The 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China passed in its sixth plenary session last week a historical resolution that summarized the CPC’s major achievements and historical experience over the past century. The resolution reviewed the historic milestones the Party has set that changed the fate of the Chinese people, leading the country toward full rejuvenation or “becoming strong” after reaching the stages of “standing up” and “becoming prosperous”.
It is imperative for Hong Kong society to acquire a deeper understanding of the CPC, its endeavors and achievements as well as the historical significance of those achievements, not only because it is the creator, implementer and defender of “one country, two systems” but because a deeper understanding of the Party and its endeavors helps the special administrative region better dovetail with the national development strategy to remain relevant to national development and maintain prosperity in the long run
The endeavors of the Party over the past century have fundamentally transformed the future of the Chinese people, who have been freed from bullying, oppression and subjugation and become the master of the nation, society and their own fate, and are now seeing their aspirations for a better life become a reality. They have also opened up the right path for achieving national rejuvenation, enabling the country to complete in just a few decades the process of industrialization that took developed countries several centuries to achieve, and bringing about the two miracles of rapid economic growth and sustained social stability.
One hundred years ago, China was a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society subject to foreign oppression and exploitation, and the Chinese people were forced to live in destitution. The rise of the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in working tirelessly to achieve national independence and liberation, make the country prosperous and strong, and bring happiness to the people. With the advent of New China in 1949, it put an end to the time in which the Chinese nation was bullied and abused by foreign powers.
Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the country has emerged from a state of dilapidation to industrialization within a few decades. As of now, China is the only country in the world that has all the industrial activities listed in the United Nations’ International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities. Despite the economic slowdown brought about by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has been able to kick off the new development model of “dual circulation”, in which the domestic and external markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay. The country owes its resilience to the solid economic foundation it has established.
The CPC’s endeavors over the past century have put an end to the “century of humiliation”, resulted in a marked increase in China’s national strength, and facilitated a huge leap in people’s living standards. This historic chapter of transforming the future of a quarter of the world’s population is of far-reaching significance.
The CPC’s persevering efforts over the past century have also yielded a profound impact on the course of world history. The Party has led the Chinese people in pioneering a unique path to modernization, creating a new model for human advancement, and expanding the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization.
The rise of China has relied on the hard work of several generations of the Chinese people and endogenous dynamics. This contrasts sharply with the pillage and colonization of the Western powers that had risen by exploiting other peoples over the previous 500 years. Under the leadership of the CPC, the country has embraced socialism with Chinese characteristics, which has the advantage of being able to concentrate national efforts and resources on achieving “big things” and tackling urgent tasks. This advantage is the source of many miracles China has achieved over the years. The Party has united the Chinese nation to make concerted efforts in delivering magnificent or miraculous projects. The “Two Bombs, One Satellite” nuclear and space projects and the construction of a 1,500-kilometer canal on steep cliffs in Henan province are among those magnificent projects.
China’s success is a telling story about how a weak country can grow strong without resorting to pillage or exploiting other countries. It tells how a country can generate the endogenous dynamics, by stimulating the creativity of its people, which transform its future.
Marxism has borne fruit in China, thanks to the CPC’s people-centric philosophy, pragmatism, openness and progressiveness, which made the CPC different from Bolshevism of the former Soviet Union.
When the CPC was established in Shanghai 100 years ago, it was merely a small organization with only about 50 members. But now it has become the largest political party in the world with more than 95 million members. The Party has adhered to its ideals, stayed true to its initial aspiration of promoting people’s well-being, and consistently built up its strength in driving the country’s development into the world’s second-largest economy.
The CPC’s endeavors and achievements over the past century offer useful lessons on how to promote social progress, not least because of its success in transforming the future of a big country with a huge population, creating an alternative model for the advancement of civilization and producing a positive impact on the course of world history.
It is imperative for Hong Kong society to acquire a deeper understanding of the CPC, its endeavors and achievements as well as the historical significance of those achievements, not only because it is the creator, implementer and defender of “one country, two systems” but because a deeper understanding of the Party and its endeavors helps the special administrative region better dovetail with the national development strategy to remain relevant to national development and maintain prosperity in the long run. The CPC’s centurylong struggle, endeavors and achievements also offer useful lessons for the special administrative region as it explores ways to tackle its deep-seated problems and promote further economic development.
The author is a current affairs commentator.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.