Seventy-one years ago, on October 1, 1949, the first five-star red flag was raised in Tian’anmen Square in Beijing by Chairman Mao Zedong. The Chinese people, who had experienced bitter struggles since modern times due to deep social crisis and internal and external menaces, finally saw the dawn of the rebirth of the Chinese nation. With the birth of New China, the Chinese people became masters of the country, society and their own destiny.

Over the past seven decades, China’s successive leadership under the guidance of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has led the Chinese people to embark on a great journey of realizing a strong and prosperous country, national rejuvenation and people’s happiness with full pride. It can be proudly said that since the establishment of New China, today the Chinese nation has stood tall among nations of the world and “socialism with Chinese characteristics” has entered a new era. As President Xi Jinping who is leading the Chinese people to realize the great “Chinese Dream”, rightly pointed out in his report to the 19th CPC National Congress on October 18, 2017: “The Chinese nation, with an entirely new posture, now stands tall and firm in the East.”

On the way to rejuvenation

On October 1st, 2020, when the Chinese people celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of New China, surely they feel jubilant and grateful at the journey traversed so far, with many historic milestones in terms of shining achievements in just about every area of human endeavour. This journey of national rejuvenation has been inspiring and exhilarating, beckoning the Chinese people to translate the “Chinese Dream” into a living reality.

It should be noted here that eight years ago, President Xi Jinping started his leadership by articulating the vision of the first step of the “Chinese Dream” of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the time the CPC celebrates its centenary in 2021.

“Achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the greatest dream of the Chinese people since the advent of modern times. This dream embodies the long-cherished hope of several generations of the Chinese people…” said Xi on November 29, 2012.

Since 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has led the Chinese people of all 56 ethnic groups. Guided by “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” which China’s national legislature adopted on March 17, 2018, today’s China is full of vigor and vitality and the Chinese people are united and working tirelessly to achieve the “two centenary goals” and realize the Chinese Dream of great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

In 1978, during the third plenary session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping initiated epoch changing “reform and opening up” policy which has not only changed the destiny of China in a fundamental way, but have also had a great impact on the whole world. Undoubtedly, the reform and opening-up is “a great awakening of the CPC, and a great revolution in the history of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation”. The Chinese people have then embraced the great transformation towards prosperity.

With the initiation of the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, the story of China’s economic ascent is truly remarkable. China’s economy has been moving towards high quality development over the past seven decades, with gross domestic product rising at an average annual rate of 8.1 percent. The National Bureau of Statistics of China reported that the country’s GDP reached 99.0865 trillion yuan ($14.4 trillion) in 2019, and its gross national income per person reached $10,276 in the same year. In 2019, the total retail sales of consumer goods in China reached 41,164.9 billion yuan ($6,010 billion), up by 8.0 percent year-on-year, making it the second largest consumer market in the world. Forex reserves reached $3.115 trillion at the end of January 2020, topping the world for the 13th straight year, while it stood at only $108 million at the end of 1952. China has accounted for more than 30 percent of global economic growth since the global financial crisis in 2008-2009, making it the most significant driving force.

China’s contribution to the world

But more importantly, over the past seven decades, the Chinese leadership unflinchingly pursued the eradication of poverty. More than 850 million Chinese are out of poverty, accounting for nearly 80 percent of world’s poverty eradication, an achievement unprecedented in human history. The number of impoverished people dropped from 770 million in 1978 to 5.51 million in 2019, and the poverty rate dropped from 97.5 percent to 0.6 percent. It is a matter of great pride that the Chinese people have made a great leap from inadequate food and clothing to moderate prosperity. Truly, China’s success in reducing the number of people trapped in extreme poverty is an inspiration to the world, offering lessons for other countries, such as India.

Since he became the Chinese top leader, President Xi Jinping has been emphasizing that “no one should be left behind on the road towards Xiaokang (building a moderately prosperous society in all respects).” According to the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), this year is the concluding year for the completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and to end extreme poverty in China. Facts and figures confirm that China with its population of 1.4 billion will in 2020 meet the goal of lifting all its people out of extreme poverty, 10 years ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’ target of eradicating global poverty by 2030. Surely, this will be the greatest achievement in the history of mankind, providing inspiration for global poverty alleviation governance.

All along China has been firmly pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, respecting the right of all countries to independently choose their own path of development. China has expanded cooperation and coordination with major countries as well as other developing countries in keeping with the right approach to upholding justice while pursuing shared interests. Over the past 71 years, China, as a major developing country, has sent more than 600,000 personnel and provided nearly 400 billion yuan in development aid. Over 700 Chinese people have martyred in helping other countries’ development.

As the COVID-19 is raging in the world, China’s proactive diplomacy led by President Xi for COVID-19 support has earned her more friends around the world. President Xi in his speech at the General Debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 22 called for countries around the world to work together to tackle the challenges presented by the deadly pathogen. It should be noted here that China has sent out 34 medical expert teams to 32 countries, and provided 283 batches of supplies to 150 countries and four international organizations. China will fully deliver on the actions announced by President Xi at the 73rd World Health Assembly, namely, providing $2 billion international assistance over two years in such fields as agriculture, poverty reduction, education, women and children, and climate change, and support other countries in restoring economic and social development. What’s more gratifying is that several Chinese COVID-19 vaccines are in Phase 3 clinical trials. As they become available for deployment, China has assured that these vaccines will be made a global public good and provided to developing countries on a priority basis. When multilateralism is quickly plunging into disorder due to the Trump administration’s “America First” policy, all countries in the world can benefit from China which is opening wider to the outside world.

Last year on October 1, while celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at Tian’anmen Square, President Xi pointed out in his speech that, what China has achieved is not a godsend. Surely, China’s huge achievements in the past 71 years are the result of leadership of the CPC and joint efforts of all Chinese people by overcoming all obstacles and difficulties. It is hoped that the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC will complete the building a society of moderate prosperity in all respects and march on towards the full realization of the Chinese Dream. China’s achievements show that no country or nation is destined to be poor. It is hoped that China as a good friend and good partner will share its own development with its fellow developing countries, India included, for common development with a “win-win” approach.