China on Thursday announced a landmark victory in building a moderately 
prosperous society in all respects, known as a "Xiaokang" society in Chinese, 
as the Communist Party of China (CPC) celebrates its centenary. 

"We have realized the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous 
society in all respects," Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a grand 
gathering at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing. 

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the 
Central Military Commission, vowed that the CPC will lead the Chinese people to 
strive for better lives and national rejuvenation. 

Founded in July 1921 with just over 50 members, the CPC has grown into the 
world's largest political party with more than 95 million members.  

The Party had set two centenary goals: The first was to build a moderately 
prosperous society in all respects by 2021 when the CPC celebrates its 
centenary, and the second is to build China into a great modern socialist 
country in all respects by the middle of the century to celebrate the centenary 
of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

From humiliation to 'Xiaokang' 

Xi reviewed the historical background of the CPC's creation and explained the 
role it played in the nation's efforts to realize rejuvenation. 

After the Opium War in the 1840s, China gradually became a semi-colonial, 
semi-feudal society and endured intense humiliation and the people suffered 
great pain, Xi noted. "Since that time, national rejuvenation has been the 
greatest dream of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation." 

After a series of attempts to "save the nation" failed, the CPC was created 
when the country urgently needed new ideas and a new organization to lead the 
movement, he said. 

"Since the very day of its founding, the Party has made seeking happiness for 
the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation its aspiration and 
mission," he said. 

Xi summarized the Party's efforts and successes in leading a series of 
revolutions and the country's modernization, particularly in pursuing reform 
and opening-up since 1978, which he called a "crucial move in making China what 
it is today." 

China, a relatively poor country decades ago, has become the world's second 
largest economy with its gross domestic product (GDP) exceeding 100 trillion 
yuan (about $15 trillion) and per capita GDP over $10,000. It declared the 
victory in eradicating absolute poverty nationwide by the end of 2020. 

Highlighting the fulfillment of building a "Xiaokang" society and other 
achievements, Xi said the Party and the people have shown the world that 
"China's national rejuvenation has become a historical inevitability."

CPC's close ties with the people

Xi underscored the close relations between the CPC and the people, stressing 
that the Party "has always represented the fundamental interests of all Chinese 
people." 

"Any attempt to divide the Party from the Chinese people or to set the people 
against the Party is bound to fail," he warned. 

As China embarks on a new journey toward socialist modernization, he vowed that 
the CPC will continue to practice a people-centered philosophy of development, 
address the people's concerns and promote common prosperity for all. 

"On the journey ahead, we must rely closely on the people to create history," 
he said. 

The people-centered philosophy of development was raised by Xi at the fifth 
plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee in October 2015. The 
philosophy stresses that China's development must be for the people and by the 
people, and its fruits shared among the people. 

The philosophy has been emphasized again in China's latest development 
blueprint – the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National 
Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 
2035. The document vows to further improve people's livelihoods by pursuing 
more balanced, higher-quality development.

China's commitment to peaceful development

Xi also expounded on the main principles of China's foreign policy and vision 
on international relations. He reiterated the call for building a community 
with a shared future for humanity and stressed the country's commitment to 
peace. 

"The Chinese nation does not carry aggressive or hegemonic traits in its 
genes," Xi said. "China has always worked to safeguard world peace, contribute 
to global development and preserve international order." 

China will stay committed to the path of peaceful development, he said. It will 
"promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through 
joint efforts and use China's new achievements in development to provide the 
world with new opportunities," he added. 

Proposed by Xi in 2013, the BRI which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and 
the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to build trade and infrastructure 
networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient 
Silk Road routes.  

A total of 140 countries and regions have signed cooperation agreements with 
China under the BRI over the past eight years. The aggregated trade volume 
between China and its BRI cooperative partners has exceeded $9.2 trillion, and 
Chinese companies have made direct investments totaling over $130 billion in 
countries along the Belt and Road.

Meanwhile, Xi said China will continue to champion cooperation over 
confrontation and oppose hegemony and power politics.  

The Chinese people have a strong sense of pride and confidence and will not be 
intimidated by threats of force, he stressed. 

"We have never bullied, oppressed or subjugated the people of any other 
country, and we never will," he said. "By the same token, we will never allow 
any foreign force to bully, oppress or subjugate us." 

Xi reiterated the Party's stance on Hong Kong, Macao and the Taiwan region. "We 
will ensure that the central government exercises overall jurisdiction over 
Hong Kong and Macao, and implement legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for 
the two special administrative regions to safeguard national security," he 
said. 

He described resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete 
reunification as a "historic mission and an unshakable commitment" of the CPC, 
calling for resolute action to defeat any attempt toward "Taiwan independence."

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-07-01/With-Xiaokang-achieved-CPC-vows-to-lead-people-toward-better-life-11xvkhxk5pe/index.html


Source: CGTN