The People’s Republic of China has much to be proud of on its 75th birthday. Within a relatively short span of 75 years, China has made stunning progress in multiple areas of human development, and its achievement deserves to be globally recognised. 

China’s economic transformation has been one of the most celebrated success stories. Riding on the improvements made to education and public health during the era of Mao Zedong’s leadership, China has achieved stupendous unbroken economic growth for more than 40 years. World Bank statistics show that China’s economy expanded by 6.55 times in the two decades after reform was launched in 1979.

After China’s entry into the World Trade Organisation in 2001, China’s economy exploded. It grew by more than 270 percent from 2000 to 2010. By 2019, the size of China’s economy had increased almost 90 percent, from $7.55 trillion to $14.3 trillion. According to the World Bank’s latest estimate, in 2024 the size of China’s economy, at $18.53 trillion, is the second largest in nominal US dollar terms, but the largest, at $35.29 trillion, as measured by purchasing price parity.

In the words of Columbia University scholar Professor Howard W French, China’s economic takeoff since its reform and opening-up “is an event of human importance that deserves consideration alongside the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution as one of the most impactful phenomena of the past millennium”.

The achievements of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in modernizing and transforming China are not confined to the economic arena. Through firmly adhering to the goal of building a socialist country with Chinese characteristics, the CPC has brought to China a political philosophy that has stood the test of challenging times, and is well positioned to continue to bring peace, security, and prosperity to the people. It is a philosophy based on Marxism and which has blended well with the cardinal values of traditional Chinese civilisation, privileging national sovereignty, unity, harmony, order, stability and an indomitable fighting spirit to improve the welfare of the people and to rejuvenate the nation. In so doing, the CPC has injected new energies to the Chinese civilisation and has rid the Chinese people of the threat of periodic upheaval brought about by repeated, violent dynastic changeovers in the bygone imperial era.

China stands out as a rock-solid supporter of forces of trade and investment liberalisation that have brought unprecedented prosperity to large numbers in the past four decades. With presidential elections upcoming in the US, the sole superpower, in a matter of weeks, the welter of lies, half-truths and unworkable promises made to voters throws into sharp relief the need for thoughtful, moderate and self-restraining rulers. China’s people-based democracy will inspire many for years to come

The CPC has improved and refined its governance philosophy through regular self-reflection, review and updating, as revealed in the regular reports published by the Party’s Congress and, most recently, in the resolution adopted by the Party at its third plenum in mid-July. In response to Western allegations of “autocracy” as opposed to “democracy”, President Xi Jinping put forward the concept of “whole-process democracy” in late 2019. Whereas the defining characteristic of Western democracies hinges on the way government is formed by way of periodic popular elections, the concept of “whole-process democracy” stresses the substance, not just the procedure, of forming government. “Whole-process democracy” requires those in power to pay constant attention to the needs of the people, not just on the eve of polling day, and put the welfare of the people above the political interests of parties and politicians seeking election or reelection.

As the second-largest economy and largest trading nation, China has contributed enormously to the expansion of world trade, the redistribution of income to developing countries, and the advancement of globalisation. Despite current headwinds inhibiting China’s growth resulting from measures adopted by the United States to tighten tech exports, curb investments, and restrict China’s access to global capital markets, China continues to be the standard-bearer of globalisation and liberalisation, through its Belt and Road Initiative, advocating free trade, open markets and common prosperity. China has progressed from being the downtrodden victim of European imperialism to become a powerful voice in the international arena, advocating peace, negotiations and other dispute settlement mechanisms as an alternative to armed conflict.

As recognized by The Economist magazine in a cover story, China has become a science superpower, “from plant biology to superconductor physics”. China has made great strides in both the volume and value of the research papers published. Its share of “global high-impact papers” has overtaken the US and the European Union in many fields of science. It leads the world in physical sciences, chemistry and Earth and environmental sciences, according to the Nature index and citation measures. China is strong in both basic and applied research. It has an indisputable lead in green technologies. Recently, China stunned the world with the progress it has made in its lunar exploration program, culminating in the successful completion of the mission of Chang’e 6 in collecting samples from the far side of the moon and bringing them back to Earth.

As a responsible member of the international community, China has adhered to the rules and resolutions adopted by the United Nations, and continues to play an active part in the United Nations Climate Change Conferences. China, including Hong Kong, has adhered to its commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, even as both the US and the European Union are backsliding on their commitments.

China is a major contributor to new models of governance and international relations through the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative put forward by President Xi. China has made clear it is opposed to domination of the world order by any single power. We live in a multipolar world, and there ought to be multiple pathways to achieving good governance and prosperity. In international relations, China promotes mutual respect and understanding, and expansion of people-to-people exchange so that civilisations can learn from each other. In the current world blighted by pan-securitisation, pan-politicisation, deglobalisation and polarisation, China stands out as a rock-solid supporter of forces of trade and investment liberalisation that have brought unprecedented prosperity to large numbers in the past four decades. With presidential elections upcoming in the US, the sole superpower, in a matter of weeks, the welter of lies, half-truths and unworkable promises made to voters throws into sharp relief the need for thoughtful, moderate and self-restraining rulers. China’s people-based democracy will inspire many for years to come.

Article republished from the South China Morning Post HK edition, 1 October, 2024.

https://johnmenadue.com/new-china-has-much-to-celebrate-on-its-75th-birthday/

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