Photo taken on Sept 25, 2024 shows a 18-meter-tall display in the shape of a flower basket is placed at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing as a decoration for the upcoming National Day holiday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Editor's note: Over the past 75 years, New China has made remarkable progress that not only benefits the Chinese people but also creates opportunities for the global community. Three experts share insights on the significant impact of these achievements with China Daily's Shan Xueying, Dang He, and Li Wei. Excerpts from their discussions follow:
Poverty alleviation contribution for world
China's efforts toward poverty alleviation have been exceptional, and driven by various factors. Before the transformative reform and opening-up in 1978, China focused on enhancing human capital through education and healthcare, strengthening industries to create jobs, and bolstering national security. Since 1978, the shift from a planned economy to a socialist market economy has unleashed productive forces. The strategy for poverty eradication has evolved, emphasizing key pillars such as commitment to reform, fostering innovation through special economic zones, and implementing long-term plans like the five-year plans and targeted assistance policies.
Now China's focus on developing new quality productive forces is a crucial strategy for its continued growth. This approach involves not abandoning traditional industries but rather accelerating their transformation and innovation while respecting and optimizing their existing strengths. This initiative not only addresses emerging needs but also provides new opportunities for the global economy.
China's emphasis on revolutionary technological breakthroughs has created a demand for high-end products in developed nations. This focus on enhancing total factor productivity and product quality aids in industrialization and efficient growth. Additionally, China's export of green and clean high-end products, such as new-energy vehicles and sustainable energy products, aligns with the global goal of sustainable development.
China's pursuit of new quality productive forces is particularly significant for developing countries, especially those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. By promoting industrialization and optimizing resource allocation based on comparative advantages, China provides expertise, job opportunities, and infrastructure development that empower local communities. This approach reflects the essence of the Chinese proverb, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
Wang Yong is the academic deputy dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University.
Chinese modernization brings great missions and visions
The Chinese-funded cruise ship Blue Dream Melody is set to embark on a 33-night ultra-long-haul voyage departing from Shanghai on November 26, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The concept of "modernization" or "development theory" originally stemmed from the belief that the economic and political models of the Western world could be transplanted onto the newly independent nations of the Global South. An early founder of this theory, Daniel Lerner, in his influential work The Passing of Traditional Society: Modernizing the Middle East (1958), argued that the West, through the dissemination of modernity, can help underdeveloped nations transition from "traditional societies" to modern ones.
However, the trajectory of Chinese modernization presents a different narrative. China's modernization journey began with a sincere aspiration to uplift its people from poverty, underdevelopment, illiteracy, and other pressing challenges. When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, the country faced significant hardships. For example, in 1952, China's GDP stood at only 67.9 billion yuan, with a per capita GDP of 119 yuan, as per official figures. This meant that the average annual income of Chinese individuals at that time was barely enough for them to afford a few McDonald's "Big Mac" meals. Through 75 years of relentless endeavor, China has made remarkable strides across various fronts, with the Chinese people being the primary beneficiaries of the gains of modernization.
Equally significant is China's commitment to collaborating with the global community and sharing the benefits of modernization worldwide, a principle deeply rooted in traditional Chinese values. For instance, during the First China-Latin America human rights round table recently, scholars from different countries were in agreement that the diversity of civilizations forms the bedrock of sustainable development for humanity.
China gives priority to cooperation with developing nations. By embracing a people-centered approach, China unites with developing countries to chart a path to modernization that suits themselves, fostering mutually beneficial development strategies. The Chinese Story in Global Order, an analysis of the global perception of China's modernization journey, concludes that a majority of individuals in developing countries view China as a positive external force and aspire to draw lessons from China's experiences for their own future development.
As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted during the General Debate of the 79th Session, the world is currently facing unprecedented challenges akin to a powder keg. To navigate these complexities and explore innovative solutions, humanity must cultivate new ideas and consider a broader array of alternatives. Now more than ever, it is imperative for mankind to unite and stand in solidarity.
Liu Chen is a professor of intercultural development at Beijing Foreign Studies University and the author of The Chinese Story in Global Order (Springer Nature, 2023).
China a steady supporter of peaceful development
A participant at the 6th Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation & China-Africa Think Tank High-Level Dialogue learns about the production process of traditional lacquered fluttering fans, which are made using a technique based on a national intangible heritage, in Beijing on Wednesday. WANG JING/CHINA DAILY
As New China commemorates its 75th anniversary, the nation stands as an example of earth-shaking transformations and remarkable accomplishments. China's development, prosperity, and stability are integral components of global peace, security, and progress.
Not only has China achieved significant domestic economic growth and maintained a leading position in infrastructure development, scientific and technological innovation, and industrial manufacturing, it has also dedicated itself to fostering sustainable human development and upholding peace and stability worldwide. China actively contributes Chinese wisdom and solutions to international affairs and global governance, generously sharing its governance experiences with partner countries.
With a longstanding history of friendship with Middle Eastern nations, China has steadfastly pursued the principle of peaceful development over the past 75 years. The establishment of a community with a shared future for mankind is seen as the fundamental pathway to enduring global peace, including in the Middle East. Currently, China-Arab relations are at their peak, with the Middle East serving as a natural partner in initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative.
China's high-quality collaboration within the Belt and Road Initiative with Middle Eastern countries, aligning development strategies, has significantly contributed to economic growth, boosted local employment rates, and laid a solid economic foundation for ensuring peace in the region.
As against China's peaceful diplomacy in the Middle East, characterized by cooperation, solidarity, and equality, successive US administrations have pursued a regional strategy rooted in the "America First" doctrine. The US' diplomatic approach in the Middle East has often adhered to a hegemonic realist logic, neglecting the well-being and dignity of the region's inhabitants.
China, a steadfast advocate for peace in the international arena, prioritizes the Middle East peace process. Through initiatives like the Global Security Initiative, China played a pivotal role in facilitating reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March 2023, and brokered the signing of the Beijing Declaration by 14 Palestinian factions in July 2024, emphasizing intra-Palestinian unity. China's history and actions in diplomacy underscore its credibility as a trusted partner capable of advancing peace and security in the Middle East.
Zhang Yuan is a professor of Middle East studies at the Shanghai International Studies University.
编辑：韩睿
