Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
Good Morning!
Let me first of all extend a warm welcome to all of you, as we gather here for the High-Level Dialogue on Celebrating the Centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). I thank Madam Boje and the National Press Club for organizing today's event.
The past hundred years have witnessed CPC's relentless pursuit with magnificent momentum all along. In a few days' time, the people of all ethnic groups in China will solemnly celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the CPC. For this auspicious occasion, President Ramaphosa of the African National Congress and General Secretary Nzimande of the South African Communist Party sent hearty congratulations to General Secretary Xi Jinping. The CPC also received congratulations from friends from all walks of life in South Africa. This speaks volumes to the deep friendship of Comrades Plus Brothers between our parties.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that history is the best textbook. History faithfully records every country's journey and also gives inspiration for future development. In order to better understand China's development, it is important to first of all view China's history and the CPC's historical role in an objective manner. I would like to take this opportunity to briefly review the CPC's 100-year history and share our successful experience.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
China is an ancient civilization with 5,000 years of history and has long been at the forefront of world development. However, since modern times, like many African countries, China was gradually reduced to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, having suffered the invasion of Western powers. The nation's survival was hanging in the balance. Numerous men and women tried hard and put in painstaking struggles to find a way out for the country. They tried constitutional monarchy as well as presidential, parliamentary, and multi-party systems. But none of them worked. It was against this backdrop that the CPC was born in 1921 as Marxism-Leninism got adopted in the movements of Chinese workers.
Through 28 years of painful struggle, the CPC united the Chinese people and led them to defeat Japanese imperialism, overthrow the reactionary Kuomintang regime, complete the New Democratic Revolution, and establish the People's Republic of China. The Chinese people have since risen up.
From 1949 to 1978, the CPC rallied the Chinese people to complete socialist revolution and transformation. They established an independent and rather complete industrial system as well as a national economic system. These achievements established socialism as China's basic system and put together a solid foundation for China's development and progress on all fronts.
Over the past four decades and more, the CPC pooled the efforts of all Chinese people to carry out a new great practice of reform and opening up. This policy greatly boosted the people's creativity, unlocked and developed the productive forces, and saw China successfully embarking on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. With an economy that has enjoyed sound and rapid growth for a long time, the Chinese people achieved the great leap from rising up to growing richer.
Since 2012, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. The CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has forged ahead with perseverance to tackle difficult issues. Our Party has solved many tough problems that were long on the agenda but never resolved, and accomplished many things that were wanted but never got done. With this, we have promoted historical shifts in the cause of the Party and the country and written a new chapter of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era. The Chinese nation is walking on a glorious path of becoming stronger.
The CPC's history is a history of striving for independence and prosperity for the nation as well as liberation and happiness for the people. As we look back at the past century, it is fair to say with pride that without the CPC's leadership, our country and nation can not be where we are now in terms of achievements or international status. That is also why we can proudly say that the CPC's leadership is the choice of history and of the people. Today, the Chinese people are more confident than ever in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
The CPC has always been a torchbearer for China's journeys toward success in revolution, development and reform. It is the central pillar for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. In this process, the Party has once and again recovered from calamities, risen from difficulties, corrected mistakes and emerged from daunting challenges. As the Party becomes more robust and mature, we have accumulated a significant amount of precious experience in addressing difficulties and crises. I would like to share with all of you what I believe are the secrets to the CPC's success, they are the five "always":
First, always adhere to the lofty philosophy of people-centered development to firmly uphold the fundamental interests of all Chinese people.
Chairman Mao Zedong once urged the whole Party to serve the people wholeheartedly. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that political power comes from the people, and the people's support is key to the Party's survival. Since its birth, the CPC has always represented the fundamental interests of all the Chinese people. The people's aspiration to live a better life is always the focus of the Party's efforts. Our party relies on the people to create history and make great achievements. The CPC's history is a history of delivering its original aspiration and mission, and a history of the Party sharing weal and woe with the people.
Poverty eradication is the most vivid demonstration of the philosophy of putting people front and center. Since reform and opening up, China has lifted 770 million rural residents out of poverty, which accounts for more than 70% of the global total over the same period. This means we have achieved the poverty reduction targets set out in the UN 2030 Agenda a decade ahead of schedule. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping himself has been working to command, strategize and oversee efforts to reduce poverty. He has presided over seven central conferences on poverty alleviation, conducted more than 50 on-site investigations on poverty reduction efforts, and visited 14 contiguous poverty-stricken areas. He led the Party and people to eventually win the great battle against poverty. In this process, millions of Party officials have worked hard with concrete measures, and more than 1,800 Party members and officials have sacrificed their lives for the cause. Their ultimate sacrifice speaks volumes to the original aspiration and mission of Chinese Communists.
Faced with COVID-19 that caught everyone by surprise, the CPC has firmly put the people and their lives front and center. The Party spared no effort to protect people's lives. From a baby born just 30 hours ago to an elderly man over 100 years old, from Chinese citizens overseas to foreigners coming to China, every life was fully protected. On the front lines of China's COVID-19 response, basically all positions were staffed by CPC members. More than 25,000 outstanding performers took the oath to join the CPC on the spot. They have honored the CPC's purpose to serve the people wholeheartedly with concrete actions.
Second, always adhere to the Party's leadership and give full play to the advantages of the socialist system.
Chairman Mao Zedong pointed out that the CPC is the core of leadership of the whole Chinese people. Without this core, the cause of socialism cannot be victorious. General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that The Party exercises overall leadership over all areas of endeavor in every part of the country. The CPC did not appoint itself as the strong leadership core of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is an inevitable historical choice made by the Chinese people over time. As the highest force for political leadership, the CPC exercises leadership in various fields including economic, political, cultural, social and ecological advancement in China. We work to ensure that the fruit of development benefits all the Chinese people and smoothly achieve rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
To uphold the CPC's leadership, it is important to adhere to the Party's democratic centralism, to better combine and balance central leadership in line with democratic principles as well as democratic consultation under the guidance of central leadership.
The most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the CPC's leadership. The greatest advantage of this system is also CPC leadership. The CPC has always been translating the advantages of the Party and the socialist system into governance effectiveness. Take the economy as an example, the CPC has guided economic development with policy stability and consistency. We have made 14 five-year plans from 1953 up till now. We have also made plans for China's development in the next 5, 15, or even 30 years. Once there is a plan, we fully deliver it. For example, under the Central Committee's leadership over poverty eradication, various industries in China actively fought poverty by developing local industries, science and technology, education, the cultural sector, medical health, and favorable consumption policies. These measures made possible a whole-of-society poverty reduction approach that involves various regions, sectors, departments and all other channels. The CPC has also pooled the strength of China as a whole to fight COVID-19, major floods and other natural disasters. These efforts all reflect the CPC's role as a responsible and effective governing party.
Third, always explore new development philosophies in line with China's national conditions in response to evolving circumstances.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that philosophies are key guidelines for actions. Development must be guided by certain philosophies. A proper philosophy is crucial for there to be effective and successful development. In leading the efforts to explore socialist modernization, the CPC has always upheld seeking truth from facts and advanced with the times. The Party has always been working to adapt Marxism to the Chinese context. We have all along been deepening and intensifying our understanding of the laws of development. China has embarked on a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country and our economy has shifted from high speed of growth to high-quality development. Based on a scientific analysis of the new stage of China's development, the CPC will stay committed to a new philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all. Efforts will be made to actively foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other.
It is worth noting that as we in China deliver the innovation-driven development strategy, China's scientific innovation capacity has continued to grow. Major progress was made in the Tianhe Core Module of the Tiangong Space Station, the Tianwen 1 Mars mission, the Chang'e 5 Moon probe and the Fendouzhe deep-sea submarine and other science projects. The Global Innovation Index puts China on the 14th in 2020, up from 29th in 2015. China is working to promote green and low-carbon development. We are making solid progress toward building a beautiful China. We will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The new development paradigm will help China build a new system of opening up to the world quickly and China's door will be opened wider and wider. As China's market continues to expand in size and capacity, it will make available more space for countries worldwide to share cooperation opportunities.
Fourth, always ensure that the Party exercises effective self-supervision and strict self-governance and maintains excellent vitality and vigor.
General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly pointed out that it takes a good blacksmith to make good steel. He also stressed that the Party's role is central to running China's affairs well, and that the most important thing is to have effective self-supervision strict self-governance. The CPC is the biggest political party in the world, with more than 91 million members and more than 4.6 million grassroots party organizations. It is no easy task to govern such a large party. The Party continues to enhance its ability to innovate, power to unite, and energy to fight through advancement in all aspects including organization, theory, discipline, conduct, officials and professionals. The CPC continues to intensify efforts against corruption and exercise effective self-supervision strict self-governance, so that the Party can always be at the forefront of the times as well as the backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
No place is out of bounds, no ground left unturned, and no tolerance shown when it comes to the CPC's fight against corruption. It doesn't matter who are the persons in question and how high their positions are. It doesn't matter where they fled. As long as they violated CPC's disciplines and China's laws, they would be subject to investigations and get punished to the fullest extent of law. Since the 18th Party Congress in 2012, the CPC has been firmly taking out tigers, swatting flies and hunting foxes. Over 1 million party officials including more than 400 officials at the provincial ministerial level or above have been subject to disciplinary actions. We have entered the stage where officials do not dare to engage in corruption. We are also moving closer to see that officials cannot and do not want to be corrupt. There is already an effective and overwhelming crackdown on corruption, which is still gaining more strength.
Fifth, always persist in working for the cause of human progress and contributing to global peace and development.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that the CPC always has the mission to make new and greater contributions to humankind. The CPC and the Chinese people have always been the builders of world peace, contributors to global development and supporters of the international order. China won the war of resistance against Japanese aggression which contributed to the world's anti-fascist war. China joined hands with Africa and other developing countries to fight for national liberation and independence. China participated in founding the United Nations and established a good number of international mechanisms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the China–Arab States Cooperation Forum, the China-CELAC Forum, BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. China proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Eight Principles for Economic Aid and Technical Assistance to Other Countries. China also established the Asian Infrastructure Development Bank, the New Development Bank and the Silk Road Fund. All these efforts and achievements reflect the vision of Chinese Communists to promote world harmony.
Since the 18th Party Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has grasped the major trends of China and the world in the new era in profound ways and given shape to Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, we work to foster the building of a community with a shared future for mankind and advocate the Belt and Road Initiative. We actively build partnerships globally, take the initiative to lead the reform and development of the global governance system, and continue to enhance exchanges and mutual understanding with countries worldwide. Since COVID-19 started, China has actively promoted international cooperation in COVID-19 response and control. We support WHO's leading role in the global fight against the virus, shared with other countries our experience in COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment and provided material assistance to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations. Despite our own difficulties, China supplied more than 350 million doses of vaccines to the world. We made huge efforts to promote the building of a global community of health for all.
Under the CPC's leadership, China has achieved the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability at the same time. China's development model has given inspiration for developing countries to modernize. We provided a brand-new alternative for countries and nations in the world that need both development and independence. We contributed Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to issues faced by humankind as a whole.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
To achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the CPC has set two centenary goals : The first is to build a moderately prosperous society by 2021, one hundred years after the Party's founding. This goal has been achieved by the end of 2020. The second is to build a strong, democratic, culturally-advanced, harmonious and beautiful modern socialist country by 2049, one hundred years after the founding of New China. In order to achieve these goals, China has adopted resolutions on the 14th Five-Year Plan and our Long-Range Goals for 2035 to guide our socioeconomic development in the next 5 to 15 years. The CPC is fully confident and capable of leading the Chinese people to smoothly achieve the second centenary goal by 2049.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
As a 109-year-old party, the African National Congress has made stellar achievements in leading the South African people to fight against apartheid and in building a new South Africa. The South African Communist Party born in the same month of the same year as the CPC, has cooperated closely with the ANC during its century-long struggle. The SACP made equally important and unique contribution to making the new South Africa and its development. Our Parties enjoy a time-honored friendship. During the nearly 70 years of exchanges, we have always treated each other sincerely with mutual understanding and support. These efforts laid a solid foundation for China-South Africa relations. In its history of 23 years, China-South Africa diplomatic relations have made a significant leap from a partnership and a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership. The cooperation between our two countries has yielded fruitful results, which greatly benefited our two peoples.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
The CPC, the ANC and the SACP are all committed to the eternal great cause of our respective nations. That is why our Parties are all showing stronger vitality as we are only getting to and beyond our centenaries. Under the new circumstances, the CPC is ready to work with the ANC, the SACP and other political parties and people in Africa and worldwide to learn from each other, deepen exchange of experiences in party building and governance and expand inter-party exchanges. We are ready to better connect development strategies, enhance mutual support, mutual trust and make progress together with all parties and peoples. It is also important for our two countries to cooperate more against COVID-19 and for post-COVID recovery. It is imperative for us to benefit our two peoples by working together to defeat the virus at an early date. Together, we will build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and shared prosperity and usher in a future that is even more beautiful.
Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
On the CPC's birthday on July 1st, which is next Thursday, Beijing will host a major event celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China. General Secretary Xi Jinping will deliver an important speech on that occasion. The Chinese Embassy in South Africa will also host a reception to celebrate. I welcome and look forward to your close attention and active participation in my Embassy's event. Let me first wish today's High-level Dialogue a full success. I look forward to hearing all your excellent remarks!
Thank you!