right and ability to explore paths to modernization suited to their national conditions. China is ready to work with the DRC to further synergize their development strategies, and support each other and pursue cooperation for greater development and common progress on their paths to development and revitalization. Xi Jinping expressed the confidence that China’s high-quality development will create more cooperation opportunities and a broader market for the DRC, and promote greater progress of bilateral relations.

Xi Jinping pointed out that China will continue to provide assistance for the economic and social development of the DRC, support the DRC’s industrialization strategy, strengthen cooperation with the DRC in such fields as energy, minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and manufacturing, and further tap into their potential of cooperation in such fields as digital economy, education and health. China is also ready to send agricultural technology experts to the DRC. China hopes that the DRC will provide policy support and convenient services to Chinese enterprises investing and doing business in the DRC, and foster a fair, just, and safe business environment. China is ready to work with the DRC to strengthen coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs, jointly practice true multilateralism, and uphold international fairness and justice.

Xi Jinping stressed that China and Africa, being the world’s largest developing country and the continent home to the largest number of developing countries, have always been a community with a shared future. Under the current international circumstances, China and Africa should strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever. Both sides should stay committed to carrying on the basic norms governing international relations, reject all forms of hegemonism and power politics, oppose interference in other countries’ internal affair, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. China firmly supports Africa in pursuing an independent development path and becoming an important pole in the world politically, economically, and culturally. China is ready to create new opportunities for African countries with its own new development, and will work with African brothers to follow through on the outcomes of the Dakar meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, advance the Belt and Road cooperation, support Africa in achieving sustainable development, and jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

On behalf of the people of the DRC, Tshisekedi once again expressed warm congratulations on the success of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Two Sessions of China, on President Xi Jinping’s re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of China, and on China’s great achievements in the new era under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. He expressed the confidence that China will realize the second centenary goal. Tshisekedi noted that the friendly cooperation between the DRC and China, having withstood the test of time and achieved fruitful results over the past half a century, deserves to be cherished by both sides. He thanked China for its important help and valuable support for the DRC’s economic and social development over the years, and stressed that the DRC remains firmly committed to the one-China policy and firmly supports China’s efforts to realize national reunification. The DRC is ready to work with China to deepen cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, resources, infrastructure and healthcare, enrich the DRC-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and build a mature, stable and groundbreaking DRC-China relationship for the benefit of the two peoples.

After the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of multiple bilateral cooperation agreements in such areas as investment, green economy and digital economy.

The two sides issued a Joint Statement on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Chinese premier meets with DRC president

Xinhua, 26 May 2023

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with visiting President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo here on Friday.

Noting that China and the DRC are good friends, partners and brothers, Li said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral relations will surely achieve greater development and better benefit the two peoples.

China is willing to further synergize development strategies with the DRC, work for open cooperation that is mutually beneficial, share development opportunities, jointly promote the development and prosperity of the two countries, said the premier.

Li urged efforts to further expand trade and investment cooperation, boost cooperation in such traditional fields as infrastructure construction and mining industry, and actively explore new growth drivers of cooperation in such areas as agriculture, finance, new energy, and cultural and people-to-people exchange.

It is hoped the DRC can provide a fair and just business environment for Chinese enterprises to make investment in the country, and better guarantee the security and legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and institutions there, Li said.

China will further enhance unity and cooperation with African countries at large including the DRC, support the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the economic recovery and sustainable development in Africa after the pandemic, Li added.

Noting the DRC highly values cooperation with China, Tshisekedi said the country is willing to learn from China’s experience in its leapfrog development, further promote bilateral cooperation, consolidate friendship between the two peoples, and jointly respond to climate change and other global challenges.

Joint statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership

People’s Daily (Chinese), 27 May 2023

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, paid a state visit to the People’s Republic of China from May 24 to May 29,2023.

During the visit, the two heads of state held talks in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, exchanged in-depth views on China-Congo and China-Africa relations and international and regional issues of common concern, and reached broad and important consensus.

Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, separately met with President Tshisekedi.

The two heads of state said that since the normalization of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1972, the friendship between the two countries has stood the test of time and endured for 51 years, benefiting the two peoples.

The two heads of state expressed satisfaction with this and believed that China-Congo friendship is a common precious wealth of both sides and worthy of continuous strengthening and meticulous safeguarding by both sides. In order to further consolidate political mutual trust and deepen and expand practical cooperation in various fields, the two heads of state announced that their bilateral relations will be upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The Congo once again warmly congratulated the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the national parliamentary ‘Two Sessions’ President Tshisekedi warmly congratulated President Xi Jinping on his outstanding leadership of China and his re-election as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President of the People’s Republic of China.

 The Parties agree that:

(1) We will further give play to the leading role of the head of state diplomacy, maintain the momentum of political dialogue and high-level exchanges between the two countries, and strengthen mutual trust and joint efforts between the two countries;

(2) Further enhance China-Congo relations and expand cooperation to education, scientific research, health, infrastructure construction, mining, agriculture, digital, environment, sustainable development, hydrocarbon fuels, energy, defense and security and other fields in line with the interests of both sides;

(3) To continuously enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, carry out close cultural exchanges and interactions, promote tourism, and consolidate the achievements made in the field of human rights in a spirit of independence and mutual respect;

(4) Maintain consultations to revitalize the mechanism of the Economic and Trade Mixed Commission of the two countries as a powerful framework for planning, promoting and guiding bilateral cooperation, and jointly promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership;

(5) Strengthen the exchange of experience, better align the goals of Chinese-style modernization and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and establish a fruitful, innovative, fair, closer and more stable strategic partnership;

(6) Strengthening mutual support on issues involving each other’s core interests is the core essence of China-Congo relations. Here, China reiterates its firm support for the Congolese side in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguarding its own security and development interests, firmly supporting the Congolese side in steadily advancing major domestic political agendas, firmly supporting the Congolese people in independently choosing a development path suited to their national conditions, and resolutely opposing interference by external forces in the internal affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congolese side reaffirms its firm adherence to the one-China principle, considers Taiwan to be an inalienable part of China, and opposes any words and deeds that undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity;

(7) To support each other in international affairs and defend the international order based on international law and norms governing international relations in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and relevant international conventions;

(8) Strengthen solidarity and cooperation among countries, support true multilateralism, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity;

(9) Strengthen cooperation in the field of peace and security, especially closer military exchanges between the two countries, cooperation in personnel training, combating transnational crime, equipment technology, military industry, joint exercises and training. The two sides agreed to strengthen the protection of the security and legitimate rights and interests of citizens and institutions of the other side in their respective territories. China has provided assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the implementation of the Military Planning Law and military capacity building.

(10) Promote cooperation in the field of investment under the framework of the strategic partnership established by the mixed committee, in accordance with market rules and the terms of relevant contracts signed. The two sides are willing to promote the high-quality development of investment cooperation between the two countries in accordance with the principle of marketization and the spirit of the contract. China will encourage more enterprises to invest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and participate in infrastructure construction in accordance with the relevant plans formulated and recommended by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so as to help the diversified development and industrialization of the Congolese economy. China will help the Congo implement its digital transformation plan, continue to expand investment and financing cooperation with the Congo, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in agriculture, processing and manufacturing, natural resource exploration, development, and local processing to increase its added value, and support the Congo in achieving independent and sustainable development. The Congo will further improve the business environment, provide good conditions for Chinese enterprises to operate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and effectively protect their legitimate rights and interests, while Chinese enterprises must abide by the laws and regulations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

(11) Regularly evaluate mining cooperation and consolidate relevant cooperation based on the long-term and mutual interests of the two countries. In an attitude of mutual trust, pragmatism and fairness, problems arising in the process of cooperation should be resolved through friendly consultations. China will continue to encourage enterprises to accelerate the implementation of agreed infrastructure projects, strengthen cooperation with Congolese mining, encourage enterprises to participate in investment in the development of the new energy battery value chain, and support the upgrading of the industrial chain and enhance independent development capabilities.

(12) Strengthen consultation and coordination on the affairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), highly value the important role of FOCAC in promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Africa, and jointly implement practical cooperation in various fields within the framework of the Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024);

(13) Deepen high-quality cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China welcomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo to join the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is willing to strengthen cooperation with China at the bilateral and multilateral levels on the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.

China is highly concerned about the situation in eastern Congo and believes that the countries of the Great Lakes region are a community of shared destiny and security. China calls on all countries concerned to abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Constitution of the African Union and to respect and safeguard the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of member States. China condemns the violence and human rights abuses committed by armed groups, expresses its sympathy to the Congolese people who have suffered from criminal acts, and supports the re-establishment of confidence and peace through the implementation of the Nairobi Process and the Luanda Road Map. China supports the efforts of relevant regional organizations to restore peace and security in eastern Congo. China firmly supports Africans in resolving African issues in African ways and supports and encourages relevant regional organizations and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on the Great Lakes Region to continue to play a constructive role.

China appreciates President Tshisekedi’s insistence on putting “people first” as his policy, as put forward by President Xi Jinping in his people-centered development thinking. President Xi spoke highly of the remarkable achievements made by the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the leadership of President Tshisekedi in advancing the domestic political, economic and social development agenda, safeguarding national security, stability and territorial integrity, and enhancing the country’s international influence. China believes that under the leadership of President Tshisekedi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will accelerate the realization of peace and stability throughout its territory and rapidly restart economic and social development.

The Congolese side highly appreciates China’s support for projects such as the Central African Culture and Art Center and the Koluvić Vocational and Technical Training School. China will strengthen cooperation with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in vocational and technical education and continue to send medical teams to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The two sides undertake to implement the important consensus reached during the visit and relevant cooperation agreements.

The two sides agreed that the complete success of President Tshisekedi’s visit to China is of great significance to promoting the development of China-Congo relations and promoting the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

President Tshisekedi expressed his heartfelt thanks to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese government and people for the warm and friendly reception extended to his wife and the Congolese delegation during his visit, and invited President Xi Jinping to pay a state visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the specific date to be agreed upon by the diplomatic channels of the two sides.

Chinese FM meets DRC vice PM

Xinhua, 23 May 2023

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Monday met in Beijing with Christophe Lutundula, Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Noting China and the DRC are good friends and brothers that enjoy a time-honored friendship, Qin said China warmly welcomes President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo’s upcoming state visit to China and expects that the two heads of state will make top-level planning and define the strategic direction for the development of China-DRC relations in the next stage.

Qin pointed out that China has been the largest trading partner and source of investment to the DRC for many consecutive years. China will continue to work with the DRC to advance the building of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, implement the consensus under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and achieve win-win cooperation.

China is willing to help the DRC to turn the resource advantages into a driving engine for its economic development, and hopes that the DRC could create a sound business environment and provide security guarantee for Chinese investors, Qin said.

Qin said both sides should strengthen solidarity and coordination at the UN and other multilateral occasions, firmly safeguard the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and jointly develop fairer and more equitable international order and global governance.

Lutundula thanked China for its important assistance and valuable support to the DRC’s economic and social development over the years, noting that the DRC firmly upholds the one-China policy.

He said that the DRC will promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields and strengthen communication and coordination with China to bring more benefits to the two countries and peoples.

Interview: DRC-China infrastructure cooperation beneficial to Congolese people, says state minister

Xinhua, 25 May 2023

Infrastructure cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and China has yielded fruitful results and practical benefits for the Congolese people, Alexis Gisaro Muvuni, DRC’s minister of state for infrastructure and public works, has said.

Before the DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi’s state visit to China from May 24 to 29, Muvuni, a member of the Congolese government delegation, praised the infrastructure cooperation between both countries in an interview with Xinhua.

Since the 1970s, the Chinese government has aided the construction of projects such as the People’s Palace, home to the National Assembly and the Senate, and the Martyrs Stadium, said Muvuni.

“The People’s Palace is the place where major political events take place, while the Martyrs Stadium, which can accommodate 80,000 people, often holds various major events. So these projects testified to the vitality of China-Congo infrastructure cooperation,” he said, adding that the China-aided Haut-Katanga General Demonstration Hospital, which was handed over in 2020, is another example of such cooperation.

According to Muvuni, the China-aided Central African Cultural and Arts Center is the project that excites him the most. The project is considered one of Africa’s most significant China-aided initiatives and is expected to be completed by the year-end.

“This is another flagship project for the cooperation between the two countries,” said Muvuni, adding that he closely follows the art center’s construction progress.

Chinese companies and investors have vigorously promoted bilateral infrastructure cooperation and made concrete contributions to local communities over the years, Muvuni said.

He said that Chinese companies genuinely support Africa by building infrastructure, including roads and bridges, and bringing tangible benefits to the Congolese people.

Muvuni also expects closer commercial exchanges between the two countries to serve the bigger picture of the two economies.

US push to strip China’s developing country status an attack on development itself

The following article by Danny Haiphong, first published on his blog CGTN, discusses the unanimous vote in the US House of Representatives in favour of the ‘PRC Is Not a Developing Country Act’, which directs the State Department to seek the removal of China’s status as a developing country.

Noting that China’s developing country status is very much consistent with its per capita income (five times lower than the US) and overall development level, Danny demonstrates that this action is yet another component of the US’s broader strategy to contain China’s economic rise and geopolitical influence, and is driven by the US’s inability to compete with China’s rapidly advancing state-led economy. Other components of this strategy include the attempt to ban TikTok and the ban on semiconductor exports to China.

As Danny points out, the ‘PRC Is Not a Developing Country Act’ is an attack on development itself. “It is a warning to nations around the world that they risk economic warfare should their success be perceived as a threat to US hegemony.”

On March 28, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “PRC Is Not a Developing Country Act” by a unanimous vote of 415-0 in yet another demonstration of the solid bipartisanship that exists in the United States when it comes to containing and isolating China. Under the terms of the bill, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be directed to seek the removal of China’s status as a developing country from international organizations and institutions.

The United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank all recognize China as a developing country for good reason. China’s GDP per capita, while rising, is $12,700 or about five times smaller than the U.S.’s. China’s Human Development Index is 79th in the world. It’s committed to improving living standards for all people and has taken its commitments to the international community seriously. Of course, the “PRC Is Not a Developing Country Act” has nothing to do with facts and everything to do with curbing China’s development.

Ending China’s developing country status prematurely would come with consequences. The World Bank and IMF could rescind tariff preferences and low-interest loans. China’s carbon emissions target may increase and the time-frame for meeting them decrease. In other words, China’s development path would become more difficult, which is exactly what the “PRC Is Not a Developing Country Act” hopes to achieve.

Continue reading US push to strip China’s developing country status an attack on development itself

Fred M’membe: It’s the US, not China, that threatens African sovereignty

In this powerful interview on BreakThrough News, Fred M’membe (leader of the Socialist Party of Zambia) explodes the myth of Chinese colonialism in Zambia. He states: “China has never threatened our independence. We’ve never been subjected to any form of mistreatment or exploitation by China, but we can’t say the same about the US.”

M’membe recalls that China was a key supporter of post-liberation Zambia, providing both economic aid and military equipment to defend against the attacks of the apartheid regime in South Africa. He says that Zambia turned to the US for support but was turned away; China was a true friend, even making enormous sacrifices to build the Tazara Railway, which was essential for the country’s development.

He compares the US’s strategy of domination with China’s strategy of solidarity and friendship: “The US supported the apartheid regimes in South Africa and Rhodesia. The US has been involved in reactionary coups and assassinations all over Africa, including the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah, the assassination of Muammar Gaddafi. China has never participated in any coup, has never killed an African.”

Referencing the accusations of a “Chinese debt trap”, M’membe points out that China only holds 10 percent of Zambia’s debt. And what have Chinese loans been used for? Hydropower stations, airports, roads, water systems, hospitals, schools, government buildings. “The debt problem we have is the debt we owe to Western institutions, that’s 70 percent. The China debt trap narrative is a lie.”

Fred M’membe and Kyeretwie Opoku: We have to defend China

We are pleased to run a further extract from the conversation, carried by Wave Media, between leaders of the Socialist Party of Zambia and the Socialist Movement of Ghana, Fred M’membe and Kyeretwie Opoku, regarding the past, present and future of relations between China and Africa. 

They note that more and more young people in both China and Africa are seeing through imperialist lies and that after just a few days stay in China, they have come to the conclusion that the Chinese revolution is unstoppable.

Noting that China and Africa understand each other and are drawn together by a similar history of oppression by colonialism and imperialism from the 19th century onwards, they affirm that China today offers an alternative path to overcome poverty and realize development. In fact, they state, it is now the only path, as the old path of colonial expansion is closed off to those seeking to develop in the contemporary world.  We have to defend China, they insist, because what China has achieved are our achievements, too. They also make the important point that non-interference does not preclude solidarity.

See also: When the West visits Africa, they talk about China

China’s path to socialist modernization

The following article by Vijay Prashad and Tings Chak discusses some of the important policies and ideas emerging from the recently-held 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Disregarding the Western media’s “wild speculations about the deliberations in the party”, the authors explore the concept of socialist modernization, as well as detailing China’s ongoing fight against corruption and its successes in poverty alleviation and environmental action.

Vijay and Tings note that per capita GDP has doubled in the last decade and that, in the same period, the CPC has worked relentlessly to tackle corruption, adhere to the mass line, and re-center itself in the grassroots. Furthermore, “China’s interest in tackling the climate catastrophe is evidenced by its planting of a quarter of the world’s new forests over the past decade and in becoming a world leader in renewable energy investment and electric vehicle production.”

The authors also point out that China’s development has been extraordinarily peaceful, quoting Xi Jinping’s work report to the Congress: “In pursuing modernization, China will not tread the old path of war, colonization, and plunder taken by some countries. That brutal and blood-stained path of enrichment at the expense of others caused great suffering for the people of developing countries. We will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress.”

As China becomes richer, it is also becoming fairer and greener, and its modernization is based on its own efforts, not on imperialism and aggression. Such is the meaning of China’s socialist modernization, which is a great inspiration for progressive forces globally.

This article was produced by Globetrotter.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) held its 20th National Congress from October 16 to October 22, 2022. Every five years, the delegates of the CPC’s 96 million members meet to elect its top leaders and to set the future direction for the party. One of the main themes of the congress this year was “rejuvenation” of the country through “a Chinese path to modernization.” In his report to the congress, Xi Jinping, the CPC’s general secretary, sketched out the way forward to build China “into a modern socialist country.”

Most of the Western media commentary about the congress ignored the actual words that were said in Beijing, opting instead to make wild speculations about the deliberations in the party (including about the sudden departure of former Chinese President Hu Jintao from the Great Hall of the People during the closing session of the congress, who left because he was feeling ill). Much could have been gained from listening to what people said during the National Congress instead of putting words in their mouths.

Socialist modernization

When the Communist Party took power in China in 1949, the country was the 11th poorest country in the world. For the first time since the “century of humiliation” that began with the British wars on China from 1839 onward, China has developed into a major power with the social situation of the Chinese people having greatly improved from their condition in 1949. A short walk away from the Great Hall of the People, where the congress was held, is the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, which reminds people of the immense achievement of the Chinese Revolution of 1949 and its impact on Chinese society.

Continue reading China’s path to socialist modernization

What is “new” about the new path of Chinese-style modernisation?

We are pleased to publish this paper by Hong Xiaonan, Dean of the School of Marxism at China’s Dalian University of Technology (DUT), part of our occasional series of selected presentations from the Cloud International Workshop on ‘New forms of human civilization from a world perspective’, held by the School, October 29-31, 2021.

In his paper, Professor Hong argues that Chinese-style modernization is new in five aspects. It is mega-scale; is one where the entire population enjoys common prosperity; where material and spiritual civilization are in harmony; where humanity and nature co-exist in harmony; and that follows the path of peaceful development. In a few words, it is socialist modernization and modernization for developing countries.

Professor Hong outlines the stages of modernization theory, through the paradigm of “America First”, the emergence of capitalist and socialist camps headed respectively by the United States and the Soviet Union, the wave of decolonization and national liberation movements, through to the emergence of Chinese-style modernization.

The author notes that General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that China’s modernization means that more Chinese people than the population of all developed countries combined would enter the ranks of modernization. By way of comparison, the pre-18th century rise of the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, with a combined population of about one million, was at best equivalent to the rise of a county in China today.

He compares China’s modernization, aimed at “the all-round development of human beings”, to the western model, which is “entirely oriented towards the logic of capital, with the market economy as the only driving mechanism. This inevitably leads to an ever-greater division between rich and poor… Western capitalist modernization was constructed on the foundation of primitive accumulation, in terms of blood-soaked colonial plunder external to capitalist countries and ruthless exploitation of the people within these countries. As Marx observed… ‘capital comes [into the world] dripping from head to foot, from every pore, with blood and dirt.’… The British ‘Enclosure Movement,’ the United States’ ‘Westward Movement,’ and the criminal slave trade are all examples of the ‘original sin’ of Western capitalist modernization.”

In contrast, Professor Hong echoes Xi Jinping’s words in his report to the 19th Party Congress, in pointing out that China’s modernization, “offers a completely new option for those countries and peoples in the world that want to accelerate development while maintaining their independence.”

Once again, we are grateful to the DUT translation team and to Professor Roland Boer for their work to make this important paper available in English.

Abstract: The new path of Chinese-style modernisation is “new” in that it is different from the Western path of modernisation. The “new” characteristic has five aspects: 1) modernisation on a mega-scale; 2) modernisation in which the entire population enjoys common prosperity; 3) modernisation in which material and spiritual civilisation are in harmony; 4) modernisation in which humanity and nature coexist in harmony; 5) and modernisation that follows the path of peaceful development. Chinese-style modernisation is socialist modernisation, with unique characteristics that are different from capitalist modernisation. Chinese-style modernisation has changed the long-standing dominance of the model of Western modernisation and the power of its discourse monopoly. It has broken the stereotype and “beautiful myth” that “globalisation = Westernisation,” that “westernisation = modernisation,” and that “modernisation = marketisation.” It has overcome the inherent and innate defects of capitalist modernisation, and provided a completely new option for modernisation, thereby showing a promising prospect for the modernisation of human society. Chinese-style modernisation is a modernisation for developing countries, opening up a completely new path towards modernisation for late-developing countries.

Keywords: New path of Chinese-style modernisation; Western modernisation; new forms of human civilisation.

The new path of Chinese-style modernisation is “new” in that it is different from the Western path of modernisation

Modernisation as a world historical process reflects the tremendous changes that human society has undergone from traditional agricultural societies to modern industrial societies. This process began in Western Europe, expanded across North America and the rest of Europe, and spread to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The study of the theory of modernisation emerged in the 1950s and 1960s, with the main academic fronts in the United States, West Germany, Japan, and other countries. The object of this research concerned the newly independent post-war countries, that is, the developing countries of the Third World. The task was to examine the new paths, strategies, and models for the development of these new countries. Generally speaking, Western research on modernisation began as a sub-discipline, mainly using theories and methods from different Western disciplines such as sociology, economics, political science, and psychology to construct theoretical frameworks so as to analyse and compare the modernisation of non-Western developing countries and to conduct field research.

After the Second World War, the new scientific and technological revolution in the Western capitalist world brought about rapid development of the productive forces and rapid growth of the capitalist economy, which not only quickly healed the wounds of war in the capitalist world, but also strengthened the confidence in Western civilisation, which had for a time been lost as a result of the economic crisis and war. In particular, through the Second World War, the United States leapt ahead to become the centre and leader of the Western capitalist world. Many Western scholars, including some in the United States, were filled with a sense of novelty and admiration for the United States, creating the illusion of “America first” and arguing theoretically for the superiority and rationality of the Western capitalist system. In terms of this background, research on the emergence of modern society began to flourish in a number of universities in the United States, and from this research the so-called “modernisation theory” – or to be precise, “Western modernisation theory” – gradually took shape.

Continue reading What is “new” about the new path of Chinese-style modernisation?

Xi Jinping: Hold high the great banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and strive in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects

We are pleased to reproduce below the full text of the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, given by General Secretary Xi Jinping on 16 October 2022. At nearly 25,000 words, it is a long document but deserves careful reading, as it sets out in detail the CPC’s vision for the coming period. You can also read a summary, written by Friends of Socialist China co-editor Keith Bennett.

The English translation of the report was originally published in Xinhua.

Comrades,

On behalf of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), I will now deliver a report to the 20th National Congress.

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China is a meeting of great importance. It takes place at a critical time as the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects and advance toward the Second Centenary Goal.

The theme of this Congress is holding high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, fully implementing the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party, staying confident and building strength, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, forging ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and striving in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.

Since its founding a century ago, the Communist Party of China has taken a remarkable journey. Our Party has dedicated itself to achieving lasting greatness for the Chinese nation and committed itself to the noble cause of peace and development for humanity. Our responsibility is unmatched in importance, and our mission is glorious beyond compare. It is imperative that all of us in the Party never forget our original aspiration and founding mission, that we always stay modest, prudent, and hard-working, and that we have the courage and ability to carry on our fight. We must remain confident in our history, exhibit greater historical initiative, and write an even more magnificent chapter for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

I. The Work of the Past Five Years and
the Great Changes in the First Decade of the New Era

The five years since the 19th National Congress have been truly momentous and extraordinary. The Party Central Committee has pursued a strategy of national rejuvenation amid global changes of a magnitude not seen in a century. It has convened seven plenary sessions, at which it adopted decisions and resolutions on major issues such as revising China’s Constitution, deepening reform of Party and state institutions, upholding and improving the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance, formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives through the Year 2035, and conducting a thorough review of the Party’s major achievements and historical experience over the past century. At these sessions, major strategic plans were also made for advancing the cause of the Party and the country. The Central Committee has brought together the entire Party, the military, and the Chinese people and led them in effectively responding to grave, intricate international developments and a series of immense risks and challenges. With great effort and determination, we have steadily advanced socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

Continue reading Xi Jinping: Hold high the great banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and strive in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects