Where will China go after the 20th National Congress of the CPC ?
The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which has attracted worldwide attention, has concluded.
So, what kind of message does this Congress convey to the world, especially our Pakistani friends, and what does it mean for the betterment of Pakistan?
I believe that Mr.Xi Jinping sent the message to the world at this party congress that the starting point of all the work of the CPC is to serve the people.
He emphasized that the country is the people, and the people are the country. The CPC leads the people to fight and defend the country and safeguard the heart of the people.
Governing the country is constantly benefiting the people. To benefit the people is the essential requirement of establishment of the party for the public and governing for the people.
China will insist on ensuring and improving people’s livelihood in the process of development, will encourage joint efforts to create a better life, and will continuously realize the people’s yearning for a better life.
In the past ten years, the Chinese people’s quality of life has improved tremendously. Mr.Xi Jinping said, “We must realize, maintain and develop the fundamental interests of the masses, take cognizance of their needs reaching down to the grassroots.
Adopt measures to benefit people’s livelihood and warm their hearts, focus on solving their urgent problems, improve the basic public service system, enhance balance and accessibility, and solidly promote common prosperity.
” It is notable that rather than fix grand targets, Xi Jinping focused on poverty alleviation and solving urgent problems to govern the people.
Mr. Xi Jinping said that we must improve the distribution system, adhere to the principle of distribution based on people’s work efforts and qualities, and coexist with multiple distribution methods, adhere to the principle of more work and more rewards, encourage hard work to gain prosperity, promote fair opportunities, increase the income of low-income people, expand middle-income groups, and regulate income, not allow the income gap income to widen; establish distribution order and standardize wealth accumulation mechanism.
He reiterated that the CPC acknowledges that all the people have aspirations to lead a good life, not encourage a few people to become rich overnight.
Support the people in the lower strata and eliminate unreasonable restrictions and employment discrimination that affect equal employment, so that everyone has the opportunity to realize their own development through hard work.
Mr. Xi Jinping said that the establishment of a birth support policy system, the implementation of the national strategy to actively respond to the aging population, the promotion of inheritance, innovation and development of traditional Chinese medicine, the improvement of the public health system, the strengthening of the major epidemic prevention and treatment system and the construction of emergency response capabilities will effectively curb the spread of major infectious diseases and pandemic.
He announced that China will no longer implement a strict family-planning policy; a policy that allows couples to have only one child has ended, and China will encourage families to have two or three children.
Additionally, China has always adopted a zero-tolerance strategy for major infectious diseases.
Facts have proved that China’s dynamic zero policy is effective and sustainable. For the low-carbon economy, Mr. Xi Jinping emphasized that China “must accelerate the green transformation of its development form, and will implement a comprehensive conservation strategy, will develop green and low-carbon industries, advocate green consumption, and promote the formation of green and low-carbon production methods and lifestyles.
China will promote the prevention and control of environmental pollution further, and continue to defend blue sky, clear water, and pure land.
China has basically eliminated severe pollution, has eradicated dark and odorous water bodies, has strengthened the prevention and control of soil pollution sources, and has basically improved the level of environmental infrastructure, and has promoted the improvement of urban and rural living milieu.
China will improve the diversity and stability of ecosystems, Sustainability will speed up the implementation of major projects for the protection and restoration of important ecosystems, and will implement major projects for biodiversity conservation, promote grasslands, forests, rivers, lakes and wetlands for recuperation, and will implement a ten-year ban on fishing in the Yangtze River, will improve the system of fallow and rotation of cultivated land.
China will actively and steadily promote carbon neutrality based on China’s energy and resource endowments, China will adhere to the principle of step-by-step planning to implement carbon peaking and will promote the energy revolution further, will strengthen the clean and efficient use of coal, and will speed up the development and construction of a new energy system, China will actively participate in the global governance of climate change”.
Anyone who has been to China ten years ago or in the last one or two years can make the comparison and notice that China’s cities have less air pollution, less smog, and no stinky gutters.
The goal of eliminating black and odorous water bodies has been achieved. Rural revitalization has produced initial outcomes, not only villages build roads, but also paid heed to environmental protection.
Preliminary success has been achieved in the defense of clear water, blue sky and pure land in the countryside.
The role of the new energy industry in China’s economy is growing. Pakistan is China’s all-weather strategic cooperative partner, and the friendship between the two countries has grown stronger with time.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has made significant contributions to boosting Pakistan’s economy but we feel that this is not enough.
In the future, China will need to help Pakistan in a broader span. That is not only to help Pakistan build bridges, roads and power stations, and open up industrial parks, but also help Pakistan to achieve a green and low-carbon economy, and help Pakistan improve its technical capabilities and organizational mobilization capabilities to resist natural disasters and face more challenges.
China’s successful experience of reform and opening door policy will surely better benefit the Pakistani people.
The writer is Senior Researcher, for Financial Studies of Chongyang Institute, Renmin University China