This year marks the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, and the two countries' relationship stands at a new historical starting point. Chinese President Xi Jinping
Chen Xiaodong
On March 15, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, attended the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech entitled "Join Hands on the Path Towards Modernisation".
With the theme of "Path Towards Modernisation: The Responsibility of Political Parties", the meeting saw presence of leaders from more than 500 political parties and organisations from over 150 countries, including South African President and ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, ANC Deputy Secretary-General Nomvula Mokonyane, and South African Communist Party First Deputy General Secretary Madala Masuku.
In his speech, General Secretary Xi Jinping elaborated on the CPC's understanding of exploring the path of modernisation and proposed the Global Civilisation Initiative, expressing the CPC's sincere desire to work with political parties of all countries to advance the cause of modernisation with national characteristics, promote the exchanges and mutual learning among different civilisations worldwide, and promote the building of a community with a shared future.
His speech demonstrates the CPC's political courage and sense of responsibility to face the common challenges of mankind, and provides a Chinese solution to promote the world’s modernisation process and the progress of human civilisation.
Focusing on the responsibility of political parties to provide answers to questions relating to the path towards modernisation.
As humanity’s modernisation process has once again reached a crossroads of history, General Secretary Xi Jinping stated that "political parties, as an important force steering and driving the modernisation process, are duty bound to provide answers to questions relating to the path towards modernisation.
In his speech, Xi provided the CPC's answers: We must put the people first and ensure modernisation is people-centred; we must uphold the principle of independence and explore diversified paths towards modernisation; we must uphold fundamental principles and break new ground and ensure the continuity of the modernisation process; we must help others to succeed while seeking our own success and ensure all can enjoy the outcomes of modernisation; we must forge ahead with enterprise and ensure firm leadership over modernisation. General Secretary Xi Jinping's answers clarified important issues such as who modernisation is for, who it relies on, and who it benefits, and demonstrated the CPC's sense of responsibility to actively explore modernisation theories and innovative practices.
Focusing on the dream of national rejuvenation and explaining the global significance of China’s own path to modernisation.
The 20th National Congress of the CPC has proposed advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation. As such, "Chinese path to modernisation" has become an important keyword for decoding China's development.
In response to questions about the role and significance of Chinese modernisation, General Secretary Xi Jinping offered the powerful and inspiring answers of the CPC:
The CPC will continue to pursue high-quality development and promote global growth and prosperity;
The CPC will continue to safeguard international fairness and justice and promote world peace and stability;
The CPC will continue to promote inter- civilisation exchanges and mutual learning and advance the progress of human civilisations.
Today, the Chinese modernisation successfully advanced and expanded under the leadership of the CPC, has presented a new vision different from the Western modernisation model, profoundly rewriting the global map of modernisation and providing valuable experience, inspiration and a new path for developing countries to move towards modernisation.
Focusing on the destiny of humanity and proposing the Global Civilisation Initiative.
Exchanges and mutual learning among different civilisations is an important driving force for promoting human progress and world peace and plays an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernisation process and making the garden of world civilisations flourish.
In response to the question on how to promote exchanges and mutual learning among different civilisations, General Secretary Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Civilisation Initiative: We advocate the respect for the diversity of civilisations; we advocate the common values of humanity; we advocate the importance of inheritance and innovation of civilisations; we advocate robust international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation.
The Global Civilisation Initiative is another important global public good provided by China to the international community after the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative. It demonstrates the CPC’s great sense of responsibility in pursuing human progress and world harmony. On the new journey, as a new form of human advancement, Chinese modernisation, through exchanges and mutual learning with other civilisations around the world, will greatly enrich the garden of world civilisations and make a greater contribution to peace and development of mankind and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
President Ramaphosa highly endorsed the Global Civilisation Initiative proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping and highly appreciated China's foreign policy that adheres to principles. He called on all countries in the world to strengthen solidarity and collaboration, oppose unilateralism and work together to create a peaceful, prosperous and equitable global order.
He also expressed the ANC's willingness to join hands with the CPC to advance the progress of human civilisation. Since the establishment of the new South Africa, the ANC and the SACP have been learning from the governance experiences of progressive political parties in various countries, actively exploring a development path that suits South Africa's national conditions, and continuously promoting new achievements in South Africa's economic and social development.
China and South Africa are both developing countries. In recent years, under the joint guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa, political mutual trust between the two countries has continued to deepen, and cooperation in various fields has become increasingly close, bringing tangible benefits to the peoples of both countries.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, and the two countries' relationship stands at a new historical starting point. China is willing to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with South Africa, join hands in exploring modernization paths that suit our respective national conditions, and stride forward on the path of building a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future in the new era with an aim to continuously promote progress in human civilisation through exchanges and mutual learning.
Chen Xiaodong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa.