BEIJING — In a report delivered on Oct 16 at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, expounded on the tasks of the CPC in the new era.
"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," he said.
The success of the Chinese path to modernization has been widely recognized as a miracle in the history of human development and a pioneering undertaking in the development of human society, offering an alternative approach to achieving modernization that is different from that of Western countries.
Observers have said they expect China, in its stride towards modernization, to continue to bring development opportunities for the world, make global governance fairer and more equitable, and work with other nations to create a better future for humanity.
A GLOBAL INSPIRATION
Chinese modernization 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.
Taking deep root in China, the Chinese path to modernization is in line with its national conditions. And China's achievements have inspired many developing countries to seek their own paths to development and prosperity.
Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, lauded China's achievements on its path to modernization as "a true miracle in the history of human development."
China's success in eradicating absolute poverty and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has inspired many developing countries to seek their own formula to reduce poverty and promote economic development and prosperity, he said.
After reading about Chinese modernization in the report Xi delivered at the 20th CPC National Congress, Gu Qingyang, an associate professor of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore, said Chinese modernization is a mode of development with Chinese characteristics.
The CPC is expected to lead the Chinese people in building a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the course of the great rejuvenation of the nation, which is of great significance in a changing world, Gu said.
When speaking of China's achievements in its stride towards modernization, Sommad Pholsena, vice-president of the Lao National Assembly, recounted the life of his family in Beijing in the 1960s. He said his siblings still visit China from time to time at present and have experienced in person the changes in China.
"The achievements of Chinese modernization demonstrate that modernization does not simply equal Westernization, and every country can have their own modernization suitable for their respective countries," he said.
Adhere Cavince, a Kenya-based international relations scholar, said that "China's path to modernization is for a huge population" and putting people first.
Building a modernized society for more than one billion people is undoubtedly a huge contribution to humanity's progress, he said, adding that China has set a good example for other developing countries, including those in Africa, in seeking their own paths to modernization and development.
China has gone through a great economic and social transformation, said Luis Delgado, a researcher of Venezuela's Center for Advanced Studies in Development and Emerging Economies, adding that China's modernization has provided an important reference for many countries that are facing economic and social development problems and are exploring development paths suited to their national conditions.
Chinese modernization has created a new mode of human advancement, and provided alternatives for developing countries to achieve modernization, said Gennady Zyuganov, chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.
China's rapid development is a major achievement in the development of human civilization, and its success in modernization will inspire other countries striving for a better future, he added.
A BOOST FOR WORLD PROSPERITY
Chinese modernization 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, the CPC report said.
Observers worldwide believe that Chinese modernization will push forward the world's prosperity and mutual learning between civilizations, making more contributions to the world.
Hamdi Al-Tabbaa, president of the Jordanian Businessmen Association, witnessed China's development while conducting business in industries such as automobile, insurance, and trade in the country in recent years, and has benefited from China's opening-up and its robust growth.
Chinese modernization, as was illustrated in Xi's report, means better living standards of the Chinese people in the future, he said, adding that it will vigorously promote the prolonged prosperity and development of the world economy.
China has won an anti-poverty fight unprecedented in scale in human history, raised people's income, and is striving to achieve social equity, said Fernando Fazzolari, coordinator of the Infrastructure Commission of the Argentine-Chinese Chamber of Production, Industry, and Commerce.
Fazzolari said what China has done has effectively expanded the Chinese market and increased the Chinese people's demand for high-quality goods and services, which is a great attraction for global enterprises.
Chinese modernization that features material and spiritual civilizations highlights the goal of achieving shared prosperity for all and promoting social fairness and justice, said professor Evandro Menezes de Carvalho from the Brazil-China Studies Center of the Getulio Vargas Foundation.
Chinese modernization follows a development path featuring increased productivity, prosperous life, and a sound ecological environment, he said.
Chinese modernization highlights material and cultural-ethical advancement, which will continue to lead Chinese culture to the world and broaden the channels for deepening understanding between China and other countries in the world, said Ibrahim Alluhayb, a professor from King Saud University.
Noting the emphasis on "the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature" in the report, Amadou Diop, an expert on Chinese issues and journalist of the Senegal national daily Le Soleil, said "China is today a fundamental player in the preservation of the environment and in the promotion of green development."
"It has worked for a huge reduction in environmental pollution and the development of green economy in the country," he said. Citing the reforestation policies in China's desert areas, he said such ecological protection projects have provided experience for other countries and its promotion of renewable energy also inspires the world.
Chinese modernization, which was pursued on the path of peaceful development, will inject more positive energy into improving global governance, said Eduardo Regalado, a senior researcher at the International Policy Research Center of Cuba.
China firmly adheres to an independent foreign policy of peace and upholds the basic norms governing international relations and international equity and justice, the expert said, adding that he hopes China's new development will bring new opportunities to the world.
FOR BETTER GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
The world has once again stood at a crossroads, with its future course dependent on the choices of people of all countries.
Xi's report delivered at the 20th CPC National Congress says building a human community with a shared future and creating a new form of human advancement are essential requirements of Chinese modernization.
It shows that China, in its path to modernization, will always work to make the global governance fairer and more equitable and is always ready to jointly create an even brighter future for humanity.
Building a human community with a shared future is a great vision on improving global governance, providing a Chinese way of thinking of bringing peace and prosperity to the world, said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation.
"It has a responsibility to represent all the people and to build the country," he said, commenting on the CPC's mission.
"The concept of a people-centered philosophy is indeed a foundation of how the CPC, the ruling party of China, sees its mission," Kuhn added, noting that building a human community with a shared future brings the same people-centered philosophy to the world.
David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, said the Chinese path to modernization is a pioneering work in the development of human society. From sharing development opportunities to sharing development experience, Chinese modernization has provided a more equitable development path.
China's development experience will have a profound impact on the world, especially on African countries and other developing countries, Monyae said.
China attaches great importance to people's health and well-being, vigorously implements the strategies of invigorating the country through science and education, and safeguards regional and international security, peace, and stability, said Smail Debeche, a professor of political sciences and international relations at University of Algiers 3, who has been president of Algeria-China Friendship Association since the 1990s.
China will share its development opportunities with other developing countries, help other countries develop and improve their people's livelihood and promote the building of a human community with a shared future, which reflect the importance of people in the Chinese path to modernization, Debeche said.
He noted that in recent years, China has underlined partnership, mutual benefit, and closer bonds in initiatives it proposed.
"A commitment to UN-based international law, promotion of peace over conflict, and the establishment of global harmony in a multipolar world will be a clear message from the 20th CPC National Congress," said Dave Bromwich, a China expert from New Zealand.
A stable China and its strong economy are of great global importance, he added.
