Sun Ming

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was successfully convened in Beijing from 16 October to 22 October 2022. This Congress reviewed and summarised the work in the past five years and the great changes over the first decade of the New Era, and led China on a new journey to building a socialist modern country in all respects, which is of great and far-reaching significance and draws global attention. Having followed the congress all the way, the international public opinion presented the congress from broad and diversified global perspectives and with detailed and in-depth observations, their understanding of the CPC getting more profound, their evaluation system getting more objective, and their interpretation and explanation getting more professional. The international public opinion acknowledged General Secretary Xi Jinping’s charisma and theoretical prowess as the leader of a major political party and a major country, speaking highly of the great significance of the congress in carrying forward the tradition and opening up the future, and anticipating China’s solutions to provide new reference for the world, China’s development to bring new opportunities for the world, and China’s wisdom to inject more certainty into the world. In their field of vision, the CPC’s international image in the new era is more comprehensive, multi-dimensional and well rounded.

HIGH OPINION OF CHINA’S THEORETICAL PROWESS AND INSTITUTIONAL VITALITY

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, has united and led the Chinese people to make remarkable achievements with its far-sighted strategic thinking, its determination to reform by clearing up muddy waters, and its broad-mindedness to be inclusive, making socialism with Chinese characteristics radiate with vigor and vitality. The international public opinion generally believes that the new leadership, with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, will certainly make one historic achievement after another with greater self-confidence.

I. Highly Appreciative of CPC’s Leadership Core Rallying the Party and the People

Since the opening of the 20th CPC National Congress, the international public opinion had gone viral with important activities of General Secretary Xi Jinping and his important remarks therein. At the First Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, Xi Jinping was elected General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee once again, pushing the international public opinion to peak. Foreign political parties and political leaders as well as international organisations sent warmly written congratulatory messages to Xi Jinping on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, underscoring the Chinese leader’s influence, appeal and power to shape. Overseas media widely believed that the establishment of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the Party’s Central Committee and that of the whole Party lived up to the expectations of the Party and the people. According to Reuters (Britain) and Yomiuri Shimbun (Japan) among other media, the 20th CPC National Congress has underlined further the core position and leading role of General Secretary Xi Jinping. Taking into account the international situation and China’s reality, the international public opinion emphasised that the Chinese leadership is like a beacon of light showing the Chinese people the way forward and strongly uniting the hearts and minds of the Party and the people. President Maduro of Venezuela, also President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, said that Xi Jinping’s re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee reflects the high trust of the Chinese people. President Rahmon of Tajikistan, also Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan, said that the high prestige of General Secretary Xi Jinping is underlined and that the decisions of the 20th CPC National Congress will lead China move onward and forward.

II. Vivid Perception of Chinese leader’s Theoretical Prowess

The 20th CPC National Congress decided to write into the Party Constitution the new development of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era since the 19th CPC National Congress, which provided the international community with a valuable opportunity to profoundly perceive the theoretical prowess of General Secretary Xi Jinping. The outside world generally concurred that China’s new journey of the new era needs to be led and guided by new ideas, and acknowledged that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thoughts will give new impetus to world development. Professor Yury Tavrovsky, head of the Expert Council of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development, observed that the CPC has, relying on its collective wisdom and its leaders’ ingenuity, led socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era. Latin American News Agency (Cuba) believed that the amendments to the CPC Constitution aim to adapt to the new situation and new tasks so as to better push forward the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The News International (Pakistan) and other media remarked that in the great practice of leading the CPC and the Chinese people adapt to new changes and open up new vistas, General Secretary Xi Jinping has put forward a series of original new ideas, new thinking and new strategies on national governance, further answering in a scientific way the questions of the country, of the world, of the people and of the times.

The first press conference was held in the press center of the 20th National Congress of the CPC.

III. Regarding CPC as Stimulating Institutional Vitality of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Hainan Yangpu Economic Development Zone.

Overseas media, agencies, experts and scholars generally agree that the CPC’s leadership is the intrinsic logic and underlying cause for the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics to continuously radiate with fresh vitality. Professor Sebastian Heilmann, a leading China expert at the University of Trier (Germany), remarked that under the leadership of General Secretary Xi, China’s self confidence in the superiority of its own political and economic system has increased significantly. The international public opinion also cited the advantage of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics in safeguarding people’s well-being and practising people’s democracy as an argument to appreciate that the CPC protects people’s lives and health to the best of its ability. The Belgian writer Michel Collomb made an important conclusion in his book Sick Planet - Seven Lessons of COVID that the socialist system is superior in protecting people’s lives. A summary of articles carried by Islamabad Post (Pakistan) and The Star (Kenya) read that the 20th CPC National Congress provides a good opportunity to observe the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and that China’s domestic political and governance structure has withstood the test of time, giving proof of the strong tenacity of the Chinese system.portant bearings on future development of China and the wider world. Standing at the crossroads of history, the 20th CPC National Congress took on an important role of providing Chinese answers to the questions of the world, and continued to explain to the international community grand issues like why the CPC is successful and what kind of future it will create.

CONSIDERING THE CONGRESS AS DRAWING A NEW BLUEPRINT IN BUILDING ON THE PAST AND PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

In an international situation fraught with overlapping global challenges and continuous pressure on the development of many countries, the 20th CPC National Congress was positively evaluated at home and abroad as an important “l(fā)andmark”, “epoch-making”, “historic” and “inheriting the past and ushering in the future” meeting that will have im-

I. Profound Take of Extraordinary Achievements and Great Changes in the Past Decade of the New Era

The 20th CPC National Congress enabled the outside world to take a focused, in-depth and systematic look at “China in the Past Decade” at a time of great development in the new era, and to ponder over the causes for CPC’s historic achievements and transformations. “Pursuing progress while ensuring stability”, “rapid development of scientific and technological innovation capacity”, “steady progress of ecological civilisation”, “overall victory of the battle against poverty” and “completion of the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects” were all focal points for the international community to take stock of the CPC’s extraordinary achievements, and the exhibition themed "Forging Ahead in the New Era," supported the international media to do so. According to Malaysian Sin Chew Daily, the exhibition is a comprehensive display of China’s strategic measures, transformative practices, breakthrough progresses, and landmark achievements in the new era, which shows that it is the CPC’s strong determination and executive capacity that have resulted in unprecedented achievements. The word “people” becomes the buzzword in overseas media’s coverage of the CPC’s achievements. Senior Fellow Sergei Vikhachuk at the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Studies observed that by putting people first, the CPC embodies courage and progress, and that China’s progress in socioeconomic development is unprecedented in human history.

II. Optimistic about the Congress Starting a New Cycle of China’s Allround Development

In his report to the 20th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that it is the solemn historical responsibility of today’s Chinese Communists to continue opening new chapters in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. The international community widely believed that based on its extraordinary achievements in the past decade, the CPC will lead China to start a new cycle of political, economic and social development. Kathmandu Tribune (Nepal) commented that the report of the 20th CPC National Congress has clearly defined the CPC’s banner, path and goals, and set for the cause of the Party and the country the objectives, tasks, principles and policies in the next five years and even over a longer period of time, which is of great significance to further advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The international community also followed China’s future policy direction in all fields including economic development, scientific and technological innovation, Party building, national defense and military development, approach to Hong Kong governance and guidelines on Taiwan. “High-quality development”, “high-level opening up” and “common prosperity” were the three topics that received most attention. The overseas media believed that the CPC has released strong and continuous signals in the economic domain for continuing to further high-level opening up, and that common prosperity will remain the focus of China’s governance in the next five years.

III. Positively Viewing the Congress’ Far-reaching Significance on Historical, and Practical, National and International Dimensions

The international community positively commented on the significance of the congress from historical and international perspectives, believing that not only has the congress set the keynote for China’s future development, it will also influence change in the international pattern and affect the world communist movement. From a historical perspective, the congress’ importance to China and the Chinese nation as a whole is self-evident. Chairman Zyuganov of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation noted that the 20th CPC National Congress will be an important milestone on the path of the CPC’s development. CNN (USA) noted that this Congress is one of the most significant and noteworthy CPC congresses for China in recent decades. From a global perspective, the international community expected the 20th CPC National Congress to inject positive energy and stability into the world, and provide valuable opportunities for developing countries in particular. An article in Confirmado.net (Ecuador) observed that in context of a complex and volatile international situation, the 20th CPC National Congress is particularly significant as it will inject a strong factor of stability into the world. Sputnik News (Russia) observed that the 20th CPC National Congress is of great importance for the world communist movement as well as for the supporters of socialism.

Visitors to the CAFTA & RCEP Gallery at the China-ASEAN Expo.

MORE FOCUSED ON CHINA’S ENDEAVORS TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WITH A SHARED FUTURE FOR MANKIND

The CPC’s international influence is on the increase along with the rapid rise of China as a world power. The international community is more focused on China playing a greater role on the world stage, witnessing that China’s development is more closely intertwined with the future of the world, and appreciating more the fact that the CPC has stood on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, moving forward with the world and sailing on with all mankind.

I. Regarding China’s Initiatives as in Line with Trend of the Times and Adding New Momentum to International Cooperation

At a new historical juncture, the CPC has continued to open a new situation in its foreign relations, taking the concepts of a shared future, multilateral governance, win-win cooperation, common security, beautiful homeland and mutual learning among civilisations for its values foundation, and making unique contributions to promoting international cooperation and advancing solutions to global problems. As the 20th CPC National Congress became a success, the international community had reason to expect the CPC to continue to promote Chinese solutions in line with the needs of the times, helping to maintain the international order, and share its development opportunities with the wider world. Attempting an in-depth reading of the Report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC, The National Interest magazine (USA) predicted that the Belt and Road Initiative will remain an important cooperation programme for regional and global opening-up strategies. TV South (Venezuela) and British think tank the Royal Institute of International Affairs, among others, expected that the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative will give new impetus to the maintenance of world peace and the promotion of common development.

The 20th National Congress of the CPC opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

II. Considering Chinese Modernisation Breaking “Western Centrism” and Offering the World a New Alternative

In his report to the Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasised the need to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation. Chinese modernisation was included for the first time in a report to a CPC national congress and in the Party’s Constitution, seen by the international community as a “new language code” for reading China. According to the international public opinion, the term “the Chinese modernisation” serves as the main axis of the congress report, breaking the “Western centrism” with the “Chinese characteristics” and showing the world, developing countries in particular, a development path different from that of the US and other Western countries. Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Japan) and the Korea Herald (South Korea) observed that, the congress report’s emphasis on Chinese modernisation indicates that instead of choosing the path of modernisation once taken by Western countries that has brought misfortune to developing countries through wars, colonisation and plundering, China has brought a new alternative for other countries. Mr. Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, Chief Executive Officer, Asian Institute for Eco-civilization Research and Development, Islamabad believed that the Chinese path to modernisation underlines an ambitious vision that shits from a national mindset to that of all mankind, and creates a new form of development of human civilisation.

III. Focusing on China Transcending Zero-sum Game and Injecting Positive Energy into World Peaceful Development

History moves in a diachronic way, but in all its historical stages the CPC has persisted with peaceful development, rejecting binary opposition thinking of the US-led West and transcending zero-sum game mindset. Sticking to the path of peaceful development in practice, and mindful of well-being of all mankind in thinking, the CPC advocates the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and champions the shared human values. Channel NewsAsia (Singapore) focused on the important elaborations in the congress report, such as “safeguarding world peace”, “pursuing common development”, and “building a community with a shared future for mankind”, and believing that China has become an important creator of a new global order. Independent Online (South Africa) and other media from developing countries appreciated the fact that China adheres to pursuing a mutually beneficial strategy of opening-up and works to make global governance system fairer and more rational. Burundian President évariste Ndayishimiye observed that under the CPC’s strong leadership, China has been making positive contributions to human development by promoting a community with a shared future for mankind.

On Sept. 6, 2021, the world’s first international research center on big data for sustainable development was established in Beijing.