On the Way to Modernization: PRC at 75

The Chinese people will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on October 1, 2024. The date is a historically important commemoration for China and the world because the transformation of China from a poor country into the world’s second largest economy and technology juggernaut has been the pride of Chinese people and oppressed people all over the world. Undoubtedly, it’s a time of enormous pride and rejoicing for China’s 1.4 billion population, the largest in the world.

Over the past 75 years, China has made great strides from standing up and growing wealthy to becoming strong. This historical commemoration certainly offers the world the story of China’s modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as an opportunity to understand China’s political party system which is not about the theater and drama of elections but the principle that democracy is weighted by economic rights, which in turn are human rights.

Iconic milestones in Chinese modernization

Looking at the 75-year growth story of China, the world cannot but marvel at the milestones that the country has achieved under the successful leadership of the CPC in turning the poor and backward old China into a moderately prosperous and powerful new China in all respects. China’s development experience is different from the Western road of modernization.

Since the CPC first came to power in 1949, it has united and led the entire nation, established the socialist system, and successfully marched on the road to socialism with Chinese characteristics, bringing about the two miracles of rapid economic growth and enduring social stability. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Chinese people are working tirelessly to achieve the “Two Centenary Goals” and realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The living standard of the Chinese people has witnessed profound changes. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Under the strong leadership of the CPC, China further deepens reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization aiming to build a future that benefits all mankind.

China’s economy has rapidly transformed since 1978 – the year its then paramount leader Deng Xiaoping initiated reform and opening up – from the 11th largest in the world to the second economic juggernaut just behind the United States by 2010. In 1952, China’s GDP was only $9.6 billion, but in 2023 it exceeded $17.8 trillion with an average annual growth rate of 7.9 percent, contributing over 30 percent to global growth for 10 years in a row. It’s a remarkable story of economic turnaround without any parallel.

Apart from economic growth, China announced in February 2021 that it had eradicated extreme poverty nationwide in 2020, achieving the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ten years ahead of schedule. By ending absolute poverty, China has created a miracle in the history of development and poverty reduction which attracted the whole world’s attention under the strong leadership of the CPC. The Chinese people have made a great leap from inadequate food and clothing to moderate prosperity. Today, China feeds 17.6 percent of the world’s population with only 7 percent of the world’s arable land. China has established a basic medical insurance system covering over 1.3 billion people and Chinese people’s average life expectancy rose to 78.6 years in 2023 from just 35 in 1949.

The economic success of China is reflected in iconic infrastructure projects and landmark innovations in science and technology. China’s modern science and technology started from scratch and have made great progress including taking earth samples from the Moon, building a space station, and landing on Mars. The Tiangong space station has been fully constructed and placed into operation, China’s first home-made trunk line passenger aircraft, the C919 has been successfully put into commercial operation; the world’s first tri-fold mobile phone Mate XT Ultimate made by HUAWEI has astonished the world. China’s ambitious Tianwen-3 Mars mission is set to take a significant leap in space exploration by 2028.

Today, China has become a major country in science and technology with significant influence on the world and has contributed positively to global technological progress. It can be firmly said that what China has achieved is not a benevolence from god. It is the result of the hard work of the Chinese people overcoming all obstacles and difficulties.

Deepening reform to advance modernization

Every country needs a peaceful and stable environment to achieve modernization. Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. Looking ahead, the Chinese government has focused on raising development standards and building a beautiful China.

It is worth noting that the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, held in Beijing from July 15 to 18, 2024, has laid out a grand blueprint for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese modernization. It sent a clear signal that China is determined to promote high-quality development and high-standard opening up which will provide new opportunities for all countries in the world.

According to the communique of the four-day third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the reform tasks in the resolution shall be completed by 2029, the 80th founding anniversary of China. By 2035, China will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized political party system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization. Facts have proven that the Chinese path to modernization is correct. It not only works well, but also has an even broader and brighter prospect for China’s cooperation with other countries.

Building a community with a shared future for mankind

China is opening increasingly wider to the outside world. China is now the world’s largest trading power in goods and largest holder of foreign exchange reserves. China has become the largest trading partner of over 130 countries and regions. The Chinese government announced the establishment of six new pilot free trade zones, bringing the total number to 22. All countries in the world will benefit from China’s greater opening-up.

Over the past decade, President Xi has put forward a series of significant initiatives, including Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, which have contributed Chinese wisdom and solution to improving global governance, responding to global challenges and tackling human issues.

This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind carries forward the same spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and is the most effective move to sustain, promote and upgrade the Five Principles in the new circumstances. Over the past 75 years, China has provided support and assistance for other oppressed nations in seeking liberation, for newly independent countries in their pursuit of development and for various peoples as they put up just struggles.

The just-concluded Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September, which brought together leaders of all 53 African countries, was a successful practice of “the Vision of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”. It should be noted that at the FOCAC summit, President Xi announced that the Chinese government will provide financial assistance of 360 billion yuan ($50 billion) to Africa over the next three years. It fully demonstrated China’s sincerity in helping and cooperating with developing countries. It is hoped that China will always remain a member of the Global South and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

History has proven time and again that adopting “beggar-thy-neighbor practice”, conducting isolation and exclusion, and building small circles seeking “zero-sum confrontation” have always failed. China’s peaceful development can be described as building an edifice in the world. China has provided a successful model of modernization for developing countries to independently move toward modernization, and provided a new option for countries that wish to accelerate development while maintaining their independence. No country has achieved so much in such a short span of time. The world has a lot to learn from China. China is willing to work with all countries to advance global modernization with peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and common prosperity and build a human community with a shared future. It is sure that China with an entirely new posture will continue to surprise the world by making remarkable achievements for a long time to come.

The article reflects the author’s opinions, and not necessarily the views of China Focus.