President Xi Jining has placed heavy emphasis on on the role of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as well as the country’s bulwark of traditional culture in achieving a unique form of social and economic modernisation.
“Chinese-style modernization is the great achievement obtained by our party by paying an immense cost, while leading the various ethnic groups of the entire nation through myriad hardships during the long-term process of exploration and implementation,” Xi said on 7 February, during a speech delivered at a study session of the CPC Central Committee.
“We must redouble our appreciation of it, endure from beginning to end, and continually expand and deepen it.”
Xi stresses unique character of Chinese-style modernization
“When a country moves towards modernization, it must not only follow the general laws of modernization, but must also conform to its own actual conditions and possess its own characteristics,” Xi said.
“Chinese-style modernization not only possesses the characteristics in common for the modernization of all nations – it also has distinctive characteristics based on its own national conditions.”
“The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly summarized that Chinese-style modernization has the five Chinese traits of modernization with a huge population, modernization with common prosperity for all people, modernization with a harmonious balance between material civilization and spiritual civilization, modernization with a harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, and peaceful modernization, deeply revealing the scientific significance of Chinese-style modernization.”
Xi on the role of CPC leadership
During the speech, Xi stressed the role of the CPC in leading China towards economic and social modernisation.
“The leadership of the party directly related to the fundamental direction, future and destiny of Chinese-style modernization, and its ultimate success or failure,” he said.
“The party’s leadership determines the fundamental nature of Chinese-style modernization. Only by unswervingly adhering to the party’s leadership can Chinese-style modernization have a bright future and achieve prosperity; otherwise, it will deviate from the course, lose its spirit, and even make fateful errors.
“The leadership of the party ensures that the goal of Chinese-style modernization is anchored and pursued in a far and steady manner. the goal of our party’s struggle has always been consistent, and passed on from generation to generation. It has achieved brilliant accomplishments that have attracted global-attention and are resplendent in the annals of history.
“The leadership of the party spurs a strong impetus for the development of Chinese-style modernization. Our party has the courage to reform and innovate, constantly eliminates the shortcomings of various systems and mechanisms, and injects inexhaustible energy into Chinese-style modernization.
“The leadership of the party gathers together immense energy for the development Chinese-style modernization. Our party adheres to the party’s mass line, adheres to a people-focused development concept, develops full process democracy for the people, and fully spurs a spirit of ownership amongst all the people.”
Xi on the role of China’s traditional culture in the modernization process
In addition to stressing the primacy of the CPC in leading China towards modernization, Xi also emphasised the role of traditional Chinese culture in contributing to a distinctive path of development.
“Chinese-style modernization is deeply rooted in outstanding traditional Chinese culture, embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism, and learns from and absorbs all the outstanding achievements of human civilization.
“It represents the developmental direction of humanity’s civilizational progress, and embodies a new vista that differs from the Western modernization model, as well as an entirely form of human civilization.
“Chinese-style modernization breaks the myth that ‘modernization = Westernization’ and present another picture of modernization, expanding range of choices for developing countries seeking to modernize, and providing a Chinese solution for human beings to explore a better social system.
“The unique world perspective, values, history, civilization, democracy, and ecology contained by Chinese-style modernization and its implementation are major innovations in the theory and practice of world modernization. Chinese-style modernization has set an example for developing countries to move towards modernization independently and provided them with a new option.”
