The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) lowered its curtain not long ago. Opening a new page for China’s reform and opening-up drive and injecting lots of new elements into the world still plagued by a lingering financial crisis and endless turmoil today, it is a major political event in 2012 that will produce a great global impact and long-range influences.
Li Junru
The Congress came to an end after successfully completing all its scheduled tasks including deliberation and passage of an action program for China’s development in the coming five to ten years, amendment of the Party Constitution and its enrichment, in particular, with a new guiding ideology – the outlook on scientific development, and election of a new Party leadership headed by Xi Jinping.
A careful study of these moves will reveal five major directions China will follow during its course of development in the coming years: scientific development, democratic development, civilized development, harmonious development and peaceful development.
What will the 18th CPC Congress bring to the world, then?
First of all, it has told the world that the China train will continue to roll forward at a fairly steady and fast speed, generating even more investment and development opportunities to fuel the growth of other economies in the world.
The global financial crisis has seriously battered the world economy, and greatly baffled the Chinese economy as well. Since China’s reform and opening-up drive has turned it into the biggest market in the world and one of the engines driving the development of the world economy, its economic situation has a direct bearing on the development of the world economy. What the world can see now, is that instead of running into a dead end, the Chinese economy has gradually moved onto a track of healthy development. In the first nine months of 2012, China’s GDP grew by 7.7 percent, slightly slower than expected. The number of newly created urban jobs, however, hit 10.24 million. The improvement of urban employment is attributable to the comparatively fast development of the service sector, an indication that efforts to adjust China’s economic structure have begun to pay off.
Second, the 18th CPC Congress has told the world that China would maintain its development strategy of mutual benefit, never resort to trade protectionism against other countries because of the global financial crisis, and join hands with other countries to promote the vigorous, sustainable and balanced development of the world economy.
The subprime mortgage crisis in the United States and the European debt crisis have exposed the world economy to growing factors of instability and uncertainty. Under such circumstances, trade protectionism has come to gain new ground and trade frictions have continued growing. Shortsighted pursuit for petty gains is detrimental to the elimination of crises, and may even lead to greater difficulties and new crises. In view of the overall situation, the 18th CPC Congress made the explicit declaration that China would strengthen coordination with other major economies on macroeconomic policy and resolve economic and trade frictions through consultation, uphold the principle of balancing rights with obligations, take an active part in global economic governance, promote and facilitate free trade and investment, and oppose protectionism in all its forms.
Obviously, these Chinese policies have been designed not merely to serve its own interests. They are intended to help all other countries get out of the financial mire at the earliest date possible, a vision that will surely produce a positive impact on efforts to strengthen global governance and overcome the global financial crisis.
Another message for the world from the 18th CPC Congress is China’s resolve to keep to the path of peaceful development, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace, and safeguard world peace and development.
The world is now beset in a situation of great complexity. On the one hand, terrorism is rampant and terrorist attacks targeting civilians are taking place one after another; on the other hand, hegemonism, power politics and neo-interventionism have continued to gain ground. Cyber security, energy security, and grain security are also becoming conspicuously problematic and complicated. In the areas surrounding China, meanwhile, the declaration by the United States to return to the Asia-Pacific region and long-lasting international incidents have put China under pressure. These complexities may also explain, why the world kept such a close eye on the 18th CPC Congress.
For all its exposure to such an international climate, China has neither wavered from its principled stand of resolutely safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests, nor given up its basic belief that peace and development are the dominating theme of the time, as can be seen from the 18th CPC Congress. China has also vowed to take a more enthusiastic part in international affairs, play its role as a responsible big power, and join hands with all the people in the world to meet global challenges.
Based on the general human course of peace and development, these Chinese policies will surely leave a positive impact on the world.
Li Junru, Vice President of the Party School of the CPC Central Committe
