By H.E. MA Qiang, Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan
From October 16th to 22nd, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was successfully convened in Beijing. This is an important congress held at a critical moment when China embarks on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects. The 20th CPC National Congress is highly expected by the Chinese people and closely followed by the international community with great interest. South Sudanese friends must also be interested, why is the Congress so important? What positive changes will it bring to China and the world at large? I will now introduce this significant event with four key words starting with ABCD.
I. ACHIEVEMENTS of China in the past decade have been summarized.
The CPC, born in 1921, has come through a century of great endeavor. Over the past century, the CPC has rallied all Chinese people and led them in securing great successes in the new-democratic revolution, in socialist revolution and construction, in reform and opening up, and socialist modernization, and it has led them in ushering in a brand new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The achievements over the past century have been truly remarkable, and more than a hundred years on from its founding, the CPC is still in its prime.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we have secured historic achievements and seen historic changes in the cause of the Party and the country. The past decade marked three major events of profound significance: We embraced the centenary of the CPC; we ushered in a new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and we eradicated absolute poverty and finished building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, thus completing the First Centenary Goal. China has applied a new development philosophy and worked hard to promote high-quality development. Close to 100 million poor rural residents have been lifted out of poverty. China’s GDP accounts for 18.5 percent of the world economy, and thus China has remained the world’s second largest economy. China’s manufacturing sector is the largest in the world, as are its foreign exchange reserves. As a collaborative endeavor, the Belt and Road Initiative has been welcomed by the international community both as a public good and a cooperation platform. China has become a major trading partner for more than 140 countries and regions, it leads the world in total volume of trade in goods, and it is a major destination for global investment and a leading country in outbound investment.
II. BLUEPRINT for advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization has been drawn.
In the report delivered at the Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that, “From this day forward, the central task of the CPC will be to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realize the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization.” Chinese modernization is socialist modernization pursued under the leadership of the CPC. It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context. It is the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development. It could be said that Chinese modernization offers humanity a new choice for achieving modernization.
When I meet with South Sudanese friends from political parties, government and media, many of them expressed their belief to me that China has opened up a brand new modernization path leading to common prosperity and national rejuvenation, providing a new reference of seeking national development and rejuvenation for the vast developing countries, including those in Africa. What I want to particularly stress is that China does not import other countries’ models, and firmly opposes other countries imposing their own systems on China. At the same time, we do not export China’s model, and will not ask any other countries to copy China’s practices. The efforts of every country to independently explore a modernization path that suits its own national conditions should be respected. As an old Chinese saying goes, “Jade can be polished by stones from other hills.” China is willing to exchange and learn from other countries on how to realize modernization, so as to promote common development.
III. CENTRAL LEADERSHIP of CPC has been elected.
On October 22nd, a new CPC Central Committee and a new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection were elected at the 20th CPC National Congress. On October 23rd, the new Central leading bodies were elected and Comrade Xi Jinping was re-elected General Secretary of the 20th CPC Central Committee at its first plenary session. Looking ahead, the new CPC central leadership group with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core will unite and lead the whole Party, the entire military, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in building a modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts by staying confident and building strength, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and forging ahead with enterprise and fortitude.
Comrade Xi Jinping was elected a representative of the 20th CPC National Congress by unanimous votes, a member of the 20th CPC Central Committee by unanimous votes, and General Secretary of the 20th CPC Central Committee by unanimous votes again. One vote after another, as well as one round of applause after another, has demonstrated the common will of all the congress representatives and committee members, showed the trust and esteem of more than 96 million CPC party members for General Secretary Xi Jinping, and reflected the firm confidence of 1.4 billion Chinese people in creating a better future by following the great leader.
Many heads of state/government and leaders of political parties from all over the world have sent congratulatory messages and letters to Comrade Xi Jinping on his election as General Secretary of the 20th CPC Central Committee. In his congratulatory letter, H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, Chairman of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and President of the Republic of South Sudan, has expressed his sincere commitment together with the SPLM to continue working closely with General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC in advancing the already existing cooperation between SPLM and CPC including the cordial bilateral ties between the two friendly countries for the best interest of two parties, people and governments. This warm letter has injected new impetus into the development of friendly relations between the two parties and the two countries.
IV. DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES will be brought to the whole world.
From the perspective of history, China’s development is a great cause for the progress of mankind. In the past ten years, China’s economic aggregate has continued to rise to a new level, surpassing 110 trillion yuan in 2021, and its average contribution to world economic growth has reached 38.6%, making China the first driving force for world economic growth. By setting out goals, tasks and major policies for the development of the cause of the Party and the country in the next five years and beyond, the 20th CPC National Congress has drawn a grand blueprint for China to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts. Under the strong leadership of the new CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China will embrace the world with more openness, contribute to the world with more dynamic development achievements, and continue to provide new opportunities for the world with China’s new development.
Standing at a new starting point, China will continue to regard China-Africa cooperation as one of the priorities of China’s diplomacy, with the commitment to achieving common development with African countries. China will focus on the new practice of the Chinese path to modernization and actively deepen exchange of experience on national governance with the rest of the world including South Sudan. We must develop our countries with our own strength, and must maintain a firm grasp on the future of our own development and progress by jointly exploring the path of modernization that suits our own national conditions to blaze new trails for mankind to achieve modernization. China looks forward to working with South Sudan among other African countries to deepen pragmatic cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Africa Cooperation Forum to benefit the peoples of both sides with a view to jointly building a China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.
